Corey Heim matched a remarkable achievement in the Corey Heim NASCAR Truck Series on Saturday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, marking his ninth victory of the season and tying the all-time record for single-season wins. Heim’s powerful performance took place during the Team EJP 175, showcasing his dominance in a campaign that continues to shape NASCAR history.
Heim Dominates from Start to Finish in New Hampshire
On a crisp September day amid New England’s changing foliage, 23-year-old Corey Heim, driving the No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota, started from pole position and swept both stages of the race. Heim led an impressive 124 of the 175 laps, set the event’s fastest lap, and crossed the line .823 seconds ahead of Chandler Smith, solidifying his spot atop the playoff standings as the Regular Season Champion. The win at Loudon marked the end of the first playoff round, cementing Heim’s dominance throughout the year.
This ninth win ties the record previously established by NASCAR legend Greg Biffle in 1999. In a celebratory gesture after the race, Biffle posted a photo of himself holding a lobster, New Hampshire’s traditional race trophy, on a beach, welcoming Heim to the exclusive “9-win club.”
Racetrack Reflection: Heim’s Reaction and Determination
Reflecting on his team’s success and the incredible season, Heim expressed deep appreciation for the support surrounding him:
“It’s a dream come true to be able to race with these guys,”
Heim said.
“Seems like everywhere we go this year we’re a contender or we win so just can’t say enough about those guys.”
– Corey Heim, Driver
With the record now tied, Heim remains determined to surpass it, mentioning his drive to keep pushing as the season heads into its home stretch:
“But got to keep it going,”
continued Heim, who now has 20 wins in 85 career starts.
“Still have four more races left [this year] and want to break that [single season wins] record. Shout out to Greg Biffle. He’s a great dude.”
– Corey Heim, Driver
Heim summarized his feelings about the season, adding:
“Dream year for me personally and just have to keep it going. It’s awesome. Gotta keep the ball rolling.”
– Corey Heim, Driver
Chandler Smith and Playoff Consequences
Chandler Smith, Heim’s closest competition at New Hampshire, put forth a valiant effort in his Front Row Motorsports Ford, finishing second. Despite this strong showing, Smith did not accumulate enough points to continue in the playoffs, missing advancement by ten points. ThorSport Racing’s Jake Garcia, who finished 16th on Saturday, also fell short in his playoff run.
Smith addressed the disappointment and the journey his team experienced:
“Just a lot of bad luck, but honestly, I’m a faithful guy and been doing a lot of praying about it and my prayer’s been specific for the Lord’s will and obviously it wasn’t in his will for us to advance to the next round, obviously,”
Smith said. – Chandler Smith, Driver
He gave credit to his team’s resilience, reflecting on their unity:
“Super grateful for these group of guys that we assembled on this 38-team and we huddled together before the race and I let them know this doesn’t define us no matter what the outcome. I’m proud of each and every one of them.”
– Chandler Smith, Driver
Top Finishers and Rising Competitors
Following Smith, Layne Riggs claimed third place, keeping his championship hopes alive as he enters the next round of playoffs ranked second, 47 points behind Heim. Heim’s TRICON Garage teammate Gio Ruggiero delivered an impressive performance, securing fourth place for one of his strongest finishes this year. Defending series champion Ty Majeski of ThorSport Racing rounded out the top five.
The completed playoff roster, with points reset, includes McAnally-Hilgemann’s Daniel Hemric, Ty Majeski, and Tyler Ankrum, CR7 Motorsports’ Grant Enfinger, Spire Motorsports‘ Rajah Caruth, and Halmar-Friesen Racing’s Kaden Honeycutt. Their progress will be closely watched as they move toward the penultimate rounds of the Corey Heim NASCAR Truck Series.
Strategic Moves and Stage Outcomes
An especially notable moment occurred when Rajah Caruth opted to remain on older tires during Stage 2 to gather critical points, a move that contributed to his advancement in the playoff chase. Caruth ultimately finished tenth and discussed his team’s approach:
“It was kind of best-case scenario, the 38 [Smith] didn’t win and we got good stage points,”
Caruth said.
“Just proud of my Spire team. We just kept getting better and the truck was decent. I don’t feel like tenth was really indicative of where we could have finished but that’s how it went with how the tires were today, the way the cautions fell and our strategy.”
– Rajah Caruth, Driver
Completing the top ten were Grant Enfinger, Kaden Honeycutt, Corey LaJoie, Christian Eckes, and Caruth. Each driver’s finish played a crucial role in shaping the championship fight, underscoring the intensity of this season’s playoff race.
Full Results of the Team EJP 175
At New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the Team EJP 175 unfolded with 36 drivers battling over 175 laps. Here are the official top fifteen finishers and notable positions:
1. Corey Heim (Toyota) – 175 laps
2. Chandler Smith (Ford) – 175 laps
3. Layne Riggs (Ford) – 175 laps
4. Giovanni Ruggiero (Toyota) – 175 laps
5. Ty Majeski (Ford) – 175 laps
6. Grant Enfinger (Chevrolet) – 175 laps
7. Kaden Honeycutt (Toyota) – 175 laps
8. Corey LaJoie (Chevrolet) – 175 laps
9. Christian Eckes (Chevrolet) – 175 laps
10. Rajah Caruth (Chevrolet) – 175 laps
11. Tyler Ankrum (Chevrolet) – 175 laps
12. Daniel Hemric (Chevrolet) – 175 laps
13. Michael Christopher Jr (Toyota) – 175 laps
14. Dawson Sutton (Chevrolet) – 175 laps
15. Andres Perez De Lara (Chevrolet) – 175 laps
The field faced eight caution flags over 54 laps, three different drivers held the lead at various points, and Heim led the race twice for a total of 124 laps—far outpacing his competition. The average speed for the race winner was 88.027 mph, and the margin at the finish was just 0.823 seconds. Notable lap leaders included Andres Perez De Lara and Rajah Caruth, with Perez De Lara dominating for 47 laps and Caruth for four laps in the middle stages.
Championship Picture and Next Races
With four races remaining, Corey Heim stands on the edge of breaking Greg Biffle’s record, leading many of this year’s categories: race wins, laps led, and stage sweeps. His stout championship ambition keeps competitors focused and fans anticipating each moment. Attention now shifts to the next event as the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series debuts at the Charlotte ROVAL on October 3, which is the opening race for the final trio preceding the title showdown in Phoenix at month’s end. As this dramatic season intensifies, contenders like Layne Riggs, Ty Majeski, Daniel Hemric, and Rajah Caruth look for an opportunity to challenge Heim’s dominance and shift the momentum in their favor.
The ongoing battle in the Corey Heim NASCAR Truck Series continues to capture attention with its blend of talent, emotion, and record-breaking storylines, setting up a dramatic run to the championship finale in Phoenix.
