After not getting to practice or qualify because of the rain. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series had to settle in for the SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas. Corey Heim was going to make sure he was going to be the talk of the town, no matter where he had to start the race. It has been Heim time throughout the season, but he’s had heartbreak on several occasions. That wasn’t the case in the Lone Star State.
Corey Heim had plenty of challengers, but this race ended up being full of cautions. So much so, it ended up being the first Truck series race in 21 races in the series to go to overtime. Let’s take a closer look at what went down in Fort Worth.
Corey Heim Holds off All Challengers in Truck Series Win at Texas
Heim had to start fourth, while the winner at Rockingham, Tyler Ankrum, started from the pole spot for this race. The race’s first 21 laps were clean, as they raced to a competition caution. Following that caution, things started to get hairy for some of the frontrunners. Lap 31 saw a vicious incident as rookie Gio Ruggiero went too low and clipped the grass, destroying the front of his truck and sending him up the track to collect Kaden Honeycutt and Brandon Jones.
This incident brings out the yellow on Lap 31. pic.twitter.com/Niroxbadcc
— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) May 3, 2025
It ended up also sending Stewart Friesen spinning in his No. 52 truck, but he was able to continue. Nonetheless, it was a very ugly wreck for all those involved. As it was at such a high rate of speed, through the tri-oval.
Those four trucks were running seventh through 10th at the time of the incident. After the wreck was cleaned up, the drivers were able to run the final 10 or so laps to finish stage one, with Grant Enfinger putting his No. 9 Chevy at the top of the board for the stage win.
.@GrantEnfinger takes Stage 1 at @TXMotorSpeedway! pic.twitter.com/bh195XQp0y
— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) May 3, 2025
Hits Keep Coming for Contenders
Stage two saw even more carnage befall some of the series’ top drivers. Both experienced and young. Layne Riggs took himself out of the race with a spin and a big hit through the grass on the frontstretch that ended his night. The Riggs incident occurred not even 10 laps into the stage.
A look at how the No. 34's night in Texas ended. pic.twitter.com/k3dXrIVrvF
— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) May 3, 2025
While Riggs was knocked out of the race, Corey Heim was starting to showcase his raw speed and dominance. But that couldn’t be showcased until after a single-car incident on the next restart following Riggs’ crash. As rookie Andres Perez lost control and hit the outside wall, ending his night as well.
We got damage to the No. 77 on the restart. pic.twitter.com/dUasoZOPFc
— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) May 3, 2025
From their Heim was able to win stage two as he started to kick the rest of the field’s butt.
.@CoreyHeim_ sails into a Stage 2 win! pic.twitter.com/Vguv6Nu9TR
— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) May 3, 2025
Heim Holds On After Late Run of Cautions
The final stage certainly felt like it was going to fly by, especially with Corey Heim out front. And for most of that run, it did. If not for yellow after yellow following the final round of pit stops, that completely shook up the running order. It looked like for a time, Cup driver Carson Hocevar, who was back in the Truck Series for the first time in a couple of years. Might have had something for Heim, except for battery issues that ultimately ruined his chances.
Heim was able to build a 15-second lead with less than 25 laps to go. That’s when tragedy ended the night once again for Malcolm in the Middle star Frankie Muniz. His night went up in sparks after a hard hit to the outside wall.
A caution for the No. 33 sets up a sprint to the finish! pic.twitter.com/BbGwQoLE9q
— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) May 3, 2025
It set up a sprint to the finish as Heim and the other five trucks still on the lead lap decided to pit. Then came the battle of the next restart as Heim started to pull away again. A three-truck battle between Enfinger, Friesen, and Chandler Smith ended up in another hard crash. As all three slammed into the turn four wall.
Trouble at the front of the field! pic.twitter.com/HHMT0vbnuM
— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) May 3, 2025
READ MORE: Chandler Smith Back in NASCAR Truck Series Victory Lane at Bristol
It brought out a red flag as crews had to repair the wall. It also put the likes of Ben Rhodes, Rajah Caruth, and Daniel Hemric into contention to try and beat Heim.
A couple more restarts and three wide fights for the lead weren’t enough to stop Corey Heim from reaching victory lane once again. Not only was he the best truck of the night, but he was also able to get the job done for once. After a stretch of races where he has led a lot of laps, only to come up short.
What a finish in #NASCAROvertime! pic.twitter.com/tqJ1BLyGye
— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) May 3, 2025
It’s certainly Heim Time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and we are all just living in it.
READ NEXT: Tyler Ankrum Snaps 130-Race Winless Streak in NASCAR Truck Series’ Return to Rockingham
Featured Image Credit: Chris Graythen, Getty Images. 5/2/2025
