Deadspin | Corey Heim engineers last-lap go to win Truck race at Darlington

DARLINGTON, S.C. — Same man. Different truck. Same consequence.

Driving the No. 5 TRICON Garage Toyota on a part-time foundation, Corey Heim shocked race chief Ross Chastain with a last-lap go and picked up his second-straight victory at Darlington Raceway in Friday evening’s Buckle Up South Carolina 200.

Last yr, the No.11 TRICON Tundra carried Heim to a document 12 victories and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship.

This yr, the No. 5 truck carried him to a two-overtime win in his second collection begin of the season, as Heim is working a cobbled-together schedule of Truck Series, O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and NASCAR Cup Series races.

Heim additionally collected the $50,000 Triple Truck Challenge bonus for the victory. Should he run once more on April 3 at Rockingham Speedway, he can be eligible for a $100,000 prize accessible to a driver who wins two races in “The Trip.”

Heim’s additional time victory on Friday evening was unlikely sufficient, and it boiled right down to technique. On Lap 145, with three laps left in regulation, Heim introduced his Tundra to pit highway for scuffed tires that had been 5 laps brisker than these of Chastain and different frontrunners.

Restarting fifteenth on the primary try at additional time, Heim gained six spots earlier than the ninth warning for a wreck involving Jake Garcia, Tyler Ankrum, Corey LaJoie and Stewart Friesen.

Heim was ninth for the ultimate restart and used his tires to glorious benefit, making the go for the win by way of Turns 3 and 4 on the ultimate lap.

“I’m out of breath, for sure,” stated Heim, who led thrice for 28 laps and picked up his twenty fourth win in 91 Truck Series begins. “Man, we had a set of scuffs laying, and they were five laps fresher than everyone else’s. It was worth a shot. I didn’t think we could win from where we were at.

“I felt like I made all the suitable strikes. I had it three-wide coming to the white (flag) and bombed on in there on Ross (into Turn 3). I used to be shocked he gave me the underside like that with brisker tires.”

Chastain, who led 35 laps and controlled both overtime restarts, thought he had the race won.

“I don’t know what simply occurred,” said Chastain, who is running races in all three NASCAR series this weekend. “We did a lot proper… I believe that is on us as a complete that we did not catch that.

“Of course, I would have run the bottom if I thought he would have been close, but I thought I got a good restart. Bummer.”

Kaden Honeycutt, who gained his first profession pole earlier within the day, led a race-high 59 laps within the No. 11 TRICON Garage truck Heim drove final yr. Honeycutt restarted second and selected the highest lane for each overtimes however pale to fourth after the ultimate restart.

“That last restart, the top lane wasn’t preferred,” Honeycutt stated. “It was like that all night, obviously. The bottom was really good. I tried not to spin the tires as much as I possibly could…

“By the time the 5 (Heim) bought by me and the 91 (third-place finisher Christian Eckes) was in entrance of him, I just about simply dedicated to serving to (Heim) and see if he may stand up there and win the race. I do not understand how on the earth he did, however he did.”

Connor Mosack finished fifth, followed Christopher Bell, Grant Enfinger, Gio Ruggiero, Daniel Hemric and William Sawalich.

Chandler Smith ran 17th but left Darlington with a 33-point lead over second-place Honeycutt in the series standings.

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race — Buckle Up South Carolina 200

Darlington Raceway

Darlington, South Carolina

Friday, March 20, 2026

1. (5) Corey Heim, Toyota, 157.

2. (9) Ross Chastain(i), Chevrolet, 157.

3. (16) Christian Eckes, Chevrolet, 157.

4. (1) Kaden Honeycutt, Toyota, 157.

5. (10) Connor Mosack, Chevrolet, 157.

6. (6) Christopher Bell(i), Toyota, 157.

7. (11) Grant Enfinger, Chevrolet, 157.

8. (4) Giovanni Ruggiero, Toyota, 157.

9. (14) Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet, 157.

10. (27) William Sawalich(i), Toyota, 157.

11. (22) AJ Allmendinger(i), RAM, 157.

12. (8) Layne Riggs, Ford, 157.

13. (3) Tanner Gray, Toyota, 157.

14. (26) Timmy Hill, Toyota, 157.

15. (25) Justin Haley, RAM, 157.

16. (19) Conner Jones, Chevrolet, 157.

17. (12) Chandler Smith, Ford, 157.

18. (36) Frankie Muniz, Ford, 157.

19. (24) Dawson Sutton, Chevrolet, 157.

20. (29) Brenden Queen #, RAM, 157.

21. (20) Corey LaJoie(i), RAM, 157.

22. (2) Carson Hocevar(i), Chevrolet, 157.

23. (23) Jake Garcia, Ford, 157.

24. (18) Tyler Ankrum, Chevrolet, 157.

25. (13) Stewart Friesen, Toyota, 157.

26. (34) Justin Carroll, Toyota, 157.

27. (35) Caleb Costner, Chevrolet, 155.

28. (17) Cole Butcher #, Ford, 153.

29. (33) Clayton Green, Ford, 148.

30. (32) Spencer Boyd, Chevrolet, 147.

31. (7) Ty Majeski, Ford, DVP, 123.

32. (21) Andres Perez De Lara, Chevrolet, Accident, 122.

33. (28) Kris Wright, Chevrolet, Suspension, 111.

34. (30) Mini Tyrrell #, RAM, Steering, 93.

35. (31) Josh Reaume, Ford, Suspension, 51.

36. (15) Ben Rhodes, Ford, Accident, 2.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 97.005 mph.

Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 12 Mins, 39 Secs. Margin of Victory: .145 Seconds.

Caution Flags: 9 for 47 laps.

Lead Changes: 14 among 8 drivers.

Lap Leaders: K. Honeycutt 1-8;C. Heim 9-12;C. Bell(i) 13-18;C. Heim 19-41;C. Eckes 42-48;K. Honeycutt 49-65;R. Chastain(i) 66-74;K. Honeycutt 75-107;T. Hill 108-110;R. Chastain(i) 111-123;C. Jones 124-126;K. Honeycutt 127;C. Hocevar(i) 128-143;R. Chastain(i) 144-156;C. Heim 157.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Kaden Honeycutt 4 times for 59 laps; Ross Chastain(i) 3 times for 35 laps; Corey Heim 3 times for 28 laps; Carson Hocevar(i) 1 time for 16 laps; Christian Eckes 1 time for 7 laps; Christopher Bell(i) 1 time for 6 laps; Timmy Hill 1 time for 3 laps; Conner Jones 1 time for 3 laps.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 91,11,5,34,1,88,77,45,15,19

Stage #2 Top Ten: 11,45,88,5,91,18,77,34,98,1

–Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service. Special to Field Level Media.