In a race that was anything but straightforward, Corey Heim emerged victorious in Friday night’s SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway, surviving two overtime periods to secure his third win of the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season.

While the final box score might suggest dominance—Heim led a race-high 96 of 174 laps—the victory was far from assured until the final moments. The 22-year-old driver of the No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota showcased both speed and determination throughout the night, particularly in the chaotic final restarts.

“I wasn’t going to let that one get away from me,” Heim said in Victory Lane. “I’ve given up too many this year so far. I’m just overwhelmed—so many restarts there at the end and guys were taking me three-wide.”

The win marks Heim’s 14th career victory, making him the youngest driver in Truck Series history to reach that milestone. It also strengthens his position atop the championship standings, where he now holds a 46-point advantage over second-place Chandler Smith.

The drama intensified when the race headed into its first overtime, which was quickly aborted when a caution emerged almost immediately after the restart. This set up a second overtime period that packed considerable action into just two laps.

On the final restart, Ben Rhodes lined up alongside Heim on the front row and held his ground through the first two corners, racing side-by-side with the leader. As they navigated Turn 3, both drivers had to lift off the throttle, opening the door for Daniel Hemric to make a bold move to the inside.

With three trucks wide approaching the white flag, Heim displayed championship-caliber composure, charging between his competitors and surging back into the lead. He cleared Hemric and Rhodes in Turn 1 of the final lap and pulled away just enough to beat Hemric to the finish line by 0.279 seconds.

“I wasn’t going to let them take it from me,” Heim declared. “They tried to take me three-wide into (Turn) 1, and I drove until I couldn’t anymore.”

Not all competitors were pleased with how Heim secured his victory. Ben Rhodes, who faded to sixth place in the final lap after running side-by-side with the leader, took issue with Heim’s racing tactics.

“I was a little upset, and even still watching the replay, with how I was run in 3 and 4 by Heim,” said Rhodes, a two-time series champion. “Basically, to see him come off the bottom, and the groove is extremely narrow here. That’s why all those wrecks kept happening. I had to lift. I think he had to lift, and that’s what opened up for three-wide down the frontstretch and why we’re in sixth place.”

The SpeedyCash.com 250 produced 11 cautions for 57 laps, highlighting the treacherous nature of Texas Motor Speedway’s 1.5-mile layout. Several notable incidents punctuated the evening:

Early in the race, rookie Giovanni Ruggiero misjudged the apron-grass boundary on the frontstretch on lap 31, sending his truck up the track and collecting Brandon Jones and Kaden Honeycutt in a violent collision. The impact ripped the right-front wheel off Jones’ Toyota and destroyed Honeycutt’s Chevrolet.

“It is just so hard to see the grass here on the frontstretch when you’re behind other trucks,” Ruggiero explained afterward. “I definitely misjudged it on my part.”

Layne Riggs experienced multiple incidents, spinning underneath reigning series champion Ty Majeski on lap 52 and later bouncing through the frontstretch grass after contact with Luke Fenhaus, which tore the nose off his Ford F-150.

Interestingly, the race character shifted dramatically at its midpoint. After a caution-filled first half with six yellow flags (the longest green-flag run being just 20 laps), a surprising 60-lap green-flag period began on lap 87. During this extended run, which included a cycle of green-flag pit stops, Heim built an impressive 15.794-second lead.

This peaceful interlude ended when Frankie Muniz crashed in Turn 2 on lap 147, triggering the eighth caution and setting up the frantic finish that would ultimately require two overtime periods to determine a winner.

With the victory, Heim not only solidified his points lead but also gained an additional Playoff point by winning Stage 2 of the race. These bonus points could prove crucial when the championship Playoffs begin later in the season.

Behind Heim and Hemric at the finish line, Rajah Caruth claimed third place, followed by Tyler Ankrum in fourth and Tanner Gray rounding out the top five.

The race was also historic in breaking a remarkable streak—it was the first Truck Series event to require overtime after 21 consecutive races had ended in regulation time.

As the series continues its season, all eyes will be on whether anyone can challenge Heim’s growing momentum and championship advantage in what has already been a thrilling 2025 campaign.

Chris Graythen/Getty Images