Denny Hamlin is making headlines by offering a new NASCAR opportunity to Corey Heim, defying his own boss Joe Gibbs, whose previous decisions and family loyalties had left Heim without a ride for the 2026 season. The move comes after Hamlin’s legal victory against NASCAR and amidst growing frustration from fans, eager to see a top talent like Heim stay on the national stage.
Fractures in the Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing Dynasty
For years, Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) has served as the anchor for Toyota’s NASCAR presence, consistently delivering strong performances and championship campaigns. Denny Hamlin, piloting the iconic No. 11 for JGR, played a central role in their 2025 title battle. However, as the next wave of drivers emerged, conflicts simmered beneath the surface—most notably between Ty Gibbs, Joe’s grandson, and rising star Corey Heim.
Corey Heim, long seen as a future powerhouse in Toyota’s Driver Development program, completely dominated the 2025 Truck Series, rewriting records and clinching his first championship title. Despite these achievements, he found himself abruptly ousted from Tricon Garage, the Toyota-affiliated team with which he captured his title, and shut out of seats across all three NASCAR national series for 2026. The racing world quickly pointed to the unresolved tension between Heim and Ty Gibbs as the chief reason for his exclusion.
Personal Clashes Sideline a Champion
According to NASCAR insiders such as Bob Pockrass, the root of Heim’s predicament lay deep in past racing rivalries. The underlying friction between Ty Gibbs and Corey Heim, dating back to heated ARCA battles, reportedly became an insurmountable barrier for Heim’s advancement within the Toyota and JGR system. As Pockrass confirmed,
“The ARCA battles between him and Ty apparently don’t make that a good fit.”
— Bob Pockrass, NASCAR insider.
This decision, perceived by many as favoring family connections over merit, ignited considerable outrage among the fan community. The sight of a dominating young champion being relegated to the sidelines, while others benefitted from existing relationships within the team, only intensified their frustration and sense of injustice.
Denny Hamlin Intervenes to Create a Lifeline
When all indications suggested that Heim’s career might stall, Denny Hamlin stepped in. Fresh off his successful lawsuit against NASCAR, Hamlin is now using his position as both driver and co-owner of 23XI Racing to open new doors for Heim. According to Pockrass, Hamlin has offered Heim multiple part-time racing opportunities for the upcoming season, a bold move given that 23XI Racing still maintains technical and resource dependencies with Joe Gibbs Racing.
This unexpected intervention from Hamlin shook the racing world, with many lauding his willingness to challenge the established order and advocate for talent over politics. It was especially daring as Hamlin still drives for Gibbs and relies on JGR’s support for his own race team. Yet, fans who watched Heim’s meteoric rise in the Truck Series saw hope rekindled by Hamlin’s actions.
Fan Uproar and Calls for More Radical Change
As soon as news of Hamlin’s overture broke, the NASCAR fan base surged with support for Heim and with demands for even bolder action. While Pockrass clarified there is still no confirmation of a full-time ride for Heim, many fans now see Hamlin’s gesture as the first step towards a potential career revival for the sidelined champion. Voices throughout the community pushed for Hamlin to secure Heim a permanent seat, even if it required difficult choices within the current roster.
One emphatic fan called on Hamlin:
“Come on, Denny, cash in all the money u got from the lawsuit and leave it at Papa Herbst’s doorstep with a note which says: ‘Good luck for the future cuz you’re fired.’”
— Fan on social media, referencing Riley Herbst’s seat with 23XI Racing.
Herbst, currently driving the No. 35 Toyota Camry for 23XI Racing, is widely perceived as a “pay driver,” whose presence on the team is backed by strong sponsorship. This partnership, formalized by a multi-year contract through 2026, complicates the prospect of Heim securing a full-time position. Still, the substantial settlement Hamlin reportedly won from his lawsuit has left many believing he could now afford to make a high-stakes change if he chose—financial or otherwise.
Another fan speculated about the contractual hurdles:
“1000% 23XI is probably waiting for some contractual clause with Herbst to end in order to slot Heim in.”
— Fan commentary on social media.
The emotional energy was high among those dismayed by Heim’s situation, with one noting the injustice in his fate:
“It is a freaking travesty that a guy who won 12 truck races last season won’t have a full-time ride in any series this year.”
— Fan, social media.
Comparisons to Past Drivers and Broader Implications
Observers drew parallels between Heim’s current circumstances and earlier instances of slow, path-blocked ascension in NASCAR. One fan commented,
“He would probably go full-time Cup once Toyota isn’t under Joe Gibbs Racing’s control.”
— Fan, social media, speculating that internal team politics within JGR will continue to dictate Toyota’s driver pipeline as long as the partnership persists.
Reminiscences about other talented drivers facing similar obstacles also surfaced:
“Close enough, welcome back 2015 Ryan Blaney,”
one noted, recalling how Blaney once juggled part-time Cup and Xfinity rides before breaking out as a full-time NASCAR Cup Series contender.
Will Hamlin’s Bold Stand Shift the Power Dynamics?
The debate now centers on how Denny Hamlin’s willingness to defy team owner Joe Gibbs might reshape the sport’s balance of power—and whether this marks the start of a bigger trend where team owners are pressured to privilege merit and fan sentiment over family ties. Many fans still see Joe Gibbs’ past maneuvering as putting his grandson, Ty Gibbs, ahead of other deserving drivers, casting the veteran owner as the architect of Heim’s struggles. The tension has made Hamlin’s willingness to act so publicly even more significant.
With Hamlin still dependent to some degree on JGR’s technical partnership for 23XI Racing, his support of Heim marks not just a professional risk, but an assertive declaration of independence in NASCAR’s intricate web of team alliances and loyalties. The fan fervor and calls for even broader action from Hamlin and Toyota underscore the wider implications far beyond one individual driver’s fate.
The Road Ahead: Hope, Uncertainty, and Potential Change
As preparations ramp up for the new NASCAR season, all eyes remain on Denny Hamlin and Corey Heim. Hamlin’s decision could set a precedent for how rising stars are nurtured—and how conflicts, even among the sport’s most powerful, can be challenged for the greater good. The next chapter for Heim will hinge on whether part-time opportunities can evolve into a stable full-time ride, and if so, whether Hamlin’s bold intervention signals a shift in who truly shapes the future of NASCAR talent.
For now, the saga of Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs, Corey Heim, and the NASCAR community stands as a vivid testament to the ongoing battles within the sport—between tradition and change, loyalty and fairness, and the relentless drive for talent to find its rightful place on racing’s grandest stage.
[Bob Pockrass] “Yes. Expecting several Cup races (more than 10) for Corey Heim for 23XI Racing and some truck starts. Won’t be full time in a specific series”
byu/Dmacthegoat inNASCAR
