Late Race Incident Spoils Corey Heim’s Series Debut At Darlington

In his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start, Corey Heim found himself running with the leaders before an accident on lap 118 derailed a solid run. When the race resumed on lap 118, Heim found himself on the inside of the front row when another competitor tapped the bumper of the JBL Tundra sending Heim into fellow KBM teammate John Hunter Nemechek. The Georgia native ended up in the middle of a 17-truck pileup with major damage all around his Toyota.
 
The over-the-wall crew threw everything but the kitchen sink to repair the JBL Tundra. Heim was able to run additional laps before NASCAR’s six-minute crash clock ended the JBL team’s day early on lap 147.
 
Stage One Recap
 
  • Heim started from the 13th position based off NASCAR’s performance-matrix formula.
  • At the lap 15 competition caution, Heim was scored in the 18th position but radioed that he was still getting acclimated to racing a truck. Crew chief Mardy Lindley summoned the rookie driver to pit road for four tires, fuel and a trackbar adjustment. Heim restarted from the 19th position.
  • At the second caution, Heim had worked his way to the 14th position and radioed that his JBL Tundra felt good but was free.
  • By the end of the first stage, Heim worked his way up to the eighth position.
 
Stage Two Recap:
 
  • At the break, Heim radioed to Lindley that his Tundra was a tick free on entry. Lindley brought Heim down pit road for four tires and fuel. The rookie driver restarted from the ninth position.
  • At the fifth caution of the evening on lap 82, Heim worked his way up to the fourth position and radioed to Lindley that he was still free from the center of the corner. Lindley brought Heim down pit road for four tires, fuel and an adjustment. Heim restarted from the sixth position.
  • After a two-lap dash to the stage break, Heim had worked his way up to the second position when the green-checkered flag unfurled on lap 90.
 
Final Stage Recap:
 
  • Under the break, Lindley elected to keep Heim on the racetrack. Heim started the final stage from the second position.
  • During the seventh caution on lap 103, Heim fell back to third and radioed to Lindley that his JBL Tundra was a touch free. Lindley elected to keep Heim on the racetrack.
  • When the race resumed on lap 118, Heim found himself on the inside of the front row. As the field exited the restart zone, another competitor tapped the bumper of the JBL Tundra sending Heim into fellow KBM teammate John Hunter Nemechek. The Georgia native ended up in the middle of a 17-truck pileup with major damage all around his Toyota.
  • The over-the-wall crew threw everything but the kitchen sink to repair the JBL Tundra. Heim was able to run additional laps before NASCAR’s six-minute crash clock ended the JBL team’s day early on lap 147.
  • Heim would be credited with a 23rd-place finish.
 
 
LiftKits4Less.com 200 Recap
 
  • Sheldon Creed captured his first victory of 2021 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series beating Ben Rhodes. Carson Hocevar, Matt Crafton and Grant Enfinger rounded out the top five.
  • There were 12 cautions for 66 laps. There were 20 lead changes among 12 different drivers with Heim leading two laps. 
 
How Corey Heim’s KBM Teammates Fared:
 
  • John Hunter Nemechek, driver of the No. 4 Toyota, finished eighth.
  • Chandler Smith, driver of the No. 18 Toyota, finished 27th.
 
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship Standings
 
After eight races, the No. 51 team sits second on the owner’s championship standings, just 22 points behind the No. 4 team.
 
Next Race
 
The No. 51 returns to the track with Parker Chase when the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series resumes action on Saturday, May 22 at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. Live coverage will be on FS1, Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM at 1 p.m. ET.

KBM PR