22-year-old Corey Heim is a full-time driver for Tricon Garage in the Craftsman Truck Series. After finishing fourth in the standings in his maiden season with the team in 2023 and as the runner-up in 2024, he received the opportunity to race part-time for 23XI Racing in the Cup Series in 2025. He had previously made three Cup starts in 2024 — two with Legacy Motor Club and one with 23XI. The first race of his new part-time opportunity comes at Kansas on Sunday.
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Heim will pilot the No. 67 Toyota Camry XSE sponsored by Robinhood for the Denny Hamlin–Michael Jordan co-owned race team. It is no doubt an incredible chance for the youngster to prove his worth. But what is odd is that it has taken so long for him to get this break.
Drivers far less capable than he on the track are already racing full-time in the Cup Series, and that’s a disappointment to see. However, he is focused on being where he is now and making good use of the cards that he has been dealt.
He told the press on Saturday, “I don’t really let that get to me too much. I just focus on the current opportunities that I have at hand. I feel like I’m ready to make Cup starts – I don’t know if I’m ready to be a full-time Cup driver, that is what I’m learning as I go.”
That said, he is strong-willed to go out to the track and prove to the world that he is ready. He went on to thank his No.11 Truck Series crew and the No. 67 23XI Racing crew for their help.
One of the biggest reasons for him being so calm with not being in the Cup Series is his extraordinary performance in the Truck Series.
Corey Heim explains how the Truck Series is extremely rewarding
Despite his young age, Heim already has 14 Victory Lane visits in the Truck Series. Three of those came in the opening eight races of the ongoing season. The young racer has finished outside the top-10 just once — in Atlanta — this year. This is why he isn’t very impatient about moving to the Cup Series in a full-time capacity.
He admitted, “When you are winning races and competing very consistently, it’s fun and you are having a good time. It is rewarding. I feel like, if maybe I was struggling more on the Truck side or maybe seeking other opportunities, I feel like it would be different, but I’m really happy with my opportunities in the Truck Series.”
Racing in the Cup Series is the dream that every young driver in motorsports has. Heim’s collected patience shouldn’t be mistaken for a lack of intent. The youngster seems to have every intention of ruling the Cup Series someday. He just appears to want to take it slow and steady rather than to gain a quick ascension and fall down the ladder.
Heim finished his Truck Series race at Kansas in third place, only behind full-time Cup drivers Carson Hocevar and William Byron. A strong result on Sunday will speak volumes about his caliber to the men in suits in the Cup Series.
