RUGGIERO SCORES FIRST STAGE WIN, LEADS TOYOTA AT NORTH WILKESBORO
Heim leads most laps, loses win on final lap after contact
NORTH WILKESBORO, NC (May 17, 2025) – Gio Ruggiero (seventh) scored his first career stage win and led Toyota with a top-10 finish in the NASCAR Truck Series race at North Wilkesboro. It is the Toyota Development Driver’s fourth top-10 in the last five races as he closes in on a provisional Playoff berth.
Corey Heim continued to run strong as he led the most laps (162 of 250) and was in the lead on the final lap when another driver made contact with Heim, which resulted in a spin. Heim was scored in 17th. He does maintain the points lead.
Toyota Development Driver Brent Crews also made his Truck Series debut, as the 17-year-old ran as high as second before being involved in the next-to-last caution of the race. He finished 22nd.
Toyota GAZOO Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS)
North Wilkesboro Speedway
Race 10 of 23 – 156.25 Miles, 250 Laps
TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Chandler Smith*
2nd, Layne Riggs*
3rd, Tyler Ankrum*
4th, Daniel Hemric*
5th, Grant Enfinger*
7th, GIO RUGGIERO
11th, TANNER GRAY
14th, STEWART FRIESEN
17th, COREY HEIM
21st, TONI BREIDINGER
22nd, BRENT CREWS
*non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
GIO RUGGIERO, No. 17 First Auto Group Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage
Finishing Position: 7th
First stage win, and another top-10. How was your race?
“I felt like we were good there in the beginning and just fought hard. Strategy could have played out a little differently for us there. Had a lot of cautions there at the end. I’m just proud of all of the guys. I felt like we had a strong First Auto Group Tundra and had a lot of speed. Probably should have finished up in the top-five, but the way the strategy worked out for us there at the end, got passed by a couple of guys with newer tires. Another top-10 for us to build off of, going into the next one.”
COREY HEIM, No. 11 Mobil 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage
Finishing Position: 17th
What is the conversation you want to have with Layne Riggs?
Just why? More than anything. He tried to do it to the 7 (Carson Hocevar) last week for the win, and mission accomplished for him, I guess, this week – and it cost him one too. I don’t know. We’ve given up so many of them this year, after dominating the race. The 38 (Chandler Smith) was the only other guy that was rightfully good. I felt like he deserved to win over anyone else, not the 34 (Layne Riggs). I got really loose into (turn) three. Just struggled being loose on the short runs, and he had an opportunity, and he wrecked me. Just disappointed.”
What are your thoughts on the racing at the end there?
“Just scum racing on his part. He did it to me earlier in the race, and didn’t learn his lesson. I’ve raced him so clean throughout my years to continue to get used up by him. He tried to do it to the 7 (Carson Hocevar) last week, and he comes back and does the same thing. I’ve got no words to be honest with you.”
BRENT CREWS, No. 1 JBL Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage
Finishing Position: 22nd
Can you talk about your day overall?
“It was good. I got practice, no qualifying. I felt like we had a really good truck. Ran in the top-seven or eight all day. I felt like we were on track for a fifth or sixth place finish, and ultimately kind of got used up there going into (turns) one and two by the 99 (Ben Rhodes), but learning a lot, grateful to be here. Thankful to everyone for getting me here – Toyota GAZOO Racing, JBL, Mobil 1 – everyone who put this car here. I can’t thank my guys enough.”
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.
Toyota directly employs nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 49 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In spring 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 31 electrified options.
For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.
