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NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship Race Fans Respond To Corey Heim Claiming 1st Drivers’ Title At Phoenix Raceway

Jeff Hawkins Written by Sports EditorJeff Hawkins
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NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship Race Fans Respond To Corey Heim Claiming 1st Drivers’ Title At Phoenix Raceway

When Connor Mosack experienced issues with right-front fender, his No. 81 Chevrolet skidded into the wall with two laps remaining in Friday night’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway.

At the time, regular-season champion Corey Heim ran P2, but appeared to be cruising to his first drivers’ title. The No. 11 Toyota paced Ty Majeski, the nearest Championship 4 competitor, by nearly two seconds.

The event’s sixth caution altered the race strategy significantly for Heim. Entering overtime, the leaders lined up for pit stops.

While Heim’s team elected to change four tires, most of his opponents chose two and he re-emerged in 10th place.

No problem.

Driving into the first turn, Heim went low and at one point played a role in the “seven-wide at Phoenix” moment, and exited the first turn P2, behind Majeski, the 2024 series champion.

“Watch Corey Heim put on his cape,” a Fox Sports announcer said while watching a replay.

Behind the leaders, final four racer Tyler Ankrum crashed out during a “four wide into Turn 3” moment, forcing a second overtime.

On the second OT restart, Heim outmuscled Majeski and claimed his 12th win in 25 outings this season.

“I don’t care if I was on 100 lap tires, nobody was going to beat me,” Heim told Fox Sports, wearing a championship hat. I just drove it in deep until I couldn’t anymore and just drove away with it.

“Insane.”

X (Twitter) users responded to “Heim Time” …

The Championship 4 pilots stood ready during Friday’s qualifying session …

Heim entered Friday night as the heavy sports-betting favorite, drawing -150 odds from FanDuel Sportsbook …

Going green for the finale in the desert, Chandler Smith cleared the field at the start for the lead along Turn 2, Daniel Hemric drove Dawson Sutton into the wall, bringing out the first caution …

Honeycutt earned the first post-green flag penalty, but by Lap 36, he rallied to P8.

Heim more than just passed Smith for the lead along Turn 2 on Lap 22, he created a new record, becoming the first NASCAR National Series driver to lead in each race during a season. Fourteen laps later, he led Brent Crews by 1.843 seconds …

Heim created more history after taking the lead en route to capturing Stage 1, a history-making 22nd of the season …

This was a familiar sight. Heim and Majeski running 1-2 during the second stage with a championship on the line …

Make that 23 stage wins, an all-time high, for Heim, who spun his tires on the post-stage pit stop, costing him the lead to Majeski. Heim also spun his tires during the team’s first pit stop …

Heim outduels a hard-charging Majeski for the lead off a Stage 3 restart …

A red flag cut the action after Giovanni Ruggiero, Andres Perez De Lara and Ben Rhodes crashed hard on Lap 119 …

Layne Riggs, who won the pole but was forced to start in the rear following a post-qualifying penalty, drove on fresher tires and overwhelmed Heim on Lap 127 …

On four fresh tires, Heim made his move on the first overtime turn, possibly saving his season …

Here’s the “going seven wide at Phoenix” moment …

The finish …

Heim lifted the title trophy …

Jeff Hawkins Written by Sports EditorJeff Hawkins
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry, in both print and digital media. He joined the Sportscasting team in 2021 following a decade of freelancing. He spent his early career as a reporter for various newspapers in Illinois, New York, Florida, North Carolina, and Michigan, with a particular emphasis as a beat reporter for the Chicago Blackhawks. Jeff earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from Oakland University. Over the course of his career he earned several sports writing awards, including two national awards from the Associated Press Sports Editors for column writing and news reporting. One of the five prized columns included a commentary on NASCAR's increasing corporate influences, particularly in northern racetracks — commentary which you might find Jeff building on as part of the Motorsports writing team at Sportscasting now.  
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