Corey Heim Triumphs at EcoSave 250, Sets Truck Series Record
Charlotte, NC—In a dramatic turn of events at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, Corey Heim emerged victorious in the EcoSave 250 on Friday, overcoming a challenging first-lap collision. This victory marks Heim’s 10th of the 2025 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season, setting a new single-season record.
Starting from pole position, Heim was involved in a multi-car incident shortly after the race began, dubbed “Calamity Corner.” A collision initiated by Grant Enfinger sent Layne Riggs spinning, leading to damage for Heim’s No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota, which required several pit stops for repairs. Heim recalled, “Thought we were done, honestly. The right front completely folded when it hit the wall.”
Despite the setbacks, Heim demonstrated resilience and strategic acumen. He reclaimed the lead during an overtime restart after staying out while race leader Brent Crews pitted for fresh tires. Heim finished 1.338 seconds ahead of Crews, who had dominated for 56 laps, securing an all-TRICON 1-2-3 finish with rookie Gio Ruggiero finishing third.
“It was probably the toughest one of the year so far,” Heim stated, acknowledging the team’s effort to restore his truck. His victory not only secured his place in the Championship 4 finale at Phoenix but also highlighted TRICON’s strength as a rising team in the series.
Crews, though disappointed with the missed win, reflected positively on the team’s performance: “We had a super-fast truck… really happy for TRICON today to go 1-2-3.”
The race saw significant repercussions for Playoff drivers, with Daniel Hemric and Tyler Ankrum sitting just above the cut line after finishing 11th and 9th, respectively. Riggs, who faced clutch issues following the earlier collision, fell below the elimination line with a 21st-place finish, expressing frustration over the incident instigated by Enfinger: “That’s twice this year we’ve gotten wrecked by the No. 9 truck… both blatantly wrong on his part.”
In the standings, Rajah Caruth remains fourth, narrowly above Riggs, while defending champion Ty Majeski and Kaden Honeycutt also contend tightly for playoff positions.
Final Standings: EcoSave 250
- Corey Heim
- Brent Crews
- Gio Ruggiero
- Rajah Caruth
- Connor Zilisch
- Josh Bilicki
- Grant Enfinger
- Ty Majeski
- Tyler Ankrum
- Connor Mosack
Heim’s win underscores not only his driving skill but also TRICON’s growing prominence in NASCAR, setting the stage for an intense finale at Phoenix Raceway.
