Corey Heim did not qualify for the NASCAR Cup Series race held on the streets of Chicago, with a mechanical issue cutting short his chance to compete. Heim publicly acknowledged that a mistake during his qualifying lap caused damage to the car’s toe link, which impaired its handling and eventually led to his elimination from the race lineup.
Heim detailed on his social media that on his initial qualifying lap, he made an error that bent the toe link on his car, a component crucial for proper wheel alignment. This damage drastically affected the car’s balance and speed, making it impossible for him to complete a competitive lap. Despite attempts to improve his time, Heim was unable to overcome the issue, resulting in Katherine Legge securing the final qualifying position and bumping Heim out of the race.
Technical Challenges with Next Gen Cars and Impact on Heim’s Performance
Corey Heim, who primarily competes full-time in the Craftsman Truck Series with Tricon Garage, was driving the No. 67 car for 23XI Racing in Chicago due to no truck race scheduled that weekend. The weak point of the Next Gen cars—toe links—proved decisive in Heim’s case, as these parts are vulnerable despite the overall vehicle durability. Even minor contact or damage to the toe link can cause a significant performance drop, which happened on his very first qualifying attempt.
As a consequence, Heim could not post a clean, fast lap necessary to advance. His experience highlighted the fragility of some race car components and how one small mistake in qualifying can abruptly end a driver’s chances, even in a capable car. Among the 23XI Racing team, results varied: Tyler Reddick qualified strong in fourth place, Bubba Wallace encountered a crash during qualifying and will start 37th, and Riley Herbst secured the 21st position.
Corey Heim’s Recent Dominance at Lime Rock Park
Only a week before the setbacks in Chicago, Corey Heim demonstrated his competitive skill with a commanding victory at Lime Rock Park in the LiUNA 150 race on June 28, 2025. Driving the No. 11 Toyota Tundra for Tricon Garage, Heim earned pole position, posted the fastest qualifying time at 53.12 seconds, and led nearly every lap of the race, only briefly relinquishing the lead to competitor Layne Riggs.
During the post-race interview with FOX Sports, Heim discussed the intensive preparation and how well his truck performed throughout the event. He said:
“Yeah, I mean, it’s nothing short of incredible, man, I mean, these these road courses I really look forward to them, you know, pre event and whatnot, and prepare pretty hard for them. So, to see that. I’ll pay off with safe flight truck onto at a super special. Obviously, a truck is so good today just can’t. Can’t complain, one bit about that, you know, fall this day and take that move forward and try to flex this year.” —Corey Heim, NASCAR Truck Series Driver
Heim finished more than a second ahead of defending champion Ty Majeski, underscoring his strong form on road courses. His next scheduled race is the TSport 200 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on July 25, 2025, which will be aired live on FS1 and covered by SiriusXM NASCAR Radio at 8 p.m. ET.
Implications of Heim’s Chicago Qualifying Experience
The failure to qualify at Chicago is a significant disappointment for Corey Heim and the 23XI Racing team, especially after his recent success. The incident highlights the fine margins in NASCAR, where even a single component failure can prevent a skilled driver from competing. Heim’s situation also brings attention to the challenges drivers face when adapting to different cars and race series.
Moving forward, Heim will focus on upcoming opportunities to demonstrate his talent, including his return to the Truck Series later this summer. Meanwhile, 23XI Racing will analyze what went wrong in Chicago to avoid similar issues in future events and to improve their qualifying strategies. The experience may serve as a lesson on the importance of precision in qualifying laps and managing the delicate parts of Next Gen race cars.