Corey Heim, who notched a standout 12-win season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with TRICON Garage, is taking a step back from his full-time schedule, opening a rare opportunity for another racing figure. This weekend, longtime motorsport legend Dario Franchitti will take over Heim’s spot behind the wheel for the upcoming NASCAR Truck Series event—an unexpected shift that impacts the Corey Heim NASCAR schedule and marks Franchitti’s return to stock car racing.
Heim Adjusts Racing Plans for the 2026 Season
Heim, once dominant in the Truck Series except for select races like EchoPark Speedway, began the current year improving significantly in his season opener with TRICON Garage. Despite his past successes, Heim is not committed to a full-time seat at any level for the 2026 season. Currently, he’s running a part-time Cup Series schedule with 23XI Racing—a team owned by Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan—and made his first of twelve planned Cup Series starts at the Daytona 500, foregoing the Atlanta round.
Heim’s next scheduled Cup start will be at Kansas Speedway in mid-April, one of the locations where he previously delivered top results for 23XI Racing in a limited 2025 run. There are currently no Truck Series starts on his agenda, making way for Franchitti to step in for the upcoming race.
Dario Franchitti Returns to NASCAR’s Big Stage
Dario Franchitti, the celebrated Scottish driver and three-time Indy 500 winner, is making a surprise return to NASCAR competition more than a decade after his last national series start. Franchitti achieved his fourth and final title in the NTT IndyCar Series after claiming victory at the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida in 2011. The same venue will now see Franchitti pilot a Toyota Tundra TRD Pro during the inaugural Truck Series street circuit event, a place well-known for his IndyCar heroics.
Franchitti’s prior stint in the NASCAR Truck Series came back in 2007 with Cunningham Motorsports at Martinsville Speedway, followed by a brief appearance in what is now the Xfinity Series at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2008. He had since retired completely from motorsport following a serious crash at Houston, Texas in 2013, but this opportunity underscores his willingness to return, even after years away from the racing scene.
A Historic Weekend Ahead at St. Petersburg
The OnlyBulls Green Flag 150 will air live from the 14-turn, 1.8-mile temporary street circuit in St. Petersburg, Florida, starting at 12:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 28. Franchitti, now 52 years old, takes on the new challenge at the helm of the No. 1 Toyota, stepping into a spotlight vacated by Heim as fans look forward to the first-ever NASCAR Truck Series event held on a city street circuit.
This race not only marks a significant moment for Franchitti and a shift in Heim’s current racing plans, but it also expands NASCAR’s horizons, blending tradition with innovation on the storied streets of St. Petersburg. The event engages both longtime motorsport enthusiasts and new fans, offering a glimpse into evolving driver schedules and the enduring appeal of a racing comeback.
