Corey Heim secured his second victory of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season on July 27, 2026, winning the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The 23-year-old driver for 23XI Racing achieved two wins in eight races, just five weeks after his first Cup victory at Naval Base North Island.
Historical statistics
Heim holds the title of being the first driver since AJ Foyt (1965) to achieve two wins within his first 15 starts. In terms of winning multiple Cup races in part-time status, he is the first since Davey Allison and Tim Richmond in 1987 to achieve this feat. In the 2026 season, Heim, who also won three out of six races in the Truck Series, runs the Cup calendar in parallel with his Truck program. The Brickyard 400 is among the prestigious 'crown jewel' races named after names such as Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Bill Elliott, Dale Jarrett, Kevin Harvick, Tony Stewart, and Jimmie Johnson.
The final reboot and the Joey Logano factor.
The decisive moment of the race came during the penalty restart. Joey Logano attempted to overtake Heim and Denny Hamlin by three positions, causing Heim to lose momentum and the lead to Hamlin. However, at the restart following the final yellow flag, Logano provided Heim with a powerful push-over, giving him the lead back. Heim stated that at that moment, steward Eddie D'Hondt and crew chief Bootie Barker warned him, "We have to play hard in this restart; it will likely decide the fate of the race.".
Team and driver reviews
Team leader Barker described Heim as the most talented driver in the division. 'Everyone always thinks I'm joking, but he's more talented than everyone else. Right now he has the talent, the work ethic, the mentality. None of that is guaranteed for the future, but right now he has it all,' he said. Barker also emphasized that the team could have achieved additional wins during the season if they had a better setup score.
Team principal Steve Lauletta recalled the leaked text messages from the antitrust lawsuit filed against NASCAR by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports. In those messages, he mentioned that team partner Denny Hamlin suggested signing Heim to a multi-year contract, to which Michael Jordan responded with "lock him in." Lauletta stated that the deal was signed last summer and that Heim's performance justifies that choice. He added, "He shows a maturity far beyond his years in terms of discipline, work ethic, and racing craftsmanship.".
Heim, in his own style, assessed the developments. 'I don't usually look at statistics, but it sounds good. I never thought I'd win twice in my first 15 starts. Winning a crowning jewel race is an incredible feeling. I hope to add more in my career; maybe one day we can win them all, who knows?' Heim will begin racing full-time in the Cup Series from the 2027 season.