NASCAR team makes Corey Heim announcement | Sports News

Corey Heim will be the reigning NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion, having damaged a number of information alongside the best way, together with most races gained in a single season, however following an announcement from Tricon Garage on Thursday, it appears the 23XI Racing development driver stays with out a team.

Heim, a 23-time Truck Series race winner, 12 of which got here during his historic 2025 season, has formally left Tricon after three seasons with the Toyota-powered team, with the team bidding farewell to their first-ever Truck Series champion on social media.

“A truly unforgettable run. Thank you for everything, champ,” the team wrote in a transient post.

This comes with simply two months to go till all three of NASCAR’s national collection return to motion at Daytona International Speedway, and with Heim nonetheless with out a confirmed seat of any form for the season.

Despite this, Heim just lately insisted that he stays calm in regards to the scenario, telling FOX Sports forward of the NASCAR Awards Ceremony in Scottsdale, Arizona, “I mean I’ve always kept faith in the people around me that they can kind of figure out how to put me in the best position to succeed and I feel like next year I mean I’ll probably have influence over it a little bit I guess but for the most part it’s just kind of trusting them that they know what they’re doing.”

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The 23-year-old added that he doesn’t envisage 2026 appearing as a preparatory 12 months for a run on the Cup Series in 2027, saying, “I look at it more of the sense that every race in the Cup Series is a privilege to be a part of, and it’s a good experience for me regardless of whether I’m full-time or not in ‘27.

“I’m kind of an eyes-forward week-by-week kind of guy, so I’m just kind of focusing on the task at hand.”

Heim has already made each his Cup and O’Reilly’s Auto Parts Series debuts, showing in 20 races for Sam Hunt Racing within the now-former Xfinity Series over the previous three seasons, with a career-best end of third on the 2024 Hy-Vee PERKS 250 at Iowa Speedway.

As for his Cup Series profession, Heim made three appearances for Legacy Motor Club and 23XI in 2024, adopted by 4 in 2025 solely for his dad or mum team, whereas he additionally didn’t qualify for the Grant Park 165 on the streets of Chicago. So far, his best Cup Series end got here in his most up-to-date race, the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, ending an spectacular sixth. 

One main roadblock between Heim and a choice about his fast future is the continuing antitrust lawsuit filed by 23XI and Front Row Motorsports towards NASCAR after they opted towards signing the new constitution settlement in 2024, alleging “monopolistic” behaviour on the group’s half.

The lawsuit, which made its courtroom room debut on December 1st, continues to be within the early phases, with 23XI co-owner Denny Hamlin, FRM proprietor Bob Jenkins, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer Scott Prime, and NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell all having taken to the stand by Day 4.

Speaking in October, Hamlin, who races for Joe Gibbs Racing, admitted that the lawsuit is taking part in a function within the delay surrounding Heim, explaining, “Well, I mean, I think that obviously the outcome of December 1st, you know, will dictate a lot of things.

“But, again, he’s a development driver for 23XI. He’s got races on his schedule as, as of right now. And we don’t see any of that changing.” Exactly which races Hamlin was referring to stays unclear.