2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Corey Heim is undoubtedly Toyota’s top gun right now, especially when he brought home the series title when his Joe Gibbs Racing counterparts in the Cup Series failed to do so. So, by all racing logic, pairing the 23-year-old phenom with “Coach” Joe Gibbs should be a no-brainer. But why hasn’t it happened yet?
As it turns out, the long-whispered rumors around the garage point back to Heim’s infamous 2021 ARCA clash with Gibbs’ grandson, Ty, a widely known but rarely discussed tension that, according to a respected veteran’s recent revelation, is still standing in the way.
Has a Past ARCA Feud Slammed the JGR Door on Corey Heim?
Heim has been on an absolute tear in the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Dominating from start to finish, he captured both the regular-season and championship titles, piling up an impressive 12 wins along the way.
His ability to excel on short tracks, road courses, and superspeedways alike cements his status as Toyota’s golden boy in the Truck ranks, adding another regular-season crown to his 2023 triumph. Yet here’s the real mystery: despite that scorching form and the never-ending “Heim Time,” the youngster still doesn’t have a full-time Xfinity or Cup Series ride lined up for 2026.
Although the Marietta native has already proven his talent in the Xfinity Series, piloting Sam Hunt Racing’s car earlier this year, a seat at Joe Gibbs Racing would not only catapult his career. Still, it could also reshape Toyota’s driver pipeline, and perhaps the sport itself. Yet, many insiders point to one name when explaining why that opportunity hasn’t come: Ty Gibbs.
In a recent post, FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass echoed the same, replying to a fan on social media. When asked, “Next up JGR puts Heim in the 19?” The veteran reporter noted, “If JGR wanted Heim, they would have had him in the car this year. The ARCA battles between him and Ty apparently don’t make that a good fit.”
A few months ago, Bubba Wallace’s 23XI Racing spotter, Freddie Kraft, during the “DBC” podcast, drew the same conclusion, stating, “This is a meeting when I first sat down with Geo… you don’t know the things you do. How can it affect you down the road? … It’s no secret that him and Ty don’t like each other from their days racing in America and I can’t imagine that that’s not what’s keeping him out of a JGR car.”
It all goes back to the 2021 ARCA championship. Both rising stars put up monster numbers in their ARCA title showdown, but they also turned the season into a grudge match. Over 20 races, the two tangled multiple times, with tension peaking when Gibbs dumped Heim for the win at Winchester. The rivalry even spilled into interviews: Gibbs took early jabs, Heim fired back later, and Gibbs wrapped it all up with his trademark faith-based deflections.
Twelve different drivers have piloted a JGR car in at least one Xfinity race this year, except the sensational trucker. Even when the team’s NXS ace, Aric Almirola, was suspended, Heim never got the call. So the bigger question remains: why isn’t Toyota stepping in? And why hasn’t there been a “Milk and cookies”–style sit-down between Heim, Joe, and Ty to clear the air finally?
After all, the younger Gibbs has yet to make a truly defining mark in the No. 54 Toyota, even after three full-time seasons behind the wheel. How long can Toyota afford to gamble while Heim’s patience runs thin?
