Corey Heim charges to Victory Lane at the Circuit of The Americas: An afternoon of impressive restarts ultimately handed Corey Heim the winning finish in the XPEL 225 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at the famed Circuit of The Americas (COTA) road course in Austin, Texas Saturday afternoon.(Read More)(5-23-2024)
#11-Corey Heim dominated the XPEL 225 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Circuit of the Americas on Saturday, scoring his first win of the season. The win was first at COTA, and the sixth Truck Series win of his career.
#11-Heim led a race high 31 of the extended race’s 46 laps. He also won stage 2.
#17-Taylor Gray finished second, followed by #98-Ty Majeski, #7-Connor Zilisch, #45-Ross Chastain, #1-Jack Hawksworth, #99-Ben Rhodes, #19-Christian Eckes, #5-Dean Thompson, and #15-Tanner Gray in the top-10.
#7-Zilisch started from the pole in his series debut, but troubles at the start dropped him in the running and a lap down. He made up the lost ground and ended the race fourth.
There were 14 lead changes among eight drivers and six cautions for 10 yellow flag laps.
The average speed of the race was: 69.492mph.
See race details at: Race Results, Driver Point Standings, Owner Point Standings, Cumulative Report, Penalty Report
Race Fast Facts – COTA
Corey Heim won the XPEL 225, his sixth victory in 46 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races.
This is his first victory and fifth top-10 finish in 2024.
This is his first victory and second top-10 finish in two races at Circuit of The Americas.
Taylor Gray (second) posted his first top-10 finish in three races at Circuit of The Americas. It is his fourth top-10 finish in 2024.
Ty Majeski (third) posted his second top-10 finish in three races at Circuit of The Americas.
Layne Riggs (27th) was the highest finishing rookie.
Corey Heim leads the point standings by 10 points over Ty Majeski.
(NASCAR)(3-23-2024)
Truck Series Driver Point Standings after COTA:
1) #11-Corey Heim (1 win)
2) #71-Rajah Caruth (1 win)
3) #19-Christian Eckes (1 win)
4) #2-Nick Sanchez (1 win)
5) #98-Ty Majeski, 197, +77
6) #18-Tyler Ankrum, 196, +76
7) #17-Taylor Gray, 179, +59
8) #88-Matt Crafton,148, +28
9) #9-Grant Enfinger, 139, +19
10) #15-Tanner Gray, 121, +1
Currently outside of the playoffs:
11) #99-Ben Rhodes, 120, 1
12) #32-Brett Holmes, 103, -18
See the Driver Point Standings, Owner Point Standings
Paint Schemes
Race Updates:
Heim wins at COTA. Taylor Gray, Majeski, Zilisch, Chastain, Hawksworth, Rhodes, Eckes, Thompson and Tanner Gray the top-10. Multiple trucks including Crafton, Caruth, issued 30-second penalty at the end for cutting the course, dropping them in the rundown.
Lap 45: Last lap. Heim’s taken the white flag.
Lap 44: Sanchez spins but field stays green.
Lap 44: Restart. Heim leads Taylor Gray, Majeski, Sanchez, Chastain.
Lap 41: CAUTION – race will go into over time. The rear end housing fell off of Andretti’s truck.
Lap 39: Back to green. Leaders stayed out under the yellow.
Lap 37: CAUTION with just 5 to go in at COTA. Heim maintains the lead. Majeski now second, was 9-seconds back before the yellow. Zilisch was penalized 2 laps ago for cutting the course. Hawksworth is 5th. Yellow out for Alan truck stopped on track. Zilisch pit for fresh tires.
Lap 32: 10 to go at COTA. Nothing has changed out front. Heim leads Zilisch by 4.854-seconds. Majeski, Hawksworth, TayGray, Crafton and Sanchez follow.
Lap 28: Zilisch to second over Majeski and begins smoking with tire rub. Got his right side into Majeski on the pass. Hawksworth, Majeski and Crafton now the top-5 behind Heim.
Lap 27 Pitstops under yellow. Caruth and Ankrum get repairs to their damaged trucks. Rhodes has his hood up. Heim leads for stage 3.
Lap 26: Heim wins the second stage. First stage win of the year for him. Majeski, Rhodes, Hawksworth, Taylor Gray, Zilisch, Caruth, Ankrum, Thompson and Crafton the top-10.
Lap 25: Heim back to the lead… later in the lap, Chastain and Tanner Gray go around. Field stays green.
Lap 24: Restart Friesen and Caruth lead. Friesen overdrives the turn and the lead shakes out to Rhodes.
Lap 23: CAUTION for Alan. Different pit strategies under the yellow.
Lap 20: Some pass throughs for cutting the course; Sanchez and Crafton.
Lap 16: Heim and Hawksworth swap the lead.
Lap 13: Under the yellow for the end of the stage, leaders pit and now it cycles back to Heim. Hawksworth, Caruth, Parsons, Thompson for the restart coming on lap 14. Zilisch received the free pass and back on the lead lap.
Lap 12: Sanchez wins stage 1. Majeski, TanGray, Ankrum, Eckes, Rhodes, Purdy, Crafton, Wood, Dillon the top-10.
Lap 9: 3 to go in the stage. Heim pits from the lead as the end of the stage nears; teams on different strategies.
Lap 7: Riggs slowed on track, power issue. Friesen, Andretti, Salas spin. Heim leads as field stays green.
Lap 5 restart: Dicey restart with Heim moving to the top spot. Field took the green with Zilisch on pitroad.
Lap 4: CAUTION for debris. Tanner Gray lead Riggs, Heim, Sanchez, Chastain, Hawksworth, Majeski, Ankrum, Enfinger, Purdy.
Lap 2: Zilisch pits for flat spotted tires for the mistake at the start. Taylor Gray also drops to pitroad, but to serve pass-through for cutting the course in turn 3.
Lap 1: Pole-sitter Zilisch locked up the tires and missed the turn at the start. Taylor Gray leads.
Trucks to the rear: #22-Farluch, 46-Moffitt, 99-Rhodes, 25-Dillon, 41-Currey, 04-Andretti, 33-Alan (unapproved adjustments), 19-Eckes(transmission change).
Broadcast: FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 42 laps / 143.22 miles
Stages: 12 / 26 / 42
Average time of race: 2:05:02
Pit road speed: 40 mph
Caution car speed: 50 mph
Fuel Window: 20 laps
Invocation: 1:24
God Bless America: 1:25
Command: 1:32
Green Flag: 1:43pm/et
Pitstall Selections
#7-Conno Zilisch won the pole for the XPEL 225 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Circuit of the Americas with a speed of 93.012 mph in what marks his series debut.
#11-Corey Heim will start second, followed by #17-Taylor Gray, #2-Nick Sanchez, #45-Ross Chastain, #1-Jack Hawksworth, #15-Tanner Gray, #38-Layne Riggs, #98-Ty Majeski and #19-Christian Eckes in the top-10.
Only 35 teams entered, so all made the race.
See the complete XPEL 225 Starting Lineup and check out the complete Qualifying Results.
Qualifying Fast Facts – COTA:
Connor Zilisch won the Pole Award for the XPEL 225 with a lap of 131.983 seconds, 93.012 mph.
This is his first pole in one NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races.
This is his first pole and first top-10 start in 2024.
This is his first pole in one races at Circuit of The Americas.
Corey Heim (second) posted his first top-10 start of 2024 and his first in two races at Circuit of The Americas.
Taylor Gray (third) posted his second top-10 start at Circuit of The Americas. It is his second in five races this season.
Layne Riggs (eighth) was the fastest qualifying rookie.
(NASCAR)
Crew Rosters
Qualifying Order
Practice for XPEL 225 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Circuit of the Americas is over; the top-five, slowest and notes:
#11-Heim 90.965
#7-Zilisch 90.697
#45-Chastain 90.516
#98-Majeski 90.295
#2-Sanchez 90.245
Slowest: #02-Massey 85.072
Most laps run: 8, #7-Zilisch, #71-Caruth, #5-Thompson,#91-Wood, #32-Holmes.
Notes: #46-Moffitt will not qualify, as his truck lost power steering. #99-Rhodes will not attempt either, as he said he felt something “pop” in his truck.
See complete results on the Practice speeds page.(3-22-2024)
The entry list for the XPEL 225 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Circuit of the Americas has been released. There are 35 drivers/teams for 36 spots. Since 35 teams are entered, none will miss the race. Some notes: #1-Hawksworth, #04-Andretti, #7-Zilisch, #12-Quarterly, #20-Salas, #22-Fartuch, #45-Chastain. See the complete XPEL 225Entry List page.
Goodyear Tire Notes
