Patience Was Key In Heim’s Rise To 23XI

Corey Heim’s road to the NASCAR Cup Series became more clear on Sunday.

23XI Racing announced at Atlanta Motor Speedway that Heim will become the team’s first development driver. Heim is set to contest multiple Cup Series races aboard the team’s No. 67 Toyota.

He’ll also race with Sam Hunt Racing in multiple races in the Xfinity Series this season.

As Heim enters his third full-time season with Tricon Garage in the Craftsman Truck Series, the 22-year-old racer now has a clear picture of what his future will look like.

“I really think it starts behind the scenes,” Heim began. “Everyone doesn’t see what goes on from a weekly basis. I’ve been a part of the development program since 2020 and being able to work out at their gym — TPC (Toyota Performance Center) — and be a part of that family. Just the way I’ve been treated over the last five years has been nothing but exceptional.

“Everyone there treats me like family from everyone at TPC, to Toyota and everyone in between. That is the first step of it, and also, they’ve given me great opportunities over the last few years and given me winning equipment. From the part-time year in 2022, winning a couple races there and kind of proving myself, to the full-time opportunity and be able to compete for a championship two years in a row.

“It is not hard to feel comfortable when you are winning and getting those opportunities and also getting my feet wet running Xfinity the last couple of years — just being surrounded by good people,” Heim continued. “I think a lot of people can relate — feeling some sort of comfort there. I know a lot of people might say there is a lack of opportunity, but I’ve never really felt that way.

“I’ve always felt comfortable within my family and the opportunities I’ve been granted and I’m very thankful for that.”

At 22 years old, Heim’s rise through NASCAR’s top-three divisions has been perhaps slower than some of his peers. Trackhouse Racing driver Connor Zilisch burst onto the NASCAR scene with a victory in his first start in the Xfinity Series last year at the tender age of 17.

He’s now competing full time in the Xfinity Series with JR Motorsports and will make his Cup Series debut with Trackhouse at Austin, Texas’ Circuit of The Americas.

Others such as Carson Hocevar (22) and Ty Gibbs (22) in the Cup Series along with Carson Kvapil (22) and Jesse Love (20) in the Xfinity Series have had faster transitions into NASCAR’s top-two tiers.

Despite a handful of drivers capitalizing on early results at a more rapid pace, Heim believes his rate of pace to the Cup Series will allow him to have more long-term success.

“I don’t know that there is one specific thing that has made me feel like this is the right time to take the next step in my career,” Heim said. “I know that I’ve worked really hard over the last couple of years to develop myself and get better as a race car driver. I feel like a lot of people have seen drivers maybe rushed up and then kind of struggle.

“I don’t want to be that guy. I feel like I’m on the right career path to grow and get better and when I’m ready the time will come, sort of deal.

“I feel like this structure and this development for me is the right plan for me, and it really feels comfortable being a part of the family and the opportunities that I’ve been granted over the last couple of years, I feel confident in my career path, and I continue to do so going forward.”