Corey Heim wins NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series pole award for championship race
The top Championship 4 driver and the top driver overall, Corey Heim will lead the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series finale from the pole. Heim has to be considered the favorite for this race. In the last two seasons, the driver who started on the pole went on to win the race, and the championship.
Zane Smith did it last year. Ben Rhodes did it in 2021. Will Corey Heim do it in 2023? The TRICON Garage driver is going to be in control of his own destiny. He’s been really strong this season, winning three races. Only twice this season has he failed to score inside the top-10 or top-5.
It might be Heim Time later tonight when the Truck Series goes green at 10:00 PM EST. The No. 11 is starting on the front.
Ben Rhodes will start P6, Carson Hocevar P13, and Grant Enfinger P17 to close out the Championship 4 drivers. They will all have a lot of work to do to overtake and beat Corey Heim. Here is the rest of the starting lineup.
There is a lot of talk about whether or not the playoff format lends itself to picking the best driver in the season. Well, in the Truck Series, no one has been as consistent and dominant as Heim. In the last five races, Heim has finishes of P4, P4, P1, P5, and P3. All different tracks, different race styles – the constant has been Heim.
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Corey Heim hoping to make himself a champion
I’m not sure you could be much more confident than Corey Heim right now. He’s had the momentum, he’s had the speed, the wins, and now the pole award. However, nothing is guaranteed. In fact, Heim has never won at Phoenix. Even going back to his ARCA days.
Today’s pole award is the fourth of the season for Heim. His last pole came at Mid-Ohio, and he won. That was a road course, though. He also won the pole award at North Wilkesboro and Darlington. In those races, he was P6 and P8, respectively.
So, can we expect him to get the job done on the short track? I’d say if he has a fault, it would be his short track racing. Other drivers just seem to catch him at these small tracks, or he can’t find a way to pass for the lead. Heim won at Bristol, but that’s a different kind of racing than Phoenix.
Based on his finishes at Richmond, Indianapolis Raceway Park, and the Milwaukee Mile – I’d say Heim isn’t going to win this race. The thing is, he doesn’t have to win. He just has to beat those three other drivers, Hocevar, Rhodes, and Enfinger. Is Corey Heim on his way to his first NASCAR Championship?