HEIM CLOSES IN ON THE REGULAR SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP WITH RUNNER-UP FINISH
Taylor Gray delivers career-best result
POCONO, Penn. (July 22, 2023) – Corey Heim closed in on the regular season championship with a heartbreaking runner-up finish in Pocono on Saturday afternoon. Heim led a race high 27 laps and was leading on the last lap before former Cup Series champion Kyle Busch was able to sneak past and get the win. With the finish, Heim expanded his points lead to 42 points heading into the regular season finale in Richmond next weekend. Taylor Gray earned a career-best third-place finish, while Christopher Bell (fourth) and Dean Thompson (eighth) were also inside the top-10.
Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
Pocono Raceway
Race 15 of 23 – 60 Laps, 150 Miles
TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Kyle Busch*
2nd, COREY HEIM
3rd, TAYLOR GRAY
4th, CHRISTOPHER BELL
5th, Grant Enfinger*
8th, DEAN THOMPSON
12th, TYLER ANKRUM
21st, TYLER HILL
31st, KAZ GRALA
32nd, STEWART FRIESEN
36th, TANNER GRAY
*non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
COREY HEIM, No. 11 Safelite Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage
Finishing Position: 2nd
What do you take away from this weekend?
“Just unreal. I felt like I did everything right. It seemed like we had about five laps in the truck before it started tightening up on me. I didn’t really get the run I wanted out of (turn) one and I knew his straightaway speed was really good. I was a little upset initially, but realistically, I would have done the exact same thing. Heat of the moment right there, but I’ve just got a lot of respect for Kyle (Busch). I raced for him for two years, and he was really good to me, and he raced me with respect today. Hard racer, he didn’t wreck us to win. It just really sucks. I really thought we had it there, especially when it seemed like he couldn’t form up a run enough to pass me and then he sent it on the last lap. Just super thankful to everyone at TRICON Garage, Toyota Racing, Safelite. This Tundra TRD Pro was really good today. Once again, just seemed like we had four or five laps in it until it started tightening up – and all of the blame goes on me for not doing what I should’ve done.”
TAYLOR GRAY, No. 17 JBL Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage
Finishing Position: 3rd
What more did you need there at the end?
“I just needed a little more front grip through (turn) three, but by biggest issue was just being a little too tight. I can’t thank my guys enough for bringing me a really fast JBL Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. I’m going to go back and work on myself, watch some more film and keep getting better.”
CHRISTOPHER BELL, No. 61 Gunma Toyopet Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, Hattori Racing Enterprises
Finishing Position: 4th
How was your race?
“I thought it was pretty good. After the weekend, we practiced around 18th, qualified around 14th and to finish fourth is pretty good. Thankful for HRE (Hattori Racing Enterprises) for giving me the opportunity to driver one of their Tundras. It was fun. It was fun but obviously you want a little more.”
DEAN THOMPSON, No. 5 Thompson Pipe Group Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage
Finishing Position: 8th
Great day, can you talk about your races today?
“In ARCA, I feel like we had a great car, probably one of the best, but the track cooled down and it just made it tough. It really hurt our car when it cooled down. I think Jesse (Love) was just a better car overall. Fought like heck to stick with him, but made too many mistakes on our end. Didn’t have any favors. Finished where we could, got what we could out of the car. The ARCA race was okay, the Truck race was really, really good. The boys put together an absolute rocket ship. We were working through strategy thinking maybe we will pit this lap to get some track position, but no, we drove that truck all the way to top-15 pretty quickly, so we went to plan b. The truck was great, our pit strategy was great. We were right with Kyle Busch, the winner, so super thankful, super happy to have TRICON Garage behind me. Super thankful for Thompson Pipe Group, Assured Partners and Toyota.
TANNER GRAY, No. 15 Mobil 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage
Finishing Position: 36th
Hard hit, what happened?
“Yeah, just put myself in a bad spot racing the 1 (Kaz Grala) there. Just got the air taken off of me, got loose and couldn’t catch it. I feel really bad for my guys, they brought a fast Mobil 1 Tundra. I feel like we were pretty decent there to get going and get it sorted out, but honestly, I feel really stupid. I put us in a bad spot. We’ve got to go to Richmond and win, and it’s not a place I’m very good at. I don’t know – put us in a lot of bad spots all year, and did it again there. I don’t know. I need to do a better job. All-in-all, I just feel sorry for my guys and everyone involved in this deal. I need to do a better job.”
What do you now take with you to Richmond?
“Yeah, we are going to a place that I’m not very good at – in a must win. I just want to apologize to my guys. They brought a fast truck and I destroyed it, early on, not racing very smart. I feel really stupid – yeah, just not what we needed to do here today. Proud of everyone at TRICON for bringing fast trucks, I just need to do a better job. I feel like I’ve made a lot of dumb mistakes all year to put us in the position that we are in. To do that at a race that you must run well at is pretty bad. I just need to figure some things out on my end. Proud of everyone at TRICON, Toyota. I appreciate everyone that supports me, I just need to do a better job.”
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