Rivalry simmers after Chandler Smith wins Truck Series at North Wilkesboro

Smith Claims Victory in Dramatic Overtime Finish at North Wilkesboro

North Wilkesboro, NC – Chandler Smith secured his second NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series victory of the season at the Window World 250, thanks to a last-lap incident involving teammate Layne Riggs and rival Corey Heim. Smith’s triumph, his first at the historic 0.625-mile track, came as Riggs’ Ford made contact with Heim’s Toyota in the final turns, allowing Smith to pull ahead.

Heim, who dominated much of the race, leading 162 of 255 laps, finished 17th after the late-race chaos. His tire disadvantage proved costly in overtime as he attempted to fend off Smith and Riggs on fresh tires.

In a pivotal moment on lap 254, Heim found himself in front for the restart but struggled with older tires. As the white flag waved, Riggs executed a strong maneuver, sliding up into Heim, which allowed Smith to assume the lead and secure the win by a margin of 0.611 seconds.

"I felt like this place… tires kind of mattered but they also kind of didn’t," Smith remarked post-race, acknowledging his teammate’s critical role in the final lap. "My teammate, Layne Riggs, executed perfectly."

Heim expressed frustration post-race, stating, "It cost him one, too. Just disappointed." He emphasized his dominance throughout the event and criticized Riggs for his aggressive tactics that ultimately impacted the outcome.

Riggs defended his actions, claiming, "It’s North Wilkesboro on the last lap for a truck win. I feel like I didn’t really do anything wrong there."

Tyler Ankrum rounded out the podium in third, with Daniel Hemric and Grant Enfinger completing the top five. Defending champion Ty Majeski and notable names like Kyle Busch and Sammy Smith also finished in the top ten despite Busch facing setbacks with pit road penalties.

Heim maintains his lead in the series points standings, holding a 47-point advantage over Smith as the series moves to Charlotte for the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 next Friday.