Corey Heim was a surprise inclusion in last weekend’s Bristol Night Race. But what’s even more surprising is his performance, as only five drivers managed to finish ahead of him. The Truck Series ace showed off his Cup Series mastery in one of the most challenging places to visit in NASCAR.
After watching Heim at Bristol Motor Speedway, many are convinced that he’s ready for a full-time Cup Series ride. Unfortunately, that doesn’t appear likely in 2026.
Will Corey Heim’s Performance at Bristol Lead to a 2026 Rookie Duel With Connor Zilisch?
Bristol was Heim’s fourth Cup start of the season and his second top-15 finish. The part-time 23XI No. 67 driver already has more top-15 finishes this season than Riley Herbst, who is driving full time for the team.
This year’s Bristol Night Race was a daunting challenge even for the most seasoned Cup drivers due to unusually high tire wear. But Heim showed great composure to survive the mayhem and deliver a respectable finish.
The tire issue also caught Heim off guard, but he kept his cool and figured out the right saving strategy to stay alive in the race.
“It was interesting for sure” @CoreyHeim_ picked up his first career Cup Series top 10 in Bristol.
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— Frontstretch (@Frontstretch) September 14, 2025
“After we knew the deal, and knew how we had to save and whatnot, I think it was kind of just a pretty simple thing. You know we freed up the car a lot to try to save the right front, keep it on the right rear tire, and yeah, just kind of raced my own race in Stage 3,” he explained.
Dismissing this performance as a “lucky one” would be unfair. The 23-year-old driver spent much of Saturday’s 500-lap race off the lead lap after being caught out by severe tire degradation early on, forcing him and several others into unscheduled green-flag stops.
With each passing lap, Heim settled more into his Cup Series ride at Bristol. His part-time 23XI Racing team, guided by veteran crew chief Bootie Barker, executed a flawless plan to get the No. 67 Toyota into the top 10 following a late-race caution.
With three seasons of dominant performances in the Truck Series, Heim has earned his place among NASCAR’s future stars. Heim became 23XI Racing’s first development driver in February, joining the Cup Series operation run by Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan. That position gave him the chance to compete at Bristol on Saturday, where he defied expectations.
It would have been great to see Connor Zilisch, who lit up the Xfinity Series this season, and Heim lock horns for the Best Rookie of the Year crown next season. However, the road to the Cup Series is not so straightforward for the Marietta, Georgia-native.
The current NASCAR Charter Agreement states that teams can only maintain three full-time drivers. 23XI Racing already has Bubba Wallace, Tyler Reddick, and Herbst on its roster. Herbst has not been performing great, but he is only in his rookie season, so the team will probably stick with him for now.
Despite his dominance in the Truck Series, Heim has yet to secure any personal sponsors. The Cup Series team will need to find suitable backers for him, which won’t happen overnight.
Next season may be too soon for Heim to compete in the Cup Series, but if he maintains his form, it’s only a matter of time before it happens.
