INDIANAPOLIS – On the 100th and final lap of the Pennzoil 250, Riley Herbst was slightly behind Aric Almirola as the two Fords entered the back stretch of the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval course.

Herbst’s Stewart-Haas Racing No. 98 was on the inside of the two cars, and he planned to make his move in Turn 4 instead of the short chute between Turns 3 and 4. But things didn’t go to plan, and Herbst’s car bumped Almirola’s as he made the pass too early, causing Herbst’s steering wheel to turn sideways toward the inside.

“When I was sideways I thought it was over, I was wrecked,” Herbst said.

Herbst performed what he called a “Hail Mary” by cranking his steering wheel all the way to the right. He managed to straighten out his car and stay on the gas to win the Pennzoil 250 for the first time.

“I don't know how I did it if I had to do it again,” Herbst claimed. “But that's what we train for. It's just instincts and just lucky to have the opportunity and able to capitalize on it.”

With Stewart-Haas teammate Cole Custer — who passed Almirola for second place and led 47 of the race’s 100 laps — on Herbst’s tail, he knew he couldn’t lift off the gas even for a moment. For a chance at the win, Herbst had to whip his wheel in the other direction and hope for the best.

Like May’s Indianapolis 500, the Pennzoil 250 — which is a precursor to Sunday’s Brickyard 400 — was decided in the final turn of the day. While the Daytona International Speedway is more synonymous with NASCAR than IMS will ever be, Herbst still has a great appreciation for the track.

“This is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway,” Herbst said on the USA broadcast. “Every person in the world wants to race here, and I won here. I don’t care if it’s the Xfinity Series, it’s the Cup Series, it’s the go-kart track out back. This is the Brickyard, this is Indianapolis, this is the coolest race track in the world.”

Saturday was Herbst’s second Xfinity Series win of his career, the in his hometown of Las Vegas in last year’s Alsco Uniforms 302. The win jumped Herbst from seventh to fifth in the series standings, as he’s now in solid position to make the 12-driver playoff with six races left before the playoffs begin.

Herbst, 25, has been with Stewart-Haas Racing since 2021. With news of Stewart-Haas shutting down at the conclusion of the 2024 season, this could be the last race Herbst wins with the team owned by Tony Stewart and Gene Haas.

“Truthfully, I didn't want to go anywhere,” Herbst said. “Stewart-Haas racing was a home to me. They took me up when I got pushed out of my other place (Joe Gibbs Racing). (Stewart-Haas competition director) Greg Zipadelli, Tony Stewart — they truly built me up when I was very, very down and I thought I saw myself at Stuart-Haas racing for as long as my racing career was.”

Haas announced in June that he will restructure the team as Haas Factory Team for 2025. Haas Factory Team will have one Cup car, which will be driven by Custer, who won the 2023 Xfinity Series. It will also have two cars in the Xfinity Series, and Herbst has been offered a spot.

Herbst is currently undecided on his 2025 home. He’s considering which series to race in between the Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Truck Series. Herbst said he’ll rely on semi-retired NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick and his Kevin Harvick Incorporated management crew to decide what he’ll do (and with which team) next season. He’s never raced a full season in the Cup Series or the Truck Series.

Despite being unsure what the future holds, Herbst is giving it his all for Stewart-Haas. If the season ended today, he’d been in for the highest Xfinity Series finish of his career.

Saturday’s electric finish was fitting for the West Coast kid who grew up admiring IMS.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Riley Herbst wins NASCAR's Pennzoil 250 at IMS on final lap