ROCKINGHAM, N.C. — Remarkably, although Corey Heim has competed in simply three of the 5 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Collection races to date this season, he’s tied for the collection lead after back-to-back victories at Darlington Raceway and Rockingham Speedway.
Circumstances conspired to raise Heim to the highest of the standings. A “good” race at “The Rock,” with 76 factors scored, definitely helped.
So did the disqualification of fourth-place finisher Chandler Smith for a ride-height infraction. Smith misplaced the 33 factors that might have saved him 15 factors forward of Heim and Black’s Tire 200 runner-up Kaden Honeycutt, Heim’s TRICON Storage teammate.
Heim is the reigning collection champion, having gained a season-record 12 of final 12 months’s 25 races. Competing in a restricted variety of occasions in all three of NASCAR’s nationwide collection this 12 months, Heim shouldn’t be defending his Truck Collection title.
Inevitably, although, the topic got here up after Friday’s victory left Heim tied for the collection lead. Heim would want a waiver from NASCAR to run for the title, and that might current difficulties.
“I don’t know the way all that works, actually,” Heim mentioned after Friday’s race. “I’d should look into it. I figured we’d have factors day, sweeping all three phases and every little thing. That’s fairly cool, however I’d have to determine how that works and all of the specs and all the necessities to qualify.
“It’d be cool, however I’ve no plans on working the remainder of the 12 months, so we’d have lots of determining to do at that time.”
Heim doesn’t have to pressure his mind. TRICON has not utilized for a waiver, and NASCAR granting a waiver for races missed due to scheduling selections borders on a pipe dream.
As well as, with the Chase championship format in place this 12 months, a driver granted a waiver for a non-medical or household challenge should begin the Chase in final place, with 2,000 factors. That’s an enormous impediment to beat.
Nonetheless, it doesn’t diminish Heim’s capacity to tie for the collection lead after recognizing the remainder of the competitors two races.
