Tempers boiled over on Saturday night at North Wilkesboro Speedway as Layne Riggs found himself in the middle of a post-race controversy with Corey Heim. The pair clashed during a dramatic overtime finish in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Window World 250, where Riggs’ bold move on the final lap cost Heim the race and set off a fiery confrontation.
Heim, who had led the race for 162 of the 255 laps, was poised to grab his fourth victory of the 2025 season. But as the white flag waved, Riggs dive-bombed into Turn 1, sending Heim’s No. 11 Tricon Garage Toyota spinning out of contention. Chandler Smith went on to win the race, Riggs finished second, and Heim dropped all the way to 17th. The finish ignited immediate tensions and added fuel to an already developing rivalry.
“This Is Why No One Likes You”: Heim Erupts After Final-Lap Wreck
Moments after the checkered flag flew, Corey Heim didn’t mince words as he approached Layne Riggs on pit road. In front of cameras and reporters, Heim lashed out with a profanity-laced tirade aimed directly at his competitor.
“Look in the mirror and figure out this is why no one likes you,” Heim snapped. “You’re racing like a f***ing idiot. Calm down, or someone’s going to take care of you.”
Heim’s anger stemmed from what he believed was yet another reckless move by Riggs. Just a week earlier at Kansas Speedway, Riggs had made a similar dive-bomb attempt on Carson Hocevar, hitting the No. 7’s left rear. Hocevar survived and won that race, while Heim lost out on what could have been his third consecutive win.
At North Wilkesboro, however, Heim wasn’t as fortunate. His dominating performance unraveled in the blink of an eye. And while his words cut deep, Riggs refused to fire back in kind.
Asked by reporters to respond to Heim’s verbal tirade, Riggs simply replied, “You guys got microphones. I’m not going to repeat any of those.”
Riggs Defends Aggression: “I Really Only Care About Me and My Team”
For Riggs, the end-of-race contact was just hard racing. The Front Row Motorsports driver didn’t apologize for the maneuver and said he did what was necessary to put his team in position for a win.
“We were side by side on the frontstretch, and I had a huge run,” Riggs explained to FOX Sports’ Josh Sims. “I went bottom and, you know, I didn’t fence him. I slid him up the track and gave him one lane there.”
It was a calculated risk for Riggs, who has had a solid but winless season so far. After eight races, he sits eighth in the Truck Series standings with 294 points, three top-five finishes, and four top-10s. While Heim might see the move as excessive, Riggs made it clear where his priorities lie.
"I didn't fence him, I slid him up the track … I really only care about me and my team."- Layne Riggs@JoshRSims | #NASCARonFS1 pic.twitter.com/HFZqoUj2Wt
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 17, 2025
“I really only care about me and my team,” he added.
The remark may not have sat well with Heim or fans of the No. 11 truck, but it highlights Riggs’ win-at-all-costs mentality. And although he didn’t get the win—falling short to teammate Chandler Smith—he walked away with a second-place finish and plenty of media attention heading into next week’s showdown in Charlotte.
Points Implications and What’s Next at Charlotte
Despite the late-race chaos, Heim still holds a firm grasp on the top spot in the driver standings. With 450 points, he maintains a 47-point cushion over second-place Chandler Smith. The battle at the front, however, is beginning to tighten.
Smith’s win at North Wilkesboro was his second of the season, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. The FRM driver took full advantage of the overtime chaos and is now shaping up to be Heim’s primary challenger heading into the summer stretch.
Layne Riggs, meanwhile, has work to do if he wants to break into the championship conversation. Currently eighth in points, he’ll need more consistent top-five finishes and perhaps his first career Truck Series win to solidify himself as a playoff threat.
The next opportunity comes on Thursday, May 23, at Charlotte Motor Speedway during the North Carolina Education Lottery 200. The 134-lap event will air on FS1 at 8:30 p.m. ET, with radio coverage provided by the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
News in Brief: Layne Riggs and Corey Heim North Wilkesboro
The fireworks at North Wilkesboro didn’t just provide excitement on the track—they stoked a personal rivalry that could follow Corey Heim and Layne Riggs for the rest of the 2025 season. While Heim is laser-focused on maintaining his lead in the points standings, Riggs has made it clear he’s not going to back down from anyone—not even the series leader.
With emotions running high and the playoffs slowly approaching, every race now carries a little extra edge. And with another faceoff looming in Charlotte, fans won’t have to wait long to see if tempers will flare again between these two young, hard-nosed drivers.
One thing is certain: Layne Riggs isn’t backing down, and Corey Heim isn’t likely to forget.
ALSO READ: Corey Heim Might Leave 23XI Racing in 2026 as Uncertainty Grows Over His Long-Term Plans
