Truck Series: Heim reigns victorious in Texas overtime thriller

Written by Sean McKean

Credit - Chris Graythen / Getty Images

Despite hard charges from those behind in overtime, Corey Heim was able to hang on for his third victory of the 2025 season. This was his first win at Texas.

As it unfolded

After qualifying was rained out, defending race winner Tyler Ankrum led the way from pole. He held this lead until Lap 20, when the competition caution was thrown.

Ankrum led the way again on Lap 26 but eventually lost the lead to Layne Riggs one lap later.

Whilst defending for third, Gio Ruggeiro tried making a move in the grass on the frontstretch, but the splitter dug in. This resulted in Ruggeiro’s truck being sent into the outside wall and collecting Kaden Honeycutt and Brandon Jones. Stewart Friesen also spun around in this melee. Ruggeiro, Honeycutt and Jones all retired in this violent crash.

Most drivers took to the pits under caution. Many stayed out though, such as Matt Crafton and Grant Enfinger.

Crafton led the way on Lap 38, but it was Grant Enfinger who won the first stage of action on pit strategy. Matt Mills and Crafton followed behind.

Stage 1 Results:

1. No. 9 - Grant Enfinger (CR7 Motorsports)

2. No. 42 - Matt Mills (Niece Motorsports)

3. No. 88 - Matt Crafton (ThorSport Racing)

4. No. 19 - Daniel Hemric (McAnally-Hilgemann Racing)

5. No. 11 - Corey Heim (TRICON Garage)

6. No. 98 - Ty Majeski (ThorSport Racing)

7. No. 15 - Tanner Gray (TRICON Garage)

8. No. 7 - Carson Hocevar (Spire Motorsports)

9. No. 38 - Chandler Smith (Front Row Motorsports)

10. No. 34 - Layne Riggs (Front Row Motorsports)

Grant Enfinger led on the Lap 48 restart, but only four laps later, the caution came back out. This was for a spin by Layne Riggs whilst battling for sixth with Ty Majeski.

Enfinger led the next Lap 57 restart – losing out on the lead to Corey Heim out of Turn 2. This was as far as the field got, however, as a crash by Andrés Pérez de Lara brought the caution out yet again. 

It was rinse-and-repeat on Lap 62, with Corey Heim taking control but another caution throwing a spanner in the works. This time, on Lap 64, Layne Riggs spun again – spinning into the infield grass on the frontstretch and digging into the turf. This ended Riggs’ day.

Heim lost the lead to Enfinger on the Lap 72 restart but eventually gained it back four laps later. He held this lead until Lap 80 to win the second stage. Chandler Smith and Grant Enfinger followed suit.

Stage 2 Results:

1. No. 11 - Corey Heim (TRICON Garage)

2. No. 38 - Chandler Smith (Front Row Motorsports)

3. No. 9 - Grant Enfinger (CR7 Motorsports)

4. No. 19 - Daniel Hemric (McAnally-Hilgemann Racing)

5. No. 52 - Stewart Friesen (Halmar Friesen Racing)

6. No. 99 - Ben Rhodes (ThorSport Racing)

7. No. 13 - Jake Garcia (ThorSport Racing)

8. No. 18 - Tyler Ankrum (McAnally-Hilgemann Racing)

9. No. 98 - Ty Majeski (ThorSport Racing)

10. No. 88 - Matt Crafton (ThorSport Racing)

Through pit strategy, Ty Majeski led the restart on Lap 88. He remained strong outfront but was no match for Corey Heim – who assumed the lead on Lap 96.

The only batch of green flag stops began on Lap 118 with Majeski. By the time everything cycled through on Lap 143, Heim remained the leader.

Just as pit stops ended, the caution came out again. This came out for a big impact into the Turns 1 and 2 wall for Frankie Muniz. Muniz retired from the race.

Everyone came into the pits. Heim was first out followed by Enfinger and Stewart Friesen.

Heim led on Lap 154, but many drivers were eager to take the lead – namely Stewart Friesen. Friesen got too ambitious, however, as in Turn 4 one lap after the restart, his truck swung loose, causing him to hook Enfinger and Chandler Smith into the wall. All three drivers retired from this incident.

Once more, a restart on Lap 162 wherein Heim led eventually brought out a caution shortly thereafter. This was for contact between Connor Mosack and Jake Garcia in Turn 2.

In deja vu to the first caution of the day, Matt Mills eventually fell victim to the frontstretch grass, clipping it and ending his race shortly after a restart on Lap 168. This caution set forward an overtime restart.

In this restart, Heim fended off the advances of Daniel Hemric and Rajah Caruth to take his third victory of the season.

Provisional Results:

1. No. 11 - Corey Heim (TRICON Garage)

2. No. 19 - Daniel Hemric (McAnally-Hilgemann Racing)

3. No. 71 - Rajah Caruth (Spire Motorsports)

4. No. 18 - Tyler Ankrum (McAnally-Hilgemann Racing)

5. No. 15 - Tanner Gray (TRICON Garage)

6. No. 99 - Ben Rhodes (ThorSport Racing)

7. No. 88 - Matt Crafton (ThorSport Racing)

8. No. 44 - Bayley Currey (Niece Motorsports)

9. No. 26 - Dawson Sutton (Rackley WAR)

10. No. 98 - Ty Majeski (ThorSport Racing)

11. No. 91 - Jack Wood (McAnally-Hilgemann Racing)

12. No. 20 - Stefan Parsons (Young’s Motorsports)

13. No. 07 - Nick Sanchez (Spire Motorsports)

14. No. 02 - Nathan Byrd (Young’s Motorsports)

15. No. 76 - Spencer Boyd (Freedom Racing Enterprises)

16. No. 38 - Chandler Smith (Front Row Motorsports)

17. No. 7 - Carson Hocevar (Spire Motorsports) +2 laps

18. No. 22 - Josh Reaume (Reaume Brothers Racing) +2 laps

19. No. 2 - Cody Dennison (Reaume Brothers Racing) +3 laps

20. No. 42 - Matt Mills (Niece Motorsports) [DNF]

21. No. 13 - Jake Garcia (ThorSport Racing) [DNF]

22. No. 81 - Connor Mosack (McAnally-Hilgemann Racing) [DNF]

23. No. 9 - Grant Enfinger (CR7 Motorsports) [DNF]

24. No. 52 - Stewart Friesen (Halmar Friesen Racing) [DNF]

25. No. 33 - Frankie Muniz (Reaume Brothers Racing) [DNF]

26. No. 5 - Toni Breidinger (TRICON Garage) [DNF]

27. No. 66 - Luke Fenhaus (ThorSport Racing) [DNF]

28. No. 34 - Layne Riggs (Front Row Motorsports) [DNF]

29. No. 77 - Andrés Pérez de Lara (Spire Motorsports) [DNF]

30. No. 1 - Brandon Jones (TRICON Garage) [DNF]

31. No. 17 - Gio Ruggeiro (TRICON Garage) [DNF]

32. No. 45 - Kaden Honeycutt (Niece Motorsports) [DNF]