Corey Heim Wins NASCAR Texas Truck Series Race In Double Overtime

At first glance, the box score might suggest that Corey Heim's triumph in the SpeedyCash.com 250 on Friday night was effortless.

However, that couldn't be further from the truth. Heim's 14th career victory was far from simple.

The driver of the No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota, who also leads the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series standings, had to endure two overtime sessions at Texas Motor Speedway to secure his first victory at the track and his third win of the season.

Heim was just ahead when a caution interrupted the first overtime almost immediately. The restart during the second overtime added much excitement to the final two laps.

Starting in second position on the outside of Heim, Ben Rhodes held his place, racing alongside through the first two corners. As they neared Turn 3, both drivers had to ease off the throttle, allowing Daniel Hemric to make a strong move on the inside at the start/finish line.

However, Heim accelerated, maneuvered between the trucks, and surged into the lead, overtaking Hemric and Rhodes in Turn 1. Heim pulled slightly ahead, beating Hemric by 0.279 seconds, while Rhodes lost speed and fell to sixth place.

“I wasn’t going to let that one get away from me,” said Heim, who led a race-high 96 of 174 laps and earned an extra Playoff point by winning Stage 2. “I’ve given up too many this year so far. I’m just overwhelmed—so many restarts there at the end and guys were taking me three-wide.

“I wasn’t going to let them take it from me… They tried to take me three-wide into (Turn) 1, and I drove until I couldn’t anymore.”

At 22 years old, Heim is the youngest driver in the series' history to achieve 14 wins. The Truck Series race on Friday night was also the first to extend into overtime after 21 consecutive events concluded in regulation.

Rajah Caruth finished third behind Heim and Hemric, with Tyler Ankrum taking fourth place and Tanner Gray coming in fifth.

Rhodes was unhappy with how Heim raced him into Turn 3 during the white-flag lap in the second overtime.

"I was somewhat upset, and even now, watching the replay, with the way Heim ran me in turns 3 and 4," said Rhodes, a two-time series champion. "Essentially, seeing him move off the bottom, considering the groove is very narrow here, is why all those wrecks kept occurring."

“I had to ease off. I believe he did too, which is why there was space for three-wide on the front stretch, and that's how we ended up in sixth place.”

In total, the race resulted in 11 cautions over 57 laps, highlighting the intense action at the Fort Worth track.