Excellent pit work propels Corey Heim to Truck Series victory at Las Vegas
Corey Heim, driver of the #11 Safelite Toyota, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Ecosave 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 14, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service
LAS VEGAS—Corey Heim made a mistake on pit road, but his crew picked up the slack when it counted.
Corey Heim, driver of the #11 Safelite Toyota, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Ecosave 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 14, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
A lightning-fast stop under caution on Lap 86 put Heim in the lead, and that was the impetus the driver of the No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota needed to win Friday night’s Ecosave 200 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
The stellar work of the pit crew allowed Heim to overcome a pit road speeding penalty he incurred at the end of the first stage on Lap 31.
“First of all, the pit crew did such a good job of getting the truck up front,” said Heim, who won his second race of the season, his first at LVMS and the 13th of his career. “I made that mistake in Stage 1 when I sped on pit road and put us behind.”
Corey Heim, driver of the #11 Safelite Toyota, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Ecosave 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 14, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
In a race run in uncharacteristically cold weather and stopped twice for sudden rain showers, Heim took the lead for good on Lap 101, passing Layne Riggs after the final restart following the fourth and final caution for Jack Wood’s accident in Turn 4 on Lap 93.
Heim led a race-high 42 of 134 laps to 39 for Stage 2 winner Tyler Ankrum and beat runner-up Grant Enfinger to the finish line by 0.825 seconds.
“This wasn’t exactly what we wanted in terms of the weather being cold and whatnot,” Heim said. “It seems to be a lot better when it’s hot and greasy, and we’re sliding around…
Layne Riggs, driver of the #34 Love’s RV STOP Ford, races during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Ecosave 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 14, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
“I was doing everything I can there. I think all of us were completely wide open at the end. I spent a lot of time looking at my mirror, and it worked out.”
Enfinger passed Tanner Gray for the second spot on Lap 126 but couldn’t catch Heim over the final eight laps. Enfinger felt the battle with Gray might have cost him a chance to win.
“We got side by side and lost a little but right there,” Enfinger said. “And we probably went over our tire limit a little bit right there and that hurt us at the end.
“Corey was a lot better than us in the short run, and (crew chief) Jeff (Stankiewicz) really got this (No. 9 Chevrolet) really, really strolling on the long run. Our pit crew did an amazing job getting us from 11th to fifth (on the final stop). And when we were in the top five, we could race with those guys.”
Stewart Friesen, driver of the #52 Halmar International Toyota, leads the field during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Ecosave 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 14, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
Gray held third place at the finish, followed by reigning series champion and Stage 1 winner Ty Majeski and Riggs. Stewart Friesen, Rajah Caruth, Chandler Smith, Matt Crafton and Ankrum completed the top 10.
There were 21 lead changes among 12 drivers, both race records. Rain interrupted the race at the end of the first two stages, with red-flag periods lasting 55 minutes, 51 seconds and 19 minutes, 42 seconds, respectively.
Interview:
NCTS Race Winner Corey Heim (No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota) –
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race – Ecosave 200
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas, Nevada
Friday, March 14, 2025
1. (16) Corey Heim, Toyota, 134.
2. (20) Grant Enfinger, Chevrolet, 134.
3. (18) Tanner Gray, Toyota, 134.
4. (7) Ty Majeski, Ford, 134.
5. (23) Layne Riggs, Ford, 134.
6. (5) Stewart Friesen, Toyota, 134.
7. (6) Rajah Caruth, Chevrolet, 134.
8. (17) Chandler Smith, Ford, 134.
9. (11) Matt Crafton, Ford, 134.
10. (2) Tyler Ankrum, Chevrolet, 134.
11. (4) Justin Haley(i), Chevrolet, 134.
12. (22) Kaden Honeycutt, Chevrolet, 134.
13. (12) Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet, 134.
14. (15) Ben Rhodes, Ford, 134.
15. (8) Giovanni Ruggiero #, Toyota, 134.
16. (24) Matt Mills, Chevrolet, 134.
17. (13) Andres Perez de Lara #, Chevrolet, 134.
18. (19) Bayley Currey, Chevrolet, 134.
19. (9) Dawson Sutton #, Chevrolet, 134.
20. (10) Connor Mosack #, Chevrolet, 134.
21. (27) Toni Breidinger #, Toyota, 134.
22. (25) William Sawalich(i), Toyota, 134.
23. (26) Luke Fenhaus, Ford, 134.
24. (29) Frankie Muniz #, Ford, 133.
25. (21) Spencer Boyd, Chevrolet, 133.
26. (3) Jake Garcia, Ford, 132.
27. (1) Corey Day(i), Chevrolet, 132.
28. (28) Josh Reaume, Ford, 132.
29. (31) Nathan Byrd, Chevrolet, 128.
30. (14) Jack Wood, Chevrolet, Accident, 92.
31. (30) Stephen Mallozzi, Ford, Drivetrain, 17.
Average Speed of Race Winner: 107.01 mph.
Time of Race: 1 Hrs, 52 Mins, 42 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.825 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 4 for 34 laps.
Lead Changes: 21 among 12 drivers.
Lap Leaders: J. Haley(i) 1;T. Ankrum 2-9;C. Day(i) 10;T. Ankrum 11-16;C. Day(i) 17;T. Majeski 18-30;J. Garcia 31;B. Rhodes 32-37;T. Ankrum 38-62;C. Heim 63;J. Wood 64-65;C. Heim 66-70;S. Friesen 71-72;C. Heim 73;S. Friesen 74-85;C. Heim 86;S. Boyd 87;C. Heim 88-90;C. Smith 91;L. Riggs 92-103;C. Heim 104-134.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Corey Heim 6 times for 42 laps; Tyler Ankrum 3 times for 39 laps; Stewart Friesen 2 times for 14 laps; Ty Majeski 1 time for 13 laps; Layne Riggs 1 time for 12 laps; Ben Rhodes 1 time for 6 laps; Corey Day(i) 2 times for 2 laps; Jack Wood 1 time for 2 laps; Justin Haley(i) 1 time for 1 lap; Spencer Boyd 1 time for 1 lap; Chandler Smith 1 time for 1 lap; Jake Garcia 1 time for 1 lap.
Stage #1 Top Ten: 98,18,7,11,52,13,07,38,17,71
Stage #2 Top Ten: 18,38,52,11,99,07,13,71,45,7
