Corey Heim secured a significant triumph with his 10th NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL, despite being involved in a tumultuous opening lap crash, cementing his place in NASCAR history. The Corey Heim ROVAL truck victory was not only marked by the chaos of the initial laps but also by unrelenting determination as Heim battled back from early adversity to surpass Greg Biffle’s long-standing season win record.
Trouble Hits Top Contenders in Opening Laps
The race opened with high drama as multiple trucks, including championship contenders Corey Heim, Riggs, and Grant Enfinger, were caught in a major wreck at the very first turn of the ROVAL. Heim suffered substantial damage to his right front and, along with Riggs, was forced to head to pit road for immediate repairs. Mere moments later, Ben Rhodes crashed into the turn five wall, leading to heavy damage to his No. 99 truck and prompting the day’s first caution as NASCAR officials needed to repair the tire barrier.
Rhodes’ day ended after just two laps, as the damage sent him to the garage, shortening the competitive field early in the event and signaling a difficult outing for several frontrunners.
Honeycutt Claims Early Stage Dominance
The end of stage one saw Kaden Honeycutt take the lead, finishing ahead of Ty Majeski, Ankrum, Hemric, and Brent Crews. Honeycutt’s momentum continued in stage two, where he managed another win by leveraging pit strategy, edging out Enfinger, Caruth, Hemric, and Crews. The field saw cleaner racing throughout the second segment, with no major incidents reported.
Late Caution Reshuffles the Race
As the race approached its conclusion, tensions mounted when a late caution flag flew with just four laps left, triggered by Toni Breidinger’s truck halting in a dangerous section of turn five. This incident set the stage for NASCAR’s overtime, bringing pit strategies to the forefront and giving the trailing field an opportunity to gamble for positions.
During this caution, Corey Heim opted to remain on track while his teammate and then-race leader Brent Crews, along with a majority of competitors, pitted for service. Both Heim and Crews had previously stopped for fuel just before the caution, but Crews reported a fuel issue as the field bunched up for the restart.
Heim Pulls Away in Overtime to Break Season Record
When the race restarted for the final time, Heim surged ahead of the field with Brent Crews moving up to second as he set his sights on the leader. In the closing laps, Jake Garcia spun out off the final corner of the white flag lap, momentarily blocking the lane, but managed to recover as the race leaders advanced on the backstretch. Despite an all-out effort from Crews, Heim managed to finish 1.3 seconds ahead, marking his 10th season win and breaking Greg Biffle’s record set in 1999.
Brent Crews finished in the runner-up position, having led on three separate occasions and dominating for 56 laps, the most of the day. Ruggiero, Caruth, and Zilisch completed the top five, with drivers such as Hemric and Honeycutt falling just outside major points positions.
Playoff Stakes Tighten as Series Heads to Talladega
With the victory, Corey Heim locks himself into the Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway. The overall playoff field has now tightened significantly; only four points separate the first and eighth position in the standings. Ankrum and Hemric are merely two points above the cut line, Caruth stands a single point ahead, while Riggs is just below by one point and Majeski by two. Grant Enfinger and Kaden Honeycutt are also just outside the cut line, trailing by four points each.
The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series will continue its playoff action at Talladega Superspeedway on Friday, October 17th, in the Loves RV Stop 225. With standings tighter than ever and recent chaos fresh in their minds, the drivers will look to capitalize on every opportunity in the next dramatic battle for the championship.
