Corey Heim Grabs Overtime NASCAR Truck Series Victory at Gateway – Motorsports Tribune

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service

MADISON, Ill. — Pole winner Corey Heim lost the lead on Lap 18 of Saturday’s Toyota 200 at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway. 

He didn’t regain it until the first lap of overtime, when frontrunner Christian Eckes spun his tires on a restart on Lap 164.  

But that was enough for Heim to score his second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory of the season in a part-time role in the No. 51 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota. 

Eckes was leading comfortably with just over two laps left in regulation when Tanner Gray spun in Turn 3 to cause the 10^th caution of the race. Eckes chose the outside lane for the overtime restart, with second-place Derek Kraus lining up behind him. 

That opened the bottom row for Heim, who lined up to the inside of Eckes and surged into the lead when Eckes’ No. 98 Toyota failed to launch. 

After taking the white flag, Heim got the win when a four-car wreck in Turn 2 brought out the 11^th caution and froze the field. 

“I can’t believe I got the bottom right there—that’s unbelievable,” said Heim, who picked up his second career win in his 12^th start in the series. “A great push from my teammate Chandler Smith right there…” 

Smith finished third behind Heim and Eckes after leading twice for 40 laps. Stewart Friesen came home fourth, followed by former series champion Johnny Sauter who scored his second straight top-five finish in his third start of the year. 

It took a succession of bizarre circumstances to give Heim the window of opportunity he needed. On Lap 54, pre-race favorite John Hunter Nemechek, who entered the race as the series leader, spun in Turn 4 while trying an aggressive inside move on Friesen. 

With his Toyota damaged beyond repair, Nemechek dropped out of the race. 

“That was on me,” Nemechek said. “I put myself in a vulnerable spot.” 

Eight laps after Nemechek’s wreck, Grant Enfinger spun while…