Corey Heim is a particular driver, and I feel we have been already conscious of that even earlier than his latest Cup victories. He is received 26 Truck races in lower than 100 begins, and toppled varied information there en path to his 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Sequence title.
However there’s at all times an adjustment interval when a rising star strikes as much as Cup, proper? Effectively, perhaps not for Heim. 23XI Racing being a top-level crew actually helps, however Heim is actively beating fellow Toyota drivers like Reddick, Hamlin and Bell in head-to-head battles.
He received on the San Diego Road Course by passing Reddick late within the race, and he reclaimed the lead from Hamlin on the ultimate restart of the Brickyard 400, earlier than withstanding the stress of Bell within the closing laps to win that race as effectively.
In doing so, Heim is conducting feats NASCAR hasn’t seen in actually a long time.
Two wins in first 15 begins (Final achieved in 1965)
Corey Heim is the primary driver to win two races in simply his first 15 profession begins as a NASCAR Cup driver since A.J. Foyt did it in 1965 — 61 years in the past. Foyt managed to win the summer time Daytona race in each 1964 and 1965 whereas competing part-time. The legendary driver additionally received these races with two completely different race groups, which even Heim will not cannot match.
Youngest Brickyard 400 since 1994
Heim received the Brickyard 400 in his very first try, doing so lower than a month after his twenty fourth birthday. The Cup race at Indianapolis hasn’t been received by a driver so younger since Jeff Gordon received the inaugural Brickyard 400 in 1994. He achieved that simply two days after his twenty third birthday.
Profitable a number of races as a part-timer (Final achieved in 1987)
Maybe probably the most spectacular side of all that is the truth that Heim has finished all this as a part-time driver. Driving the unchartered No. 67 23XI Racing Toyota, Heim has solely began eight of the primary 22 races of the 2026 season. An element-time driver successful a Cup race has solely occurred a number of instances within the twenty first century, however successful a number of races in a single season as a part-time driver? Effectively, that hasn’t occurred since 1987, almost 4 a long time in the past. Davey Allison ran 22 of 29 races that 12 months, successful twice. Nonetheless, a greater comparability is Tim Richmond, who additionally received two races within the 1987 season. Like Heim, he completed this in simply eight begins that 12 months. Whereas Allison was simply beginning his profession on the time, ’87 was Richmond’s closing season as he was affected by AIDS, sadly dying two years later. Since that 12 months, no part-time driver has managed to win a number of races in a single season till Heim’s 2026 marketing campaign.
Another notable statistics
Heim can also be the one part-time driver to ever win the Brickyard 400, and the primary part-timer to win any of the 4 NASCAR crown jewels since Trevor Bayne’s 2011 Daytona 500 triumph.
He’s really benefiting from this chance with 23XI, even earlier than he competes on the Cup degree full-time. It has been simply 35 days between his first and second profession victories, matching Jimmie Johnson, and only a few days eliminated (in both path) from names like Tyler Reddick, Ross Chastain, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and even his boss, Denny Hamlin (42 days).
Heim has led a complete of 139 laps in his eight Cup begins this 12 months, which ranks 14th and above a number of notable full-time drivers.
What’s subsequent: Heim has 4 races left on his 2026 schedule, with plans to race on the common season finale at Daytona (August 29), one other crown jewel race at Darlington with the Southern 500 (September 6), the return of the autumn oval race at Charlotte Motor Speedway (October 11), and the title-decider at Homestead-Miami Speedway (November 8).
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