Corey Heim’s NASCAR championship potential drew bold comments from Denny Hamlin after Heim’s impressive eighth win of the NASCAR Truck Series season, achieved at Darlington this past Saturday. On his Actions Detrimental podcast, Hamlin expressed confidence in Heim’s playoff performance as the series moves deeper into the postseason run.
During his podcast, Denny Hamlin remarked on the potential for Heim’s dominance to continue through the Truck Series playoffs.
“I thought he’d have 10 by the time he got to the Final Four, might be more than that,”
Hamlin said. He added that Heim and his team have found new strength in areas where they had previously struggled.
“He’s a roll right now. That team’s on a roll, which has been interesting because I felt like, generally speaking, tire wear tracks have not been the forte of that 11 team. But they were good. They were really, really good.”
—Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Driver and Team Owner
Heim’s Current Success in the Truck Series
Heim’s victory at Darlington was his third consecutive win, following two regular season victories that capped off his campaign before the playoffs began. The Darlington event also marked the start of the Round of 10 for the Truck Series playoffs, immediately securing Heim’s advancement into the Round of Eight. This stage of the championship will open at the Charlotte Roval on October 3.
Now in his third full-time season as a Truck Series driver, Corey Heim has established a strong reputation. He won the regular season title in both 2023 and the current year, and finished as the runner-up in the overall standings for 2024. Heim’s recent consistency and point earnings have generated discussions among fans and analysts about his probability of reaching the championship race. With the playoff format, Heim’s accumulation of playoff points offers him a strong buffer, making it statistically unlikely for him to miss the Final Four cut barring a string of uncharacteristically poor finishes. Hamlin weighed in, stating that only a series of disastrous results could derail Heim: Heim would
“have to have two and a half bad races of a three-race round,”
which, according to Hamlin, is theoretically possible, but not likely given current form.
Looking Ahead to Heim’s NASCAR Future
As Corey Heim’s performance continues to make headlines, speculation about his jump to NASCAR’s top-tier competition grows. Discussion recently turned to Heim’s career path for the 2026 season, with Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic reporting on industry expectations for the young driver’s trajectory.
“The likely plan for Heim, according to industry sources, is a combination schedule where he runs select races in all three national series — in the Cup Series for 23XI Racing, in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series for Sam Hunt Racing and in the Truck Series for Tricon,”
Bianchi reported. —Jordan Bianchi, NASCAR Reporter
Bianchi further noted Heim’s readiness for a full-time Cup Series spot, but emphasized that available seats and sponsorship realities are barriers for now.
“This is not necessarily what Heim deserves, as most everyone within the Cup Series garage acknowledges he is ready for a full-time ride now, but a combination of no open seats in Cup and a lack of sponsorship means he’ll have to wait until 2027 before advancing to Cup full-time, which is expected to happen. And if the right funding can be secured, Heim racing full-time in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series next year is still on the table.”
—Jordan Bianchi, NASCAR Reporter
The Path Ahead for a Rising Star
Corey Heim’s NASCAR championship potential now carries significant weight within the paddock and among supporters, especially as witnesses like Denny Hamlin and journalists like Jordan Bianchi point to his ability and momentum. While barriers remain for Heim’s immediate transition to the Cup Series, ongoing performance could alter future opportunities. Should Heim maintain his current pace and secure his place in the Truck Series Final Four, he may find increased interest from sponsors and team owners alike, setting the stage for a future Cup Series bid as soon as open seats and funding align.
