A dramatic overtime showdown at North Wilkesboro Speedway saw Corey Heim’s dominant lead turn to anguish as controversy erupted on Saturday. Denny Hamlin comments on Corey Heim Truck Series controversy, adding his perspective to the escalating drama that emerged from the late-race clash.
Overtime Sparks Controversy and Frustration
Corey Heim appeared to be in complete control, leading 162 of the 255 laps during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event. As the race neared its end, Layne Riggs made an assertive move in Turn 1, causing Heim to spin out and lose his shot at a win. The incident redirected the victory to Chandler Smith, Riggs’ TRICON Garage teammate, and left Heim visibly upset by the contact and loss.
Waiting on pit road after the race, Heim did not hide his feelings, accusing Riggs of “sc*m racing”—a sign of the escalating tension among drivers as the playoff chase intensifies. The move and its aftermath quickly became a hot topic across the NASCAR community.
Hamlin Weighs In On the Incident
On his Actions Detrimental podcast, Denny Hamlin offered his honest reaction to the collision that stole Heim’s win. Hamlin described the move as ambitious but not exceptionally out-of-line, sharing,
“I thought that it was an ambitious move by Layne. Was it really, really egregious? I did not think so.”
—Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Cup Series driver
Hamlin further empathized with Heim’s anger, explaining,
“Did I think Heim had a reason to be pissed? I do, because not only did he not get an opportunity to you know race it out in turns three and four to the checkered, he got spun out and it turned from him potentially winning or finishing second to having a bad finish.”
—Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Cup Series driver
Hamlin clarified that while the contact wasn’t an extreme violation, it undeniably upended Heim’s strong run, leaving what could have been a first or second-place finish in ruins. Pointing to Heim’s consistent success this season, Hamlin emphasized that misfortune and incidents, not lack of performance, have stymied Heim’s results.
Backing Heim, who is associated with Hamlin’s 23XI Racing developmental program, Hamlin commented on the standout talent’s superiority over his competition:
“I think that where the frustration comes from, you understand from Heim’s side, right? The kid is far more superior than his peers in performance right now.”
—Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Cup Series driver
Frankly, if he was going up against better competition, he would win more races. He’s really just got taken out by circumstances, mechanicals, green light checkers or things like that. I think the frustration comes from there’s not an effort to actually try and pass anymore.
Heim Steps Into the Cup Series Spotlight
While controversy followed Heim in the Truck Series, his talent did not go unnoticed. Recently, Heim was the headline entry at the NASCAR Cup Series AdventHealth 400 hosted at Kansas Speedway. He took the wheel for Toyota‘s 23XI Racing, co-owned by Denny Hamlin and NBA legend Michael Jordan.
This move underscores 23XI Racing’s commitment to developing new stars and places Heim on a larger platform to showcase his abilities against top-tier NASCAR drivers. For Heim, it provides a rare opportunity to step out from behind the turbulence of late-race chaos and prove his capabilities at the sport’s highest level.
The fallout from North Wilkesboro’s wild finish continues to fuel debate among fans and competitors alike. As the playoff battle heats up and rising talents like Heim seek stability and recognition, the events at this storied track stand as a stark reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in racing.
