“He’s the New Denny Hamlin”: NASCAR Fans React as Corey Heim’s Domination Ends in Tears Once Again

Neha Dwivedi | 21/06/2025
NASCAR Craftsman Truck driver Corey Heim during qualifying for the Fresh From Florida 250 at Daytona International Speedway, Friday, Feb. 14, 2025.

Corey Heim has been the picture of consistency in the NASCAR Truck Series this season, racking up 629 points with an average finish of 7.857 in just 14 starts and sitting atop the standings with four wins. Yet at Pocono, fortune once again refused to smile on the No. 11 Tricon Garage Toyota, despite Heim turning in another commanding performance.

Rolling off from P3, Heim looked primed to notch his fifth win of the year. After a forgettable Stage 1 that saw him finish 19th, he bounced back, taking Stage 2 ahead of Carson Hocevar and setting the tone for what appeared to be another masterclass at the Tricky Triangle. He led a race-high 48 of 80 laps, stamping his authority on the field, but once again, the checkered flag slipped through his fingers.

A poorly timed pit stop with two laps remaining in Stage 1, followed by an untimely caution, robbed him of a sure stage win after taking early control and checking out.

In Stage 2, he executed to perfection, pulling away by more than a second and a half to claim the segment. The final stage mirrored the script until everything unraveled.

Heim reclaimed the lead from Rajah Caruth, who had gambled by staying out on old tires after the restart. Heim held strong through one caution and nearly dodged a second, but then came the wrench. A tire began to fall as he entered Turn 3.

Forced to limp down the pit road for a fresh wheel, Heim watched the race slip away. With no yellow to reset the field, he could do nothing but nurse his truck home in 23rd, watching another win vanish in the rearview mirror.

It marked the fifth time this year that the Tricon Garage driver led the most laps without sealing the deal. The trend caught the attention of Jeff Gluck, who voiced what many were thinking. “Oh man. Corey Heim…AGAIN. Unbelievable,” he wrote on X, opening the floodgates for frustrated fans.

“How does this continue to happen, over and over… insane!” one fan posted.

Another added, “Unbelievable is an under statement! We are exhausted.”

One even quipped, “He’s the new Denny Hamlin, just the worst luck in the sport!” while another questioned the root cause, asking, “Any indication as to what caused the flat? Stem knocked-off, run over debris, etc.”

Despite the heartbreak, Heim did add to his season tally with one more playoff point thanks to the Stage 2 win, his record-breaking 12th of the year, setting a new bar for the most stage victories by a Truck Series driver in a single season.

Post Edited By: Srijan Mandal
Corey Heim NASCAR Truck Series

About the author

Neha Dwivedi

Neha Dwivedi is an experienced NASCAR Journalist at The SportsRush, having penned over 5500 articles on the sport to date. She was a seasoned writer long before she got into the world of NASCAR. Although she loves to see Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch win the races, she equally supports the emerging talents in the CARS Late Model and ARCA Menards Series.. For her work in NASCAR she has earned accolades from journalists like Susan Wade of The Athletic, as well as NASCAR drivers including Thad Moffit and Corey Lajoie. Her favorite moment from NASCAR was witnessing Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. win the championship trophies. Outside the racetrack world, Neha immerses herself in the literary world, exploring both fiction and non-fiction.

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