The 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion, Corey Heim, will not be running a full-time schedule in any NASCAR series this year. He will instead be running a part-time schedule in the Cup Series, along with starts in other series. Making this challenge harder than it already sounds is the issue he has been facing with his core and hip stability.
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He first noticed pain in his hip back in 2022. Since then, it has only increased in intensity. Sitting deep inside the car, his legs are really stretched, and his knees are basically against his chest, as explained by the 23XI driver. This has caused mobility concerns and has forced him to pay attention to working on them. He detailed the pain and his attempts to relieve it in an interview with Fanbuzz.
He said, “My hips, like, lock up and basically either fall asleep or cramp really bad. I think a lot of it just came down to I lost strength in my hips and glutes and everything. So started working on that a lot and getting more mobile, but also stronger in those areas.” He underwent extreme training sessions during the offseason and admitted to feeling much stronger already.
Fortunately for Heim, there are two stellar avenues where he can focus on recovery and receive the best possible care. The first is the Toyota Performance Center in Mooresville. The facility has a state-of-the-art gym, physical therapists, psychologists, and a fully-equipped kitchen with nutrition guidance.
The second is the training facility at 23XI Racing’s HQ, Airspeed. Jason Meiring, the head of athletic performance at the venue, worked with NBA players for nearly a decade. Heim, cleverly, has chosen to use both these spaces to his advantage.
He said, “I feel like, being with 23XI and Toyota, they kind of have seen it all. A lot of those guys have different backgrounds. Jason at 23XI comes from the Charlotte Hornets. So worked on a lot of basketball players, and that obviously requires a lot of core strength.” Working with such experienced and knowledgeable individuals, it shouldn’t be long before he is fully fit again.
So far, he has been doing exercises that engage his core and help him improve his overall stability. The training appears to be paying off well as he took on the 2026 Daytona 500 last Sunday and came out with a 28th-place finish.
He finished the race just 2.5 miles shy of the entire 500, after a stellar qualifying attempt. 11 more races are left in his Cup Series schedule for the season. He will continue to build his strength through them all and hope for a full-time stint next season.
