Corey Heim looks to avenge 2023 defeat in NASCAR Truck Series championship race

One year ago, Corey Heim was a main character in what many consider the worst finale in NASCAR history. 

The 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series was a jumbled mess of a race. Championship contenders were being taken out and taking each other out, and nobody in the middle of the pack could keep their truck pointed in the right direction. 

A year removed from the chaotic finale that saw Heim finish third in the standings, he's back in the Truck Series Championship Four, seeking to avenge his 2023 defeat and solidify himself as one of NASCAR's top prospects. 

Heim's status as one the sport's most talented young drivers isn't one that's in jeopardy — as six wins in 22 races this year will tell you — but a shiny championship trophy would go a long way in Heim potentially being promoted in 2025. 

Rumors have swirled about Heim's status as a potential Cup Series driver for 23XI Racing or LEGACY Motor Club in 2025, and a full-time Xfinity Series ride with Sam Hunt Racing isn't out of the question. 

However, the most likely fate for Heim in 2025 is a return to the Truck Series with TRICON Garage — a return that could see him go into the season as the defending champion. 

With the bad taste of the 2023 finale hopefully washed out of Heim's memory, the focus turns to 150 laps at Phoenix Raceway on Friday evening that could change Heim's life forever. 

A practice session on Thursday evening will give Heim and the No. 11 team critical info as they prepare his Toyota Tundra. Qualifying for the race is set for Friday afternoon. 

Heim's story — and the potential it has to change based on Friday's results — is drastically different than that of his competitors. He's not guaranteed to move up the NASCAR ladder next year like Christian Eckes. He's not a veteran driver with an underdog team like Grant Enfinger. He's not a perennial Truck Series contender with every intent to stay in the Truck Series like Ty Majeski. 

He's a driver stuck on a strange rung as he makes his way up the NASCAR ladder, but he could ascend several levels with a title on Friday. 

Heim's season has been one of consistent excellence — though perhaps not quite as consistent as the title favorite in Eckes — and six aforementioned race wins. Eckes is Heim's biggest competitor for the title, as the two young drivers have duked it out all season long. 

If Heim does bring home the championship, it could be the tipping point in deciding his future. Even if he doesn't win the title, however, his future as a budding star is secured.