NASCAR: Corey Heim wins Martinsville Truck race Friday night

Corey Heim prevailed at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway late Friday night to earn his first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series victory of the season after persevering through both rain and dry conditions, two red flag periods for weather and multiple charges by the highly-motivated veteran Kyle Busch.

The 20-year old Georgia-native, Heim, led his first laps of the 2023 season at exactly the right time – holding the point for an impressive 82 of the 124 laps of the Long John Silver’s 200. Including the most important lap.

An accident with 85 laps remaining brought out the yellow flag and after several circuits under caution, NASCAR brought the trucks to pit road where the red flag flew for rain and the race was declared official on lap 124 of the scheduled 200 laps.

“Rain, rain, come on,’’ Heim told his TRICON Garage crew on the radio, just before climbing out of his No. 11 Toyota truck during that final red flag period.

“This race was cut short and that’s definitely unfortunate, but this truck was fast all night,’’ he said adding, “I couldn’t ask for a better group of guys.’’

Heim had to work for this, holding off Busch – who was racing for Kyle Busch Motorsports’ 100th win – and reigning series champion Zane Smith on four different re-starts to claim the famed one-of-a-kind grandfather clock Martinsville trophy only minutes before that clock would strike midnight.

“We just didn’t have a good enough short run truck,’’ said Busch, who finished second. “Being a little bit loose and free that we were, we were hoping that would pay off in the long run but never had a long run. The longest run of the race was on rain tires.

“It did not go our way today, unfortunately.’’

Heim swept both stage wins – his first of the season as well.

“I bring a 100-percent effort to every race every week so to be able to sit here and have it pay off is phenomenal,’’ Heim said.

Smith finished third in the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford with ThorSports Racing’s Ty Majeski and Heim’s TRICON teammate Tanner Gray rounding out the top five.

Ben Rhodes, Matt DiBenedetto, Taylor Gray, William Sawalich and Chase Purdy completed the top 10. It was the 18-year old Sawalich’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut – helping the TRICON team to four top-10 finishes.

Majeski maintains the points-lead after Martinsville by 26 points over Smith and 49 over Rhodes.

The trucks take a couple weeks off and will return to competition on May 6, at Kansas Speedway in the Heart of America 200 (8 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

–NASCAR Wire Service–

COREY HEIM, No. 11 Safelite Auto Glass Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage

Finishing Position: 1st

What do you have to say after picking up the win tonight?

“Our Safelite Toyota Tundra was phenomenal tonight. I just can’t thank David Gilliland, Kevin Ray, Johnny Gray, the Gray family for everything they do and how much work they have put in these last few weeks – countless hours in the shop. My 11 crew – I can’t ask for a better group of guys. Toyota Racing, Safelite, TRICON Garage, everyone at the shop – just a huge thank you.”

As a driver, what does it mean to you to be able to get past Kyle Busch?

“It means everything. I bring everything, 100% effort to every race, every week, to be able to sit here and have it pay off is phenomenal. It is a rain-shortened race, but that clock is going to tick the same in my living room.”

What was going through your head as the weather started to come down?

“Just eyes forward. Tony Hirschman, my spotter, did an amazing job coaching me through everything. I really just have to give all of the credit to my TRICON team. They’ve worked so, so, so hard these last few months and putting all the hours and effort into these trucks. Our Tundra TRD Pro was phenomenal today – just a big thank you to Toyota Racing, Safelite, everyone that makes this happen.”

How did you conquer all of those late restarts?

“I just kept my eyes forward. I just had to stay concentrated and just make sure I had a perfect day with these guys behind you. It’s really hard to hold them off unless you are perfect, and I think we did just that.”

Where is this coveted trophy going to go?

“Right in my living room. I’ve got one ticking from a few years ago from a late model win back here. If the Lee Pulliam guys are watching at home, just a lot of credit to those guys as well. I should have had another one a couple years ago, but I got it back today.”

Race Results

1. (4)  Corey Heim, Toyota, 124.
2. (2)  Kyle Busch(i), Chevrolet, 124.
3. (1)  Zane Smith, Ford, 124.
4. (12)  Ty Majeski, Ford, 124.
5. (9)  Tanner Gray, Toyota, 124.
6. (3)  Ben Rhodes, Ford, 124.
7. (5)  Matt DiBenedetto, Chevrolet, 124.
8. (24)  Taylor Gray #, Toyota, 124.
9. (22)  William Sawalich, Toyota, 124.
10. (8)  Chase Purdy, Chevrolet, 124.
11. (19)  Nick Sanchez #, Chevrolet, 124.
12. (25)  Ross Chastain(i), Chevrolet, 124.
13. (18)  Jake Garcia #, Chevrolet, 124.
14. (10)  Grant Enfinger, Chevrolet, 124.
15. (6)  Christian Eckes, Chevrolet, 124.
16. (31)  Kris Wright, Chevrolet, 124.
17. (26)  Colby Howard, Chevrolet, 124.
18. (15)  Conner Jones, Ford, 124.
19. (28)  Timmy Hill, Toyota, 124.
20. (27)  Hailie Deegan, Ford, 124.
21. (36)  Dean Thompson, Toyota, 124.
22. (23)  Bret Holmes #, Chevrolet, 124.
23. (30)  Spencer Boyd, Chevrolet, 124.
24. (29)  Memphis Villarreal, Toyota, 124.
25. (16)  Rajah Caruth #, Chevrolet, 124.
26. (11)  Matt Crafton, Ford, 124.
27. (14)  Tyler Ankrum, Toyota, 124.
28. (17)  Kaden Honeycutt, Ford, 123.
29. (33)  Jonathan Shafer, Toyota, 123.
30. (13)  Stewart Friesen, Toyota, 123.
31. (21)  Daniel Dye #, Chevrolet, 123.
32. (20)  Lawless Alan, Chevrolet, 122.
33. (32)  Mason Massey, Ford, 122.
34. (7)  Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet, 122.
35. (34)  Brad Perez(i), Chevrolet, 118.
36. (35)  Stephen Mallozzi, Ford, 116.

Average Speed of Race Winner:  46.849 mph.

Time of Race:  1 Hrs, 23 Mins, 32 Secs. Margin of Victory:  Under Caution Seconds.

Caution Flags:  6 for 63 laps.

Lead Changes:  2 among 3 drivers.

Lap Leaders:   Z. Smith 1-5;K. Busch(i) 6-42;C. Heim 43-124.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  Corey Heim 1 time for 82 laps; Kyle Busch(i) 1 time for 37 laps; Zane Smith 1 time for 5 laps.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 11,51,38,15,19,99,98,25,42,1

Stage #2 Top Ten: 11,51,38,19,15,98,99,42,25,9