Corey Heim heads into the playoffs looking to secure his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship.
Heim has dominated the NASCAR Truck season to date, securing seven wins in 18 races. His closest full-season competitors, Layne Riggs and Chandler Smith, each have two.
The TRICON Garage driver's win Friday night came at the misfortune of last year's champion Ty Majeski, who won both stages and led 143 of 250 laps, looking to repeat his regular season finale win from last year, which set up his run to his first Truck Series Championship.
"[I] Felt like we were the best truck at Martinsville and North Wilkesboro, but they got away from us and we kind of got this one back," Heim told Fox Sports about his struggles with netting a short-track win this season. "I didn’t feel like we were the best truck tonight. I feel like the No. 98 was really stout, but obviously had a run-in and got some damage."
Majeski's night abruptly changed when his teammate, Matt Crafton, hit an oil spot on the raceway that sent him spinning into Majeski's truck. The defending champion was able to recover but lost the lead to Heim, who was able to hold him off in the closing laps.
Majeski will start the playoffs tied with Tyler Ankrum with the fifth-most points, but without a 2025 race win under his belt.
Heim at leads Front Row Motorsports' Riggs into the playoffs by 39 points. Heim finished his career-best last year in second, while Riggs, in his first playoff appearance, finished 11th. Smith follows with 2019 points.
Daniel Hemric, Ankrum, and Rajah Caruth all join the playoff fold with Truck Series wins.
Majeski is the only former champion making a run for a repeat in 2025. Last year, his win at Richmond to close out the regular season was followed by two wins in the Round of 10 opening trio, before he went on to secure his championship with a win in the Finale at Phoenix Raceway.
Grant Enfinger had the points to make it through, even if a new winner found their way to victory lane at Richmond.
The final two spots were decided by Friday night's results, with Kaden Honeycutt making the cut and Jake Garcia being the last driver in.
Garcia finished seventh, one spot ahead of his teammate Ben Rhodes and outscoring him with stage points in both Stage 1 and 2 Friday Night’s Truck race at Richmond Raceway for that last spot.
The NASCAR Truck Series will now enter a one-month break before returning to playoff action on September 11th at Bristol Motor Speedway.
You Might Also Like
Comments