Corey Heim makes it a record-tying nine NASCAR Truck Series victories at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday afternoon in the Team EJP 175
LOUDON, N.H. – Corey Heim turned in yet another successful chapter to one of the most dominant seasons in NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series history – claiming his record-tying ninth season win in Saturday’s Team EJP 175 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Corey Heim Nine Victories
The 23-year-old Georgia native’s race effort was nearly as perfect as the NASCAR weekend setting – sunshine, cool Fall temperatures set among the beautiful season-changing foliage for which New England is renowned.
Heim claimed pole position in the No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota, swept both stages, led a race-best 124 of the 175 laps, set the fastest lap of the day, and then motored off to an 0.823-second victory over Chandler Smith to end the first round of the series Playoffs as dominantly as the Regular Season Champion started them.
The nine-victory effort this year ties the single-season win mark set by former series champion Greg Biffle in 1999. And immediately after Saturday’s checkered flag, Biffle posted a photo on social media of him holding a lobster (New Hampshire’s traditional trophy award) on a beach with the caption, “Welcome to the 9-win club.”
“It’s a dream come true to be able to race with these guys,” Heim said of his team. “Seems like everywhere we go this year we’re a contender or we win so just can’t say enough about those guys.
“But got to keep it going,” continued Heim, who now has 20 wins in 85 career starts. “Still have four more races left [this year] and want to break that [single season wins] record. Shout out to Greg Biffle. He’s a great dude.
“Dream year for me personally and just have to keep it going. It’s awesome. Gotta keep the ball rolling.”
Chandler Smith and Jake Garcia Will Miss the Round of 8
Smith’s runner-up showing was an inspired rally attempt to advance to the next round of the Playoffs. Ultimately, the Front Row Motorsports driver came up ten points shy of advancing. ThorSport Racing’s Jake Garcia, who finished 16th on Saturday, also failed to move on in the title fight.
“Just a lot of bad luck, but honestly, I’m a faithful guy and been doing a lot of praying about it, and my prayer’s been specific for the Lord’s will, and obviously it wasn’t in his will for us to advance to the next round, obviously,” Smith said.
“Super grateful for these group of guys that we assembled on this 38-team, and we huddled together before the race, and I let them know this doesn’t define us no matter what the outcome. I’m proud of each and every one of them.”
The Team EPJ 175 Results
Smith’s Front Row teammate, Layne Riggs, finished third at New Hampshire. As a three-time winner, he begins this next three-race round of Playoff competition ranked second. Riggs is 47 points behind the championship favorite, Heim.
Heim’s rookie teammate, Gio Ruggiero, crossed the line fourth in one of his best showings of the season. And reigning series champion, ThorSport Racing’s Ty Majeski, was fifth.
The NASCAR Truck Series Playoff Point Standings
The championship lineup for the Round of 8, with points reset, includes – in order – McAnally-Hilgemann’s Daniel Hemric, Majeski, McAnally-Hilgemann’s Tyler Ankrum, CR7 Motorsports’ Grant Enfinger, Spire Motorsports’ Rajah Caruth, and Halmar-Friesen Racing’s Kaden Honeycutt.
Caruth’s gamble to stay out on old tires to gain extra points in Stage 2 proved critical in his advancement. He finished tenth.
“It was kind of best-case scenario, the 38 [Smith] didn’t win and we got good stage points,” Caruth said. “Just proud of my Spire team. We just kept getting better and the truck was decent. I don’t feel like tenth was really indicative of where we could have finished but that’s how it went with how the tires were today, the way the cautions fell and our strategy.”
Enfinger, Honeycutt, Corey LaJoie, Christian Eckes, and Caruth rounded out the top ten.
Up Next
The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series returns to competition on October 3rd. Its series debut at the Charlotte ROVAL is the first race in the final three-race run. The Round of 8 determines which four drivers are eligible to race for the championship at Phoenix on October 31st.