RICHMOND, Va. -Corey Heim captured his seventh victory of the 2025 season in the NASCAR Truck Series Richmond race, the eero 250 at Richmond Raceway, on Friday, August 15, overcoming a challenging battle with Ty Majeski to secure the win and solidify his position as the regular season champion. The 23-year-old Georgia native started from the pole in the 250-lap event on the historic three-quarter-mile track, leading 75 laps in his No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota before pulling away in the final 20 laps for a .923-second margin over the reigning champion Majeski. This marked Heim’s first short-track triumph of the year, achieved through a combination of speed, strategy and a late-race incident that hampered his main competitor.
Majeski, driving the No. 98 ThorSport Racing Ford, dominated much of the NASCAR Truck Series Richmond contest, sweeping both stages and leading a race-high 143 laps more than his total for the entire season prior. However, while leading late, Majeski was involved in contact with teammate Matt Crafton, causing damage that allowed Heim to capitalize and take the lead for good. Heim’s perseverance paid off, as he noted the team’s execution in critical moments despite not feeling dominant throughout.
“Felt like we were the best truck at [short tracks] Martinsville (Va.) and North Wilkesboro (N.C.) but they got away from us and we kind of got this one back,” Heim said of his short track struggles this season. “I didn’t feel like we were the best truck tonight. I feel like the 98 was really stout, but obviously had a run-in and got some damage.
“Being there when it counted was the first goal and we were and just able to execute from there.”
The victory made Heim the youngest driver in series history to reach 18 career wins, adding to his impressive 2025 campaign where he has doubled his previous season’s win total and led over 750 laps across events. His consistent performance, including six poles and 14 top-10 finishes entering the NASCAR Truck Series Richmond race, underscores why he clinched the regular season title two weeks earlier at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park with a third-place finish. There, despite not having the fastest truck, Heim earned enough points to secure the championship hardware early, reflecting the depth of his No. 11 team’s preparation amid rule changes and competitive fields.
The NASCAR Truck Series Richmond finale also locked in the 10-driver playoff field. Winners Heim, Layne Riggs, Chandler Smith, Daniel Hemric, Tyler Ankrum and Rajah Caruth advanced on victories, while Majeski, Grant Enfinger, Kaden Honeycutt and Jake Garcia earned spots via points. Garcia, a 20-year-old in the No. 13 ThorSport Racing Ford, clinched the final position with a seventh-place finish, holding off Ben Rhodes by 19 points and Gio Ruggiero by 31 despite the rookie’s charge from the rear of the 35-truck field to sixth.
“Just did my best to run a smart race the second half,” said Garcia, driver of the No. 13 ThorSport Racing Ford. “Even in the first half there were moments we were four wide and that’s not gonna work out at Richmond. There were some points I had to bail out and lost a lot of spots on the restarts just being really conservative.
“But our truck was really fast and I think we could have finished top-five. I want to thank all my guys. They worked really, really hard on this truck like they do all the trucks and gave me a really fast piece today.”
Riggs placed third in the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford, followed by Sammy Smith in fourth and Corey LaJoie in fifth. Ruggiero, Garcia, Rhodes, Smith and Honeycutt completed the top 10. Honeycutt will vie for the driver’s title, with his No. 52 Halmar Friesen Racing Toyota also competing for owners’ points.
The race averaged 84.459 mph over two hours, 13 minutes and 12 seconds, with five cautions for 48 laps and 13 lead changes among four drivers. Heim’s path to victory included navigating restarts and capitalizing on Majeski’s misfortune, highlighting the unpredictable nature of short-track racing at Richmond Raceway, a venue known for its demanding turns and history since 1953.
For Southern Maryland residents, the NASCAR Truck Series Richmond event offers accessible excitement, with the track just a two-hour drive south via Interstate 95, drawing local motorsports enthusiasts who follow the series amid growing regional interest in stock car racing. Recent coverage highlights how events like this thrill area fans, similar to nearby Dover races that have captivated audiences with young talents emerging in the sport.
The playoffs commence August 30 with the Sober or Slammer 200 at Darlington Raceway, where Ross Chastain won in 2024. This marks Darlington’s debut as a playoff host in the NASCAR Truck Series Richmond-following schedule, setting up a six-race chase for the championship. Heim enters as a favorite, building on his momentum from the NASCAR Truck Series Richmond win and prior successes at tracks like Circuit of the Americas and Kansas Speedway.
Heim’s journey began in Legends cars, where he won championships at Atlanta Motor Speedway, before transitioning to late models and ARCA series, earning six wins in 2021. His Truck Series ascent with TRICON Garage, formerly David Gilliland Racing, has positioned him as a Toyota development driver, with part-time stints in Xfinity and Cup series enhancing his resume.
As the series shifts to playoffs, the NASCAR Truck Series Richmond race serves as a pivotal close to the regular season, showcasing emerging talents like Ruggiero and Garcia alongside veterans, all vying for glory in a format that rewards consistency and late-race execution.
