Corey Heim Dominates Charlotte: Wins North Carolina Education Lottery 200
Charlotte, NC – Corey Heim delivered a masterclass in race execution, leading 98 of 134 laps to secure a commanding victory in the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Friday night. Driving the No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota, Heim’s performance was marked by his dominance throughout the event, culminating in a 6.229-second win over second-place Ross Chastain.
This victory marks Heim’s first at Charlotte and the fourth of his 2023 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season. With this win, he also joined Matt Crafton on the all-time career win list with 15 victories, making him the youngest driver to reach this milestone at just 22 years old.
Heim’s night was flawless; he swept both stages and set the fastest lap, earning a maximum of 61 points. This performance has solidified his place at the top of the standings, extending his lead to 100 points over second-place Chandler Smith. His victory margin represents the largest ever recorded at Charlotte in the Truck Series.
“I felt like we’ve had the speed the last couple of years here, but circumstances haven’t let us get it done,” Heim stated post-race. “My team gave me a great Tundra, and we checked all our boxes tonight.”
Chastain led the charge among Neice Motorsports drivers, finishing second, while teammates Kaden Honeycutt and Matt Mills finished third and seventh, respectively. Chastain acknowledged the challenge Heim posed, stating, “The No. 11 is the best in the field right now; none of us had anything for him.”
Kyle Busch and Layne Riggs rounded out the top five, with Grant Enfinger, Mills, Daniel Hemric, Rajah Caruth, and Brandon Jones completing the top ten. Notably, Chandler Smith faced an early exit, finishing 34th after a multi-car incident on lap 71 that also involved pole winner Gio Ruggiero, reigning champion Ty Majeski, and Connor Mosack.
The race featured three caution flags, totaling 20 laps, with two of those for stage breaks.
Looking ahead, the Truck Series will next compete in the Rackley Roofing 200 at Nashville Superspeedway on May 30. Notably, with no remaining 1.5-mile intermediate tracks on the schedule, Heim’s strong performance at Charlotte underscores his adaptability as the series transitions to different styles of racing.
