Corey Heim’s NASCAR Truck Series win at Lime Rock Park brought together celebration and tension on Saturday, as defending champion Ty Majeski openly welcomed Heim’s victory for its playoff implications with only three races remaining before the cut. The victory in Lakeville, Connecticut, not only solidified Heim’s dominant season but also kept Majeski’s playoff aspirations alive, avoiding a new face stealing a crucial playoff spot as the competition intensifies.
Ty Majeski’s remarks after his runner-up finish set the tone for post-race discussions. The defending champion emphasized strategic necessity over rivalry, reflecting on the crucial timing of Heim’s triumph. Majeski explained that with only a handful of races left to determine the playoff field, a victory by Heim—already a five-time winner this season—keeps things steady for drivers on the bubble. If an outsider were to take the checkered flag, Majeski, who sits tenth in the standings, risked being pushed below the elimination line.
After the race, Majeski stated,
“At this point, if somebody’s gonna win, we want it to be him (Corey Heim),”
(via NASCAR.com) followed by,
“We don’t want somebody else to win and jump us in the playoffs. So overall, a solid day for us and glad we were able to get a good finish and good points day.”
Heim’s run was commanding; piloting the Tricon Garage entry, he led all but one lap out of a hundred at Lime Rock’s LiUNA! 150. The outcome played ideally for Majeski, whose best result of the season came not through speed alone, but by seizing on others’ misfortunes. Heading into the final restart, Majeski anticipated finishing third or fourth. Yet Turn 1 delivered chaos: Layne Riggs lost grip and went wide from second place, while several drivers tangled behind. Majeski capitalized, slipping through the commotion to secure second position and add valuable points to his playoff tally.
Gio Ruggiero, a standout rookie, executed a clever move during that same restart, choosing the inside lane to navigate cleanly through the pile-up. His decision netted him third, marking his top performance since the Daytona opener. Meanwhile, Connor Mosack was less fortunate—his strong run was abruptly cut short when Jordan Taylor triggered a collision in Turn 1, dropping Mosack from a likely top-five finish to sixteenth at the flag.
NASCAR drivers put on a show during In-Season Challenge bracket launch
The action off the track was equally noteworthy as the NASCAR In-Season Challenge kicked off during the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 qualifying weekend. Michael McDowell and AJ Allmendinger, pitted against each other in the opening round of the 32-driver mid-season tournament, drew attention by staging a humorous altercation during driver introductions at EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta. The light-hearted “dust-up” was captured and shared by NASCAR reporter Toby Christie on X, adding to the weekend’s spectacle.
Seeding for the In-Season Challenge bracket came from results in the three prior events—Michigan, Mexico City, and Pocono. McDowell entered as the 11th seed, while Allmendinger earned the 22nd slot. Both drivers were competing for a share of the $1 million prize in a knockout-style format designed to energize the mid-point of the NASCAR Cup Series schedule.
As the Quaker State 400 weekend continued, McDowell faced an uphill battle, starting from 32nd on the grid—his lowest qualifying spot of the year and trailing Allmendinger in the lineup. Weather disruptions delayed the start at the 1.54-mile Atlanta oval, where Joey Logano led the field to the green flag amid high anticipation.
With crucial playoff spots up for grabs and several races still to go, every result—on and off the track—carries heavier significance. For contenders like Ty Majeski, outcomes such as Corey Heim’s repeat triumph mean their fate may still rest in their own hands, while innovative formats like the In-Season Challenge keep drivers—and fans—on their toes as NASCAR’s summer action heats up.
