The 2025 Craftsman Truck Series brought the action to the scenic and technically demanding Lime Rock Park for the inaugural running of the LiUNA! 150, and it didn’t disappoint. The race turned into a masterclass of road course racing from none other than Corey Heim, who delivered a wire-to-wire victory, sweeping both stages and leading every single lap. With dramatic restarts, mechanical issues, aggressive passing, and debut performances from promising rookies, this event was a definitive reminder of why road course racing in the Truck Series continues to rise in popularity.
The Starting Grid: Heim on Point, Debutants Steal Spotlight
Corey Heim entered Lime Rock Park with a mission—and he wasted no time delivering on it. Starting from the pole, Heim once again demonstrated his skill on diverse track types. His consistency in 2025 has been nothing short of remarkable, and Lime Rock added another chapter to what’s shaping up to be a career-defining season.
Road racing expert Jordan Taylor, known for his IMSA sports car pedigree, made his Craftsman Truck Series debut. Paired with a mid-pack starting spot, Taylor’s learning curve on NASCAR’s heavier trucks was one of the weekend’s biggest storylines. Equally notable was the arrival of Ben Mayer, a 16-year-old rising talent making his first start at the national series level. Despite limited experience, Mayer held his own in a stacked field.
Several regulars entered the race with expectations, including Ty Majeski, Lane Riggs, and Conner Mosack. All three had shown road course strength before, and their names consistently hovered near the top of the leaderboard throughout practice and qualifying.
Corey Heim in Command: Early Pace Sets the Standard
As soon as the green flag dropped, Corey Heim launched out front and never looked back. The No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota Tundra carved precise lines through Lime Rock’s narrow layout, setting a blistering pace that others struggled to match. The track’s elevation changes and tricky braking zones seemed only to sharpen Heim’s edge.
Behind him, intense jostling erupted for the second through tenth positions. Lane Riggs, fresh off a strong run at Pocono, stayed glued to Heim’s bumper early on. Meanwhile, Ty Majeski used his short-track style to aggressively climb through traffic, as did Conner Mosack, who was making his own case as a potential road course ace.
Broadcast coverage highlighted a full lap onboard with Riggs, offering fans a look into the balancing act of throttle control, quick downshifts, and tire placement required at Lime Rock Park. But even as Riggs and others optimized every inch, Corey Heim’s pace never faltered.
Mid-Race Mayhem: Restarts, Off-Track Excursions, and Tire Trouble
The middle portion of the race featured the kind of chaos only a road course can deliver. Several restarts triggered aggressive dive bombs into Turn 1 and the uphill left-hander at Turn 3, leading to off-track moments and light contact. Despite the drama, Heim continued to master the restarts with veteran-like calm.
A major highlight was the resilience of Wesley Slimp, who overcame a truck fire during practice to make the race with a backup machine. Though not a front-runner, Slimp’s perseverance was one of the weekend’s unsung stories.
Further drama unfolded as Matt Mills battled brake fade in the final stage, while Dawson Sutton suffered a race-ending tire failure just as he had cracked the top 15. These incidents reminded everyone that road courses don’t just test driver skill—they test mechanical durability and race-day adaptation.
At the end of Stage 1, Heim easily claimed his 13th stage win of the season, and Stage 2 brought more of the same: calm under pressure, precision in corner entry, and surgical execution.
Closing Laps: Heim Seals a Masterclass Victory
By the time the final stage arrived, Heim had weathered every challenge thrown his way—be it a restart, tire wear, or charging rivals. The field behind him scrambled for position as Lane Riggs, Majeski, and Mosack all made late pushes to close the gap.
One restart with fewer than 10 laps remaining had the potential to shake things up, but Heim immediately pulled away, leaving no opening. His margin wasn’t enormous, but it was built on consistency—each lap within tenths of his best, each braking point repeatable, each tire-saving measure smartly executed.
Crossing the finish line with a clean truck and a clear lead, Corey Heim captured his 16th career Craftsman Truck Series win and 14th stage win of the season—a feat that places him among the most dominant drivers in recent Truck Series history. The win also marked his fifth time sweeping both stages in a single race in 2025 alone.
News in Brief: All the Key Moments from the LiUNA! 150
The 2025 LiUNA! 150 at Lime Rock Park wasn’t just a race—it was a declaration. Corey Heim proved he’s not just a superspeedway or short-track specialist. His road course dominance signals a complete driver at the peak of his craft. The clean sweep on one of NASCAR’s most technical tracks will go down as a defining performance in a record-breaking season.
But this race was also about the future. Jordan Taylor’s calculated approach, Ben Mayer’s maturity beyond his years, and consistent top-10 runs from Riggs, Majeski, and Mosack showed that the field is deeper than ever.
As the 2025 Craftsman Truck Series heads into its final stretch, Heim leads the championship standings with a significant points buffer—and with momentum. But if Lime Rock proved anything, it’s that the challengers are growing in confidence and experience.
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