Corey Heim earned his third win of the 2025 NASCAR Truck Series season at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday night, but it was far from easy. Heim watched a massive lead of nearly 16 seconds evaporate with a late-race yellow. It eventually got pushed into double overtime where Heim had to fend off rivals from literally all sides.
After being put in the middle of a three-wide situation at the white flag, he drove it very deep into Turn 1, holding onto the lead -- and win -- while Daniel Hemric was forced to settle for second. However, the driver to his outside at the pivotal moment was Ben Rhodes, and he fell all the way back to sixth after being pushed out of the groove ... and not for the first time that night.
Rhodes will put that move in the "memory bank"
"I was a little upset, and even still, watching the replay with how I was ran in three and four by Heim," explained Rhodes in his FOX Sports 1 interview. "Basically, you can see him come off the bottom, and the groove is extremely narrow here. That's why all those wrecks kept happening. I had to lift. I think he had to lift. And that's what opened up for three wide down the front stretch, and then, wow we're in sixth place.
"We were leading -- or it felt like we were leading, coming to the white (flag). And it was short lived. You know, it's just it all stems from that corner back there (Turns 3/4). When you get pushed up out of the groove and you start having to come out of the gas. That's a big deal and that's what opens up for three-wide racing, so not the happiest about that. I'll get (that) in the memory bank, but when you have an opportunity to win races with this playoff format, it's really important to do that. So we have to capitalize on that,when we can. We tried on three restarts tonight, but that's racing in the Truck series and that's why it's so exciting for all the fans."
Heim to Rhodes: "Look in the mirror"
Heim later responded to Rhodes' comments in the winner's press conference and no, he did not offer an apology. He saw nothing wrong with his tactics and pushed back on Rhodes' statements.
"I feel like he would have done the same thing, as would anyone coming to the white flag," said Heim, who seemed surprised by the comments. "I think that's a pretty crazy statement. Probably just him in the heat of the moment but yeah, I mean, come on dude. We're coming to the white flag of a race that everyone's trying to win and you don't want me to push you out of the groove? Like, take a look in the mirror."
