Heim Flies, Corey Wins Sixth Race of the Year

Corey Heim scored his sixth win of the year at Watkins Glen International, in the Truck Series return to the venue after a four year hiatus.

As usual, Corey Heim had parked his #11 Tricon Garage truck on the pole position with the #52, piloted by Christopher Bell who was filling in after Stewart Friesen’s dirt-racing accident, starting right next to him. At the drop of the green, Heim leapt out to the lead of the race. 

The first caution of the day was thrown on lap 12. The #2 truck of Will Lambros stalls passing through the bus stop chicane while running 29th. The majority of the field pit under the yellow. 

On lap 16 the race restarted. Gio Ruggiero’s #17 truck had the lead after staying out on pit strategy. Ben Rhodes’ #99 got the top spot from the jump but it wasn’t long before Heim once again found his way to the front. The 23-year old drove away to claim the stage win.

Stage One Results:

1. #11 Heim
2. #44 Chastain
3. #52 Bell
4. #45 Zilisch
5. #99 Rhodes
6. #17 Ruggiero
7. #1 Sawalich
8. #19 Hemric
9. #34 Riggs
10.  #81 Mosack

Chastain got the jump over Heim at the beginning of the stage, but the Tricon driver managed to work his way around the multi-time Cup series winner to regain his lead. 

With four to go in the stage, Jack Wood suffered a left front tire failure. This sent the #91 into the wall at the entrance to the esses. Most of the field pitted under the subsequent yellow flag with hopes to make it to the end. Connor Zilisch’s #45 team managed to get him out first.

The restart led to a one lap shootout for the end of stage two. A three-car turn one dust-up sent a few spinning but up-front Ben Rhodes #99 drove away with the lead. At turn 6, Jake Garcia’s #13 got into Zilisch’s #45, sending him spinning off into the gravel trap.

Stage Two Results:

1. #99
2. #7
3. #1
4. #11
5. #20
6. #52
7. #15
8. #98
9. #18
10.  #81

Starting the final stage, Christopher Bell lead the race from the restart, aiming to stretch the fuel in his #52 truck to the end of the race.

With 13 to go in the race, the caution flew as the #5 of Toni Breidinger was in flames coming down to pit road, diagnosed as an engine failure. 

Nine to go saw the restart of the race and Christopher Bell got the jump again. The field thrashed around a lap before the #15 of Tanner Gray found the backstretch wall after a poorly timed block, bringing out another caution. 

Four to go saw another restart, but caution was immediately thrown again as the #99 of Ben Rhodes lost a wheel and was thrown into the barrier before the final corner. This would set up an overtime finish.

The first overtime restart saw Bell and Heim line up together, with the #11 getting the better of the Cup Series driver. After the #81 of Mosack spun in the chicane, the #77 and #26 slammed into the barriers trying to avoid. Under the yellow Bell’s #52 ran out of fuel, leaving Heim unopposed at the front.

The next restart saw an exact repeat of events, as the #81 spun once again in the bus stop, sending the #9 and #13 into the wall as they tried to avoid. 

Third time would prove to be the charm, as Heim was once again able to get the jump over the #19 of Hemric. On the final lap the #19 mounted a charge into the bus stop but the 23 year old hung on for his sixth win of the year. 

Gio Ruggiero claimed third. After losing fuel, Christopher Bell recovered to fourth place, with Tyler Ankrum rounding out the top five

Featured Image Credits: @NASCAR_Trucks on Twitter/X