Toyota Racing Development Driver Slated for Two Starts in the No. 51 Tundra in 2021
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (April 21, 2021) – Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) announced today that Corey Heim will make two starts behind the wheel of the organization’s No. 51 Tundra in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this season. The 18-year-old driver will make his series debut May 7 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway with primary sponsorship from JBL, the authority in engineering superior sound. He will also compete in the Truck Series event Oct. 30 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway with a yet to be named sponsor.
The Toyota Racing Development driver has won two of the last three ARCA Menards Series events: the 2020 season finale at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City and the 2021 season opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Heim also produced a runner-up finish at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway this year and after two events leads fellow Toyota driver Ty Gibbs by two points in the championship standings. Across 18 career ARCA Menards starts, he has produced two wins, 136 laps led, 12 top-five and 17 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 5.2.
In addition to his two ARCA Menards Series triumphs, Heim has found his way to victory lane in the Late Model Ranks the last few seasons. Most recently, the Georgia driver brought home a victory March 27 in the Super Late Model Georgia Spring Nationals at Crip Motorsports Park in Cordele, Ga. It was his second Super Late Model win at his home state track, where he also won CRA SpeedFest at the 3/8-mile track in 2020. On the CARS Tour, Heim has one Super Late Model win at South Boston (Va.) Speedway in 2018 and one Late Model Stock victory at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway in 2020.
“I’m thankful to everyone at Kyle Busch Motorsports and Toyota for giving me the opportunity to make two starts in the Camping World Truck Series this year,” Heim said. “Not having any practice is going to make it exciting driving off into Turn 1 at Darlington with 39 other drivers for my first lap in a truck, but I’ve been able to make a lot of laps on the simulator at TRD and develop a relationship with Mardy (Lindley, crew chief), so I feel that I’m well prepared. The 51 team has had fast trucks everywhere they’ve been this season, and I’m confident that they’ll have a strong JBL Tundra at Darlington. I just need to learn throughout the race and be there at the end.”
“Corey is another driver in the Toyota Racing Development program that has proven that he can win in the ARCA Menards Series and earned this opportunity to drive for us in the Camping World Truck Series,” Busch said. “With no practice or qualifying, Darlington is going to be a tough place for his first start, but he’s been on the simulator at TRD working with Mardy (Lindley, crew chief) and our engineers and they’ve been very pleased with how it’s going.”
The No. 51 team led by first-year crew chief Mardy Lindley has scored two wins across six races this season. Owner-driver Kyle Busch led a race-high 102 laps en route to the victory at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway and Martin Truex Jr. led 105 laps in the inaugural Truck Series event at the Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway Dirt Track.
About JBL:
JBL creates the amazing sound that shapes life’s most epic moments. From iconic events like Woodstock and concerts at Madison Square Garden, to games at Yankee Stadium and weekend road trips, JBL elevates listeners’ experiences with award-winning audio that lets them make the most of every moment. With unmatched professional credentials and over 70 years of delivering industry leading innovation, JBL is the authority in engineering superior sound.
About Kyle Busch Motorsports:
Since debuting in 2010, Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) has quickly established itself as one of the most successful teams in all of NASCAR. Owned by two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch and fueled by his passion for winning, the organization holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (84) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers; Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).
KBM prepares a fleet of race-winning Toyotas out of its state-of-the art 77,000-square-foot facility in Mooresville, N.C. Fans can stay up-to-date with all the latest KBM news online at www.KyleBuschMotorsports.com, by liking the team on Facebook (KBMteam) and by following the team on Instagram (KBMteam), and Twitter (@KBMteam).
