Corey Heim arrived at Pocono Raceway with a vengeance and left with a victory.
Heim, who lost on the final lap in last season’s NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at “The Tricky Triangle,” rebounded with a dominant victory in the CRC Brakleen 175. The 22-year-old TRICON Garage driver swept all the stages and led a race-high 55 laps as he earned his series-leading fifth victory of the season.
It also was his third top-five finish in as many starts at Pocono Raceway, with the victory following a runner-up effort to Kyle Busch last season and a fourth in 2022.
“It was such a big deal (to win this one) because I feel like I gave the race away (last year here),” Heim said. “There have been races we’ve lost where it’s been more circumstantial, and it’s like ‘well, there’s nothing you could have done,’ but at the end of the day that was my race to lose and I lost it.”
“Coming back here this year, reviewing that and understanding what I could have done better was big for me even though there was never really another time where I had to play that scenario out. I knew I was going to have to be aggressive from the first lap and it all worked out in the end. I don’t know if there is another race that I feel like I brutally messed up and wanted to redeem myself, but this was probably the top of the list for me since (last year) it was the last lap and second to the last corner, so it definitely tops the charts there.”
Heim was never seriously challenged and the only drama remaining was when the 70-lap, 175-mile race was red flagged for wet conditions due to a light intermittent rain with eight laps remaining. The field returned with Heim at the point for two caution laps before the red flag was thrown again for the wet conditions. After a brief delay, Heim led the field back out for two more caution laps before going green with three to go.
Heim took the outside and Christian Eckes of McAnally-Hilgemann Racing took the inside on the restart. Heim got a great restart while Eckes spun but made a great save to continue. He quickly opened up a .85 of a second lead on second-place Grant Enfinger of CR7 Motorsports on the first lap. He was never threatened the remainder of the way as he posted his fourth win in the last seven races.
With same-day qualifying cancelled due to light intermittent rain, Eckes, the points leader, started on the pole and Heim beside him on the front row.
Eckes came out strong as he led the first 11 laps of the opening stage before Heim overtook him on the ensuing lap. He would lead the final four laps to capture the first stage and set the tone for the remainder of the race.
The 15-lap second stage was all Heim as he led every lap and was never threatened for the lead. The only blemish came at the opening of the third and final stage when ThorSport Racing’s Jake Garcia stayed out to gain the lead briefly. Garcia led four laps before Heim made the pass, leaving the only slim chance the field had at catching him was when the red flag came out.
NEXT UP: Saturday’s activities will feature NASCAR Cup Series practice (Noon) and qualifying (12:45 p.m.), followed by the Xfinity Series Explore the Pocono Mountains 225 (3 p.m., TV: USA Network, Radio: MRN, SiriusXM).
For tickets or additional information about The Great American Getaway 400 presented by VISITPA, please visit www.poconoraceway.com.
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