Kevin Harvick sends warning shot to 23XI, Toyota over Corey Heim

Corey Heim has been the top prospect in NASCAR for the past couple of seasons. His performance in the Truck Series, as well as his limited time in the Cup Series, has proven he should be taken seriously as the future of Toyota’s racing program.

Kevin Harvick believes that to be true. So, why hasn’t Toyota pulled the trigger on him yet and put him in a formidable Cup ride? During the latest episode of Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour, the former Cup Series champion issued a staunch warning to the team regarding Heim’s future.

“We’ve been talking about Corey Heim. I have no idea why he’s still in the Truck Series,” Harvick stated. “I know he has nowhere to go, but somebody better find somewhere for him to go. They better find somewhere for him to go in a much bigger capacity than, you know, the eight, 10, 12 races that might be possible in that Cup car next year.

“If not, there’s going to be a conversation from a different manufacturer, or a different team, or somebody else wanting to know, ‘Hey, what do we got to do to get Corey Heim in our car?’ He’s the total package. We don’t see these kids come in and do that good in a Cup car very often.”

While Heim doesn’t have a Truck Series championship yet, he’s come close on numerous occasions. He already has three victories this season, and it’s evident he may simply be spinning his wheels competing against NASCAR’s third level of competition.

When he’s raced in the Cup Series, he’s impressed, including his P13 finish this past weekend at Kansas Speedway, which had Harvick’s co-host Mamba Smith singing Heim’s praises: “He’s legit, man. He’s ready,” Smith added. “It’s been a while since we’ve seen somebody this ready to go Cup racing from the lower series. You look at it, and then he runs the truck race, right? Obviously, he’s one of the best in the truck field, but I think the Tri-Con Garage trucks — (they) aren’t as strong as some of their competitors. So, he’s doing a lot more.

“But then he gets into the Cup race, and he’s running P25. That’s really, really respectable when you’re not in this series that often. And then, by the end of the race, he’s in the top 15. Like, you better go get — if you do not lock him into a Cup car in the Toyota camp, somebody is going to go pay to go get him.”

Time will tell what the future holds for Corey Heim, and whether or not he remains at Toyota. One thing is for sure, he’s one of NASCAR’s brightest young wheelmen at the moment, and he should have no shortage of options if he keeps racing like this.