Corey Heim will be competing in select NASCAR Cup Series events for 23XI Racing throughout the 2026 season.
Heim, the reigning Craftsman Truck Series champion and a development competitor for 23XI Racing from Marietta, Georgia, is scheduled to compete in 12 events in NASCAR’s premier series. He will be behind the wheel of 23XI Racing’s No. 67 Toyota Camry XSE entry, and will be led by crew chief Bootie Barker.
Heim’s first-scheduled start of the 2026 season is the 68th running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 15. Because Heim is piloting an open entry, meaning that he is not automatically qualified for the event, he will have to be the highest-finishing open competitor at the conclusion of the Daytona 500’s pole qualifying session on February 11 or through one of two America 250 Florida Duel events on February 12.
Heim’s next Cup start is scheduled to occur at Kansas Speedway on April 19. From May to July, he will compete at Texas Motor Speedway (May 3), the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (May 24), Nashville Superspeedway (May 31), San Diego’s Coronado Street Course (June 21), Chicagoland Speedway (July 5) and the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (July 26).
Heim’s 2026 Cup schedule continues with the series’ second visit to Daytona for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 on August 29, followed by the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on September 6, the Bank of America 400 at Charlotte on October 11 and the season-finale event at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 8.
In addition to his part-time Cup schedule, Heim will compete in select Truck Series events with TRICON Garage, beginning at Atlanta’s EcoPark Speedway on February 21. The remainder of his Truck schedule remains to be determined.
The news comes as Heim is coming off a historic 2025 season, where he captured his first Truck Series championship and set a record for the most victories garnered in a Truck season at 12. He also recorded seven poles, an average-finishing result of 5.0 and finished in the top 10 in all but four of the 25-scheduled events. Amid his success in the Truck Series, he also campaigned in three O’Reilly Auto Parts Series events with Sam Hunt Racing and in four Cup events with 23XI Racing.
“I’m excited and honored to continue my progression with 23XI,” Heim said. “Every driver wants to race as much as possible, but I’m fully committed to the approach that I am taking with the team. I look forward to more Cup races this year and the opportunity to grow and expand my race-craft on and off the track.”
Heim made his first three starts in the Cup Series division in 2024, where he drove Legacy Motor Club’s No. 43 Toyota entry as an interim competitor for Erik Jones in back-to-back races before he piloted the No. 50 Toyota entry for 23XI Racing at Nashville. During his three-race stint, Heim’s season-best result was 22nd at Kansas.
This past season, Heim recorded his first top-10 result in the Cup division by finishing sixth at Bristol Motor Speedway in September. Four months earlier, he finished 13th at Kansas.
While Heim is not scheduled to compete as a full-time competitor in any of NASCAR’s top three national touring series divisions in 2026, he will be actively involved across every aspect of 23XI Racing’s competition and preparations for race days. In addition, 23XI Racing remains committed to developing Heim’s competitiveness and skills in preparation for a future full-time competition with the organization and in NASCAR’s premier series.
“We know the future is really bright for Corey, and we’re working with him to ensure that he is as prepared as possible when his time comes to race full time,” Denny Hamlin, co-owner of 23XI Racing, said. “We’re continuing to stick to our plan and taking a long-term approach, while also remaining focused on what is collectively best for our organization and our partners as we look to continue being a competitive, winning organization each weekend.”
“Corey’s development with the team has been impressive and we appreciate his patience and trust in us to prepare him as best as possible,” Dave Rogers, 23XI Senior Director, Competition, added. “He has not only been a great student but has also provided valuable feedback to our team that has helped us grow. We’re looking forward to more races with him this year as he continues to sharpen his skills.”
The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season is scheduled to commence with the 68th running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 15 at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN, SiriusXM and HBO MAX.
