Corey Heim, competing for 23XI Racing in the No. 67 Robinhood Toyota Camry XSE, addressed members of the press on Wednesday ahead of a pivotal Daytona 500 qualifying attempt. Heim’s focus for the weekend, fueled by support from Toyota and his teammates, is clear: secure a coveted spot in the Daytona 500, capitalize on his opportunities within the Cup Series, and continue developing as a promising young driver.
Key Goals: Qualifying, Teamwork, and Learning at the Top Tier
Heim expressed that his immediate objective is to make the field for the Daytona 500, while also contributing positively as a Toyota representative and a team player for 23XI Racing and the broader Toyota group. The Daytona 500, renowned as the most iconic race in American motorsports, represents both personal ambition and a chance to advance Toyota’s success at the highest level.
“I don’t know if there’s a specific goal in mind in the race I think I obviously want to be a good Toyota teammate, and not only for my 23XI (Racing) teammates, but to get Toyota to victory lane as a whole. In general, I think our main goal is to make the race (Daytona 500), and 23XI and Toyota are on board to help me do that, so that’s a promising feeling, to be actively supported like that. Number one, get in the race. Number two, kind of just take it one-by-one in terms of the stages go and hopefully be in the mix at the end.”
– Corey Heim, Driver
Balancing Part-Time Ambitions with Championship Aspirations
While acknowledging the competitive drive to pursue a championship, Heim noted the value in maximizing a selective Cup Series schedule. Increasing his number of starts from four last season to twelve this year has given him more opportunities to compete in significant races and gain comfort amid the pressure of marquee events.
“I think as a competitor you always want to compete for a championship. But, at the end of the day, being able to get a feel for the Cup Series and the top level, maximizing my schedule as far as increasing the amount of races. Last year, I only had four starts versus 12 this year, so being able to my schedule a little bit was good for me from the beginning but also hitting some really good races. Kind of getting a feel for the higher-pressure races in general, just going forward that a little bit extra because it’s the big races. Getting a feel for is always good, so feel pretty good about it.”
– Corey Heim, Driver
Pressure to Perform and Comparing Cup Progress to Previous Series
Heim addressed the internal and external pressures of proving himself in NASCAR’s top series. Drawing parallels to his early Truck Series days, he stated that earning consistent top-five results in Cup competition will require persistence and patience, as the learning curve is substantially steeper than what he experienced before.
“Yeah, I relate it back to when I was first starting out of the Truck Series. It didn’t feel like I was not ready by any means, it just feels like you’re yet to prove yourself. You don’t have those statistics and those runs behind you to look back on and be like, ‘I can’t do this.’ We had some good runs last year and definitely a lot of promise but getting out there and running in the top five is definitely not an easy thing to do in the Cup Series and it’ll probably take a little longer than it did in the Truck Series for me. Looking back at 2021, when I was running select races for KBM (Kyle Busch Motorsports) at the time, it was a similar feeling to just you don’t have that proof that you can run up there yet. I know it’s inside of me, but to go out and actually execute that is yet to be done. That’s definitely my priority this year.”
– Corey Heim, Driver
Adapting and Contributing to the 23XI Racing Team Environment
Heim readily admits his inexperience with Cup cars compared to established teammates Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick, but he is keen to learn and grow through every lap. Participation and feedback are mutual, as Heim not only absorbs knowledge but aspires to provide valuable insights to his peers as he acclimates to the machinery and strategy of Cup racing.
“Yeah, think I can help them more as I get more laps. I’m pretty green to Cup Racing and it’s hard to help them a ton as I don’t know as much about the car as Bubba (Wallace) and Tyler (Reddick) do. But I’m hoping by the end of the year that I’m acclimated enough to have a good enough understanding of the race car and provide better feedback. It’s cool Tyler said that (that he learned from Corey at Kansas last year). Glad I could help him in some way. It’s kind of a one-way street, he helps me a lot more than I help him at this point, but I have great teammates and they’re doing a great job helping, and so are my Toyota teammates as well.”
– Corey Heim, Driver
The Weight and Thrill of Daytona 500 Opportunity
The sense of anticipation is palpable as Heim describes the honor and challenge involved in attempting to qualify for the Daytona 500. The event’s magnitude and the attention it garners are not lost on him. For Heim, participating in the first points-paying event of the year adds a new layer of excitement and pressure, especially as it represents both a dream realized and a significant test.
“Yeah, certainly a lot of pressure not being locked in the field, but to be here in general is very cool. Being here is really cool and seeing how many people care about this event, show up for this event and it being the first points-paying race of the year, and my first race of the year. Great to knock the rust off as well, to compete at the highest level, in the biggest race, at least to have a chance at it, is a rewarding feeling. When I was a kid, I was so excited to wake up and watch the Daytona 500 and to now hopefully wake up and race in it. It’s a cool feeling and just hoping tonight and tomorrow go well.”
– Corey Heim, Driver
Learning from Teammates and Drawing on Guidance
Heim credits both fellow drivers and the collective experience within 23XI Racing as helpful sources of advice, even as he recognizes the limits imposed by his early stage in Cup superspeedway competition. Observing how others approach the pressure and strategy of qualifying and the Duels remains an ongoing learning process.
“I don’t know of anything specific. I’ve gotten a lot of advice, not only from drivers, but a lot of the people at 23XI Racing, just from their experience of racing their way in. It’ll be interesting to see what everyone takes away from the Duels. It’s hard to give advice without having a sample, right? I’ve hardly been around a (super)speedway in a Cup car yet. Think it’s all been good advice so far. Everyone at 23XI is trying to accomplish the same goal. Happy to be around a great group of people.”
– Corey Heim, Driver
Approaching Qualifying and Duels One Step at a Time
Facing a do-or-die situation with so many factors outside his control, Heim is concentrating on executing each phase of the weekend, from qualifying to the Duels, with composure and focus. He is determined to avoid critical mistakes whether the spot comes easily or requires fighting tooth and nail for a transfer position.
“Yeah, at the end of day, have to take it one event at a time. Depending on how qualifying goes, we may be able to breeze through the Duels no problem, and not worry about it. You don’t really learn to expect the worst as a race car driver, but to prepare for the worst. Prepared to race in through a Duel if need be and I feel prepared to go out there and execute that without making any crucial mistakes. That’s not something that’ll be easy by any means with so much out of your control on a speedway, but prepared to execute to the best of my ability.”
– Corey Heim, Driver
Making the Most of Every Cup Series Opportunity
Heim remains focused on personal growth and development in every type of race vehicle, underlining the singular importance of the Daytona 500 as a stage to elevate his NASCAR career. The transition from the Truck Series, where he was accustomed to a different spotlight, to Cup Series opportunities leaves him eager to prove himself during large-scale moments like Daytona on a national stage.
“I still consider myself a developing driver, so any anything I can get into, from a Truck, to a Cup car, to a late model, whatever it is, to continue to develop, continue to learn and maximize, potentially for Sunday racing. It’s definitely a big chapter in my life. The last three years, I’ve gotten really used to Truck racing. Not that you’re not racing under a big spotlight, but this is obviously the biggest stage in American Motorsports, so being able to start it off at the Daytona 500 in a part-time season is a big deal for me. Hoping to maximize that and set myself up in the future.”
– Corey Heim, Driver
Finding Confidence from Previous High-Pressure Events
Reflecting on his end-of-season performance at Bristol, Heim draws motivation from successfully overcoming a tough series of races to finish strong. That positive ending reinforced his belief in his potential and serves as fuel as he embarks on another high-pressure challenge at Daytona.
“Yeah, for sure. We had a pretty tough stretch leading up to that race. We started off really well at Kansas with a top-15, and then didn’t have good races after that. Ending the year as far as how well we were able to do in our last race and to brush off those past races. Definitely glad to have ended the year on a high note and know the potential is still there, if I can just piece a race together the way I need to. That’s the motivation for this year.”
– Corey Heim, Driver
Applying Lessons from Past Mistakes in Qualifying Events
Heim notes the contrast in approach between past qualifying attempts, specifically recalling an overly aggressive effort at Chicago that resulted in missing the show. With Daytona’s unique set of variables and pressures, his mindset has shifted from risk-taking to focusing entirely on making the race, with the lesson of past disappointment serving as motivation not to repeat history.
“Honestly, probably less than you would think. I felt like from the Chicago practice, I felt like we had a good shot to qualifying top-10, top-15, and my mindset was, ‘I’m going for pole. Going to go like heck and see if I can be in the top-10 at the end of this thing.’ And just pushed too much and wrecked in qualifying, and missed the show. And missing the show was never even in my head, I was just going for it. But, you come to Daytona and so much is out of your control. You have eight open cars for four spots. I feel like now, all you’re fixated on is making the race. In a way, I missed the (Chicago) race last year, I don’t want to do that again this weekend. At the end of the day, the mindset is so different. The way you make it in is so different. Still in the back of my mind that I don’t want to do it twice.”
– Corey Heim, Driver
Michael Jordan’s Involvement as Co-Owner and Motivating Figure
Heim shared his experiences with Michael Jordan, the iconic co-owner of 23XI Racing, describing Jordan as far more hands-on than outsiders might expect. Heim appreciates Jordan’s direct communication and encouragement after both strong and challenging performances, emphasizing the motivating nature of having such an engaged leader in his corner, alongside fellow owner Denny Hamlin.
“Yeah, he’s (Michael Jordan, team co-owner) a lot more involved than most people think. After pretty much every Truck win last year, he reached out to me with congratulations and every time I ran good, bad or indifferent in a Cup car, he’d reach out and share some words. I always thought that was motivating to have an owner, but also an owner that’s very involved and motivated. Think everyone knows he’s probably a busy guy but seems like he always makes time to pay attention and stay in the loop with the 23XI side of things. Him and Denny (Hamlin, team co-owner) have been just awesome so far. Didn’t know what I was expecting getting into it, but definitely a lot of support.”
– Corey Heim, Driver
Adapting to Transition Years in a Racing Career
Heim is no stranger to the uncertainties that come with part-time to full-time transitions, having navigated similar situations in ARCA and the Truck Series. He suggests that racing without the constant pressure of championship points allows for a focus on learning and coping with short-term results. This perspective, he believes, will serve him well as he takes on new challenges in 2024.
“I’ve actually had several of these years where it’s been sort of a transition from part-time to full-time. I don’t exactly know what I’m doing in 2027 yet. I think full-time is close, but when I went from late model to ARCA, I had a sort of a part-time ARCA year in there before I was full-time. ARCA to Trucks, same thing, kind of weird part-time year in the Trucks. So, kind of used to these transition years. But, the thing that’s kind of nice is not having the championship points in the back of your head. Of course, as a competitor, you always want to compete for points and a championship, but it kind of helps you digest the races a little easier to not have that points situation looming in the back of your head. So yeah, no stranger to that by any means and I think these opportunities will be good this year.”
– Corey Heim, Driver
A Defining Moment for Corey Heim and 23XI Racing
As Corey Heim approaches qualifying for the Daytona 500, he does so aware of the high stakes, the intensity of the event, and the tremendous opportunity it represents in his career. Supported by Toyota, 23XI Racing, and the guidance of seasoned figures like Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin, Heim’s aim is clear: earn a spot in the sport’s premier showcase, use every lap to grow, and set the tone for what he hopes will be an impactful campaign in the NASCAR Cup Series.
