Corey Heim expressed his disappointment following the rain-shortened Truck Series race at Echopark Speedway, which concluded prematurely due to weather conditions. The reigning champion criticized NASCAR’s handling of the event and compared the situation to his childhood racing experiences during curfew restrictions.
A rain delay pushed back the start of the 135-lap race, overlapping with the later scheduled O’Reilly Auto Parts Series event. To ensure the race finished on time, NASCAR enforced a white-flag cutoff at 4:20 PM ET, ending the contest two laps afterward regardless of the remaining distance. This decision caught several drivers, including Heim, off guard.
Heim completed the race in fifth place during his first Truck Series appearance of the season, while Spire Motorsports’ Kyle Busch and Carson Hocevar secured a dominant 1-2 finish. Speaking to NASCAR reporter Matt Weaver after the race, Heim voiced his frustration over the shortened format.
“It reminds me of growing up racing quarter Midgets when you had a curfew. You know it’s just kind of just feels like I’m a little kid again and you get told that your race is getting cut short. It’s just stupid. I mean, we’ve spent so much money to come out here and race for our sponsors, and we don’t even really get a chance to race for the win,” he said.
— Corey Heim, Truck Series Driver
“I mean if they told us that they’re gonna shorten the race, you know, 10 to 15 laps from the start of stage three,” Corey Heim added, “would’ve been a totally different picture, but they might have, but I was never informed of that so, yeah I just think it’s stupid.”
— Corey Heim, Truck Series Driver
Among the top ten finishers, Corey Heim was one of three Toyota drivers, joined by his TRICON Garage teammate Gio Ruggiero, who achieved a podium finish. Cup Series competitor John Hunter Nemechek, driving the No. 62 Toyota for Halmar Freisen Racing, finished eighth. Despite his reigning champion status, Heim does not have a full-time truck ride this year but plans to compete in 12 Cup Series races with 23XI Racing alongside selected Truck Series starts.
Heim Acknowledges Spire Motorsports’ Control Over the Race
During the interview, Heim acknowledged the strength of Spire Motorsports in Saturday’s Fr8 208 race. He recognized the challenge posed by the team’s control and the limited opportunity he had to respond effectively.
“They had pretty good control of the race. They were slowing the pace down so it’s harder to build a run on them and they did a really good job. But know we all had like three laps to kind of get our sh*t together and start going forward, so there really wasn’t enough time to process that,” he said.
— Corey Heim, Truck Series Driver
Spire Motorsports’ drivers Kyle Busch and Carson Hocevar celebrated their success with a joint victory burnout. Although Busch led the second most laps at 37, Hocevar struggled with an overheating engine, preventing him from making a strong push for the win. Instead, Hocevar aided his teammate in securing a strong finish for the team.
The rain-shortened nature of the race and the unexpected cut-off left several competitors frustrated, highlighting ongoing challenges racing teams face when weather interferes with scheduling. For Heim and his sponsors, the abbreviated race limited the opportunity to compete fully and showcase their performance potential.
Looking ahead, Heim’s limited Truck Series schedule combined with his growing involvement in the Cup Series will shape his 2024 season, as he aims to capitalize on those opportunities despite disruptions like the one experienced at Echopark Speedway.
.@CoreyHeim_ was not a fan of racing against the clock, calling shortening the race stupid and saying it reminds him of racing against a curfew in bandos.
The @TRICONGarage 1 was 5th from ATL#Fr8208 #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/imKU9TOuy7
— Peter Stratta (@peterstratta) February 21, 2026
