Corey Heim Dominate En Route to Kansas Victory

Corey Heim celebrating after winning the Heart of America 200 at Kansas Speedway. (Photo: Patrick Vallely | The Podium Finish)

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Corey Heim had many new eyes watching him over the last few weeks after making his NASCAR Cup Series debut at Dover Motor Speedway for the injured Erik Jones.

With Heim set to run double-duty again at Kansas Speedway with the Heart of America 200 on Saturday night and the Advent Health 400 on Sunday, some wondered if it would be a distraction for the 21-year-old driver.

Those worries of a distraction were put to rest as Heim claimed the victory and Saturday night was “Heim Time” once again.

“What a truck! It was free for most of the race, so I can’t say it was easy,” Heim said. “Even with the balance I had, the truck had so much potential to get better. I’m kind of out of breath now-it was a handful those last 30 laps.”

Heim led 79 of the 134 laps, including a Stage 1 victory en route to his second win of the 2024 season. During the Stage 2 caution pit stops, Heim came in second behind Zane Smith and won the battle off of pit road and never gave it back.

“I can’t say enough about these guys at TRICON Garage, man,” Heim said. “Top to bottom, we executed so well today with the pit crew, everyone back at the shop.”

The opening start of the Heart of America 200 at Kansas Speedway. (Photo: Patrick Vallely | The Podium Finish)

The win continued Heim’s dominant start to the season, picking up where 2023 left off. In eight starts Heim was finished inside of the top 10 in all of them, including six being top fives and an insane average finish of 3.5.

Smith, who won Stage 2 lost seven positions during the cycle and was only able to get back up to second place during the final stage.

“You can’t lose [seven] spots on pit road,” Smith said post-race. “That one got away there.”

Smith had a valiant charge late in the race, cutting Heim’s lead to just over a second after a green flag pit cycle in the final stage, but just ran out of laps.

Smith’s teammate and currently second NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series points, Christian Eckes had a great day, finishing third and tallying a total of 50 points.

“The team is firing on all cylinders,” said Eckes. “I feel like me and [crew chief) Charles [Denike] are working really well and kind of figuring out together each week and getting better. It’s been a lot of fun racing for these guys.”

Veteran and former Truck Series champion, Brett Moffitt, returned and made his season debut and went on to finish in fifth place in his first of two scheduled starts driving the No. 1 truck for TRICON Garage.

“The goal was to come here and win, we didn’t achieve that and it’s a bummer,” Moffitt said. “The guys at TRICON, Seth Smith and this No. 1 group brought me a really fast TRD Pro Tundra.”

Kaden Honeycutt (45) during the Heart of America 200 at Kansas Speedway. (Photo: Patrick Vallely | The Podium Finish)

Kaden Honeycutt also finished inside the top five coming in fourth place, a career-best finish.

“It was awesome,” Honeycutt said. “I’m so glad that I was finally able to run up front with these guys and experience what it feels like to run up front, experience what I was supposed to do in situations I was put in.”

“We raced hard and raced clean and brought home a fourth place so I can’t complain,” said Honeycutt.

Stage 1 Top 10 Results

1. Corey Heim
2. Zane Smith
3. Christian Eckes
4. Chase Purdy
5. Kaden Honeycutt
6. Ben Rhodes
7. Connar Mosack
8. Tyler Ankrum
9. Ty Dillon
10. Daniel Dye

Stage 2 Top 10 Results

1. Zane Smith
2. Corey Heim
3. Christian Eckes
4. Kaden Honeycutt
5. Chase Purdy
6. Brett Moffitt
7. Nick Sanchez
8. Rajah Caruth
9. Connar Mosack
10. Ben Rhodes

Heart of America 200 at Kansas Speedway Results