After starting from pole and leading the most laps Saturday afternoon, Corey Heim finished fourth in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Leading a total of 68 laps, 54 of the first 60, and winning the first stage and finishing second in Stage 2, Heim was the truck to beat for most of the 134-lap race. An early caution in Stage 3 flipped the strategy for teams up and down the pitlane, with a handful taking the chance to pit early under the caution, which put Heim in the mid-pack after his last pit stop under green. The 22-year-old driver of the No. 11 Tundra TRD Pro fought his way back up the field with fresh tires but was unable to get all the way back to the front, ending in fourth position once the checkered flag flew.
Taylor Gray joined his TRICON Garage teammate on the front row Saturday and finished fourth and sixth in the first two stages as he also had a strong Tundra TRD Pro. Like Heim, the varying strategies in the final stage put him behind but was also able to gain some spots in the closing laps to finish 10th, securing his 12th top-10 finish this season and fifth in the last seven races. Stewart Friesen used the alternate strategy to his advantage to come home in sixth position for his sixth top-10 finish this season after starting the day 12th.
With the Stage 1 win and his 13th top-five finish this season, Heim now holds a 49-point cushion to the Playoff cutline heading to Martinsville. Gray enters next weekend 24 points below the cutline.
The final Round of 8 race for the Truck Series takes place at Martinsville Speedway next Friday, November 1. Coverage can be seen on FS1 at 6 p.m. ET, along with radio coverage on MRN and SiriusXM Radio Channel 90.
Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
Homestead-Miami Speedway
Race 21 of 23 – 134 Laps, 201 Miles
TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Grant Enfinger*
2nd, Ty Majeski*
3rd, Connor Mosack*
4th, COREY HEIM
5th, Tyler Ankrum
6th, STEWART FRIESEN
10th, TAYLOR GRAY
15th, DEAN THOMPSON
17th, WILLIAM SAWALICH
20th, TANNER GRAY
23rd, TIMMY HILL
*non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
COREY HEIM, No. 11 Safelite Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage
Finishing Position: 4th
Take us through your day today.
“Yeah, I mean overall, a good day for points and what not. Obviously, the main goal is to get to Phoenix, so yeah, disappointing. We were so fast last year (here) and wanted to come back and redeem ourselves and win the race, of course. But, have no complaints as far as points go. Makes Martinsville a little bit easier, but still have to put together a decent day. Proud of all my TRICON Garage Toyota Racing Safelite guys for their efforts. Yeah, just oddly enough, we struggled with long-run speed which typically isn’t our forté. We definitely fired off better than we ended the run, so with that, once we got through the cycle and had a lap better on the 98 (Ty Majeski), as far as tires, and then we had the gap (behind the leaders after his pit stop) and able to drive away, (maybe) see those guys run out of gas, but it just never fell our way.”
STEWART FRIESEN, No. 52 Halmar International Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, Halmar Friesen Racing
Finishing Position: 6th
How was your race today, coming home in sixth position?
“Yeah, we could fire off on the race start and the restarts really good, but were just too draggy on the our runs. But on the really long run there, we didn’t fall off and had a really good package underneath it. We’ll take a sixth(-place finish).”
TAYLOR GRAY, No. 17 A Place of Hope Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage
Finishing Position: 10th
How was your race today and what’s your mindset heading to Martinsville next weekend?
“Obviously, didn’t really get the points day we wanted. And then, just, strategy got us there at the end. Still came out with a top-10. Can’t thank my TRICON Garage guys enough for working their butts off all week long and preparing our Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. Just have to go to Martinsville, (pause), we’re in a must-win position, so try to go to Martinsville and be aggressive.”
Golin for Toyota Racing PR
