Corey Heim secured the pole position for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Watkins Glen International on Friday, showcasing his skill behind the wheel of the No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota Tundra. This marks Heim’s 11th career pole in his 81 attempts as he narrowly edged out some of the sport’s most talented competitors, including NASCAR Cup Series star Christopher Bell, at the 2.45-mile road course in New York.
Heim’s lap time of 70.953 seconds (124.308 mph) was nearly two-tenths of a second faster than Bell’s effort, putting the 23-year-old driver in prime position to start the Mission 176 race from the pole. The strong qualifying performance came just hours after Heim posted the second-fastest lap in practice, improving his pace significantly during the final session.
Key Moments in Heim’s Qualifying Run
Heim credited his pole-winning lap to finding better grip in one of the track’s most challenging segments, the bus stop chicane. He explained that previously he struggled to maintain rhythm through the technical corner, but adjustments made during qualifying allowed him to carry more speed.
I think the bus stop, for the most part, I’ve been struggling to get into a rhythm through there, it’s such a technical corner, and I wasn’t rolling enough speed through there on my first lap,
Heim said in an interview on FS1.
I can’t believe how much grip we picked up in qualifying in general, just everyone, really, lap time-wise. Just kind of had to adjust my speed and how much roll speed I wanted to carry in the center there. Sort of missed Turn 1 a bit there, but by the looks of it, I maintained. I was worried about that, but I thought I got through the bus stop really well.
—Corey Heim, Driver
Christopher Bell to Start Second Amid Team Changes
Christopher Bell will start alongside Heim on the front row in the No. 52 Halmar Friesen Racing Toyota. Bell is filling in this weekend as the team’s regular driver, Stewart Friesen, recovers from serious injuries sustained in a recent dirt racing crash in Canada, which included a fractured pelvis and leg.
Bell boasts a distinguished record with 12 NASCAR Cup Series wins and the 2017 Truck Series championship, making him a formidable contender early in the weekend’s event. His presence adds experience and excitement as he adapts to the No. 52 entry under unusual circumstances.
Other Top Qualifiers Set for a Competitive Race
Joining the front row, Sammy Smith secured third place in qualifying while driving the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado. Smith, a full-time driver in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with JR Motorsports, will compete alongside rookie points leader Andres Perez de Lara, who starts fourth, both poised to challenge for strong results.
Gio Ruggiero, currently leading the rookie points standings in the Truck Series, earned a solid fifth-place start in the No. 17 TRICON Garage Toyota. The top 10 qualifiers were completed by Layne Riggs, Ross Chastain, Chandler Smith, Ben Rhodes, and Connor Mosack, ensuring a deep and competitive field for the race at Watkins Glen.
Noteworthy Performances and Driver Updates in Qualifying
Kyle Busch, a two-time NASCAR Cup champion, posted the 11th-fastest lap in his No. 07 Spire Motorsports entry. Meanwhile, Connor Zilisch, who led the earlier practice session and arrived as a favorite, posted 14th fastest qualifying. Zilisch is substituting for Kaden Honeycutt in the No. 45 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado due to Honeycutt’s contract move to another team starting next season.
Honeycutt struggled in qualifying, failing to post a timed lap and will start 35th in the No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet. He remains inside the NASCAR Truck Series Playoffs cutline with two races left in the regular season but will switch over to drive for Halmar Friesen Racing for the remainder of the 2025 season following this race weekend.
Debuting his own part-time team, Brent Crews earned a 19th starting position in the No. 70 Toyota. Other qualifiers of note include Rajah Caruth in 20th, NASCAR Cup Series driver Chris Buescher making his Truck Series debut in 21st, Grant Enfinger in 32nd, and Ty Majeski in 33rd.
What Lies Ahead for the NASCAR Truck Series at Watkins Glen
The competitive qualifying performances highlight the intensity and talent present at this weekend’s NASCAR Truck Series race at Watkins Glen International. Corey Heim’s ability to capture the pole position adds momentum to his ongoing success this season, while Christopher Bell’s strong qualifying effort showcases his continued skill despite stepping into a new team environment temporarily.
As the race unfolds, drivers like Sammy Smith, Andres Perez de Lara, and Gio Ruggiero will also be motivated to capitalize on their front-row or near-front-row starting spots, promising an exciting and closely contested event. Meanwhile, developments involving driver injuries, team substitutions, and contract shifts underscore the dynamic nature of the series as it heads toward the playoffs.
