It’s two wins in a part-time NASCAR Cup Series season for Corey Heim, who won Sunday’s (July 26) Brickyard 400, passing Denny Hamlin for the lead with 34 laps to go and holding on despite late charges from Christopher Bell and Joey Logano.
Heim cleared Hamlin for the lead after a poor restart from Hamlin, who fell back to fifth when things shook out on the restart.
“It’s a dream come true to win at the Brickyard,” Heim told TNT Sports post-race. “Just executed all day, made no mistakes.”
“When you’re clear by an inch, you’re going to take that inch,” Hamlin said. “It’s really more on us and the 20 and the 19 not orchestrating good pushes there, became detached at the wrong time. I thought the 20 was on board with getting us the push, it was just way too early before the restart zone.”
Heim beat Hamlin off of pit road at the beginning of stage three, but Hamlin took the lead on the restart with 41 laps to go after Logano made an aggressive three wide move into turn 1.
In turn 3, Ryan Blaney spun off of the front bumper of John Hunter Nemechek, which sent both drivers into the wall. The crash put Todd Gilliland ahead of Blaney in the In-Season Challenge, with Gilliland holding on to win $1 million.
Bell, Logano, Chase Briscoe and Hamlin completed the top five.
Brad Keselowski, Josh Berry, Ryan Preece, Carson Hocevar and Tyler Reddick rounded out the top 10.
“Just needed one bobble,” Bell said. “If he would’ve had one bobble, I was going to be able to get there. He did a great job.”
Logano caught Heim and Bell but was unable to get around them.
Kyle Larson crashed on lap 44 after blowing a left rear tire in turn 3. He climbed out of his car under his own power after a violent impact into the outside wall.
Ty Gibbs held on on the ensuing restart to win stage one.
Daniel Dye crashed in turn 3 thanks to another blown left rear tire on lap 96. The rest of stage two finished under caution, with Ross Chastain taking the stage victory on fumes.
Brickyard 400 Results
After a one-week break, the Cup Series returns Sunday, Aug. 9, at Iowa Speedway.
A member of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA), Samuel also covers NASCAR for Yardbarker, Field Level Media, and Heavy Sports. He will attend the University of Arkansas in the fall of 2025.
Harvey Wallbanger done did it again.
Which one? Their favorurite song is “Hello wall.”
If Corey Heim had declared for cup points instead he would have
been looking like a reasonable lock for the championship or at
least screwing it up slightly.
Attention Joe Gibbs. Corey has twice as many wins as Ty. Just sayin.