Practice #1 : Circuit of The Americas

• Circuit of The Americas
• XPEL 225
• Pole Winner: Connor Zilisch
• Age: 17
• Team : No. 7 - Austin Hatcher Foundation Chevrolet
• Owner: Jeff Dickerson
• Crew Chief: Brian Pattie
• Connor Zilisch won the Pole Award for the XPEL 225 with a lap of 131.983 seconds, 93.012 mph.
• This is his first pole in one NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races.
• This is his first pole and first top-10 start in 2024.
• This is his first pole in one races at Circuit of The Americas.
• Corey Heim (second) posted his first top-10 start of 2024 and his first in two races at Circuit of The Americas.
• Taylor Gray (third) posted his second top-10 start at Circuit of The Americas. It is his second in five races this season.
• Layne Riggs (eighth) was the fastest qualifying rookie.

• Saturday, March 23rd, 2024
• NASCAR Wire Service - Holly Cain

Corey Heim charges to Victory Lane at the Circuit of The Americas

An afternoon of impressive restarts ultimately handed Corey Heim the winning finish in the XPEL 225 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at the famed Circuit of The Americas (COTA) road course in Austin, Texas Saturday afternoon.

Heim dominated the race – his No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota leading a race best 31 of the 46 laps and prevailing in an overtime finish to convincingly win his first race of 2024 and sixth of his career – by 1.625-seconds over his teammate Taylor Gray.

ThorSport Racing’s Ty Majeski, Spire Motorsports’ Connor Zilisch and NASCAR Cup Series regular Ross Chastain in a Niece Motorsports Chevy rounded out the top five.

“Just prepared so hard for this race,’’ Heim said, adding, “I came into this race last year and struggled really. Finished sixth with a penalty and just all over the place. To put together a solid race like this is just so special and really just shows you how good our trucks are back at the shop”.

Heim has finished sixth or better in all five races this season.

“Just great consistency and that was the name of the game last year to make it as far as we did,’’ he said smiling. “Didn’t have the result at the end [of 2023] but I think this year we can make it back and prove we’re champions. Super excited for the rest of the year, we’re really just getting started and I think our best tracks are in front of us, so really can’t wait.

Certainly Heim’s performance Saturday on the 20-turn, 3.41-mile road course was the afternoon standard, but there was plenty of good racing behind him. There were 14 lead changes among eight drivers, but no one other than Heim led double-digit laps.

Jack Hawksworth, a sportscar and IndyCar driver making his first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start certainly proved himself a talent to be reckoned with. He ran top five most of the day and led a lap. He finished sixth.

Reigning series champ Ben Rhodes, Christian Eckes, Dean Thompson and Tanner Gray rounded out the top 10.

The 17-year-old phenom Zilisch started from pole position in his first ever start in one of NASCAR’s premier divisions. Leading the field, he went into the first corner hard, however, relinquishing the lead to Heim immediately. After a pit stop for tires and a motivational reminder from his veteran crew chief Brian Pattie, he returned with vengeance. He and his Spire Motorsports team never gave up, getting him back on the lead lap and then in contention late in the race.

Zilisch was running in fourth place with less than five laps in regulation to go but was given a pass-through penalty for cutting the course. Fortunately, it came just as a caution flew and it only cost the teenager two positions. He opted to pit for gas during the ensuing yellow flag and was able to climb back to that impressive top five finish in his first race.

Nick Sanchez won Stage 1 and Heim claimed Stage 2 – both drivers’ first stage victories of the year.

• Drivers Entered: 35
• Laps Scheduled: 42
• Laps Actual: 46 - NASCAR OVERTIME!
• Margin of Victory: 01.625 Seconds
• Time of Race: 2 Hours 15 Minutes 26 Seconds
• Average Speed: 69.492
• Cautions: 6 for 10 laps
• Lead Changes: 14
• Green Flag Passes: 1,554 (43.2 passes per green flag lap)

• Circuit of The Americas
• XPEL 225
• Race Winner: Corey Heim
• Age: 21
• Team : No. 11 - Safelite Toyota
• Owner: Johnny Gray
• Crew Chief: Scott Zipadelli
• Corey Heim won the XPEL 225, his sixth victory in 46 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races.
• This is his first victory and fifth top-10 finish in 2024.
• This is his first victory and second top-10 finish in two races at Circuit of The Americas.
• Taylor Gray (second) posted his first top-10 finish in three races at Circuit of The Americas. It is his fourth top-10 finish in 2024.
• Ty Majeski (third) posted his second top-10 finish in three races at Circuit of The Americas.
• Layne Riggs (27th) was the highest finishing rookie.
• Corey Heim leads the point standings by 10 points over Ty Majeski.