Corey Heim’s No. 11 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro was unstoppable — until it wasn’t. The 22-year-old NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series star dominated the race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, leading a race-high 78 laps and sweeping both stages. But a relentless engine glitch turned Heim’s certain victory into a third-place nightmare, leaving him grappling with questions and frustration.
Heim’s truck suddenly lost power multiple times in the final laps, costing him a shot at his third win of the 2025 season. For a driver used to closing deals, the mechanical mystery cut deeper than any defeat.
Corey Heim’s Dominance Derailed by Baffling Engine Cuts
Heim started strong, claiming his second straight pole and jumping to the front early. By Lap 114, he’d taken the lead back from Ross Chastain and looked ready to cruise to the win. Then, without warning, his dashboard went dark.
“Just about 15-20 to go, everything seemed fine as far as what I could see,” Heim told reporters postrace.
“The engine would hard-cut on me, and the dash would go black. I’d have to pull my right hand over and fully recycle the power to get any sort of life back in the motor.”
"Stings pretty bad."
An unfortunate ending for @CoreyHeim_, who led 78 laps but will have to settle for a third-place finish. pic.twitter.com/IZd2NwkPXR
— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) March 22, 2025
The issue struck like clockwork — Heim’s truck shut down for six seconds every two laps. Each time, he manually rebooted the system, clawing back lost ground.
Heim retook the lead twice, even getting back around Layne Riggs and Chastain after restarts. But with five laps to go, the glitch hit again and didn’t let up.
Kyle Larson took advantage, stealing the win as Heim crossed the line in third.
“This stings pretty bad, obviously, but nothing I can have done about it,” Heim said. “Just having that good of a truck … I feel like we were lights out the best truck. We probably would have won the race by 10 seconds if we hadn’t had that problem.”
Emotional Aftermath and Unanswered Questions at Homestead-Miami
Heim’s post-race look said it all. His eyes welled up as he called it “the most a race has stung” in his career.
“I was able to drive past those guys again. It was just unreal. It was hard to get into a rhythm with all of those issues happening,” Heim admitted.
There's trouble for Heim as the No. 11 loses power! pic.twitter.com/A0ctUakK1T
— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) March 22, 2025
Tricon Garage engineers scrambled to figure out the issue but didn’t have answers right away. The team confirmed the electrical failure came from the engine’s power system, but the exact cause is still unknown. “I really don’t know what the problem was, to be honest with you,” Heim said.
“But can’t say enough about the Safelite Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. Everyone at Tricon Garage and Toyota did a phenomenal job. Probably the best truck I’ve ever had.”
Even with the heartbreak, Heim’s 2025 season is still strong. He leads the standings with two wins and three top-fives in four races. His Homestead run, glitch or not, showed just how fast his Toyota can be.
The mystery still hangs over the team as Heim turns his attention to Martinsville — a place he’s won at before. For now, it’s just a cruel twist in a season full of promise.