Matt Johnson
NASCAR fans have been wondering for more than a year when top prospect Corey Heim would become a full-time driver in the Cup Series. Following the announcement by 23XI Racing this past weekend, some light is being shed on how the team approached its plans with Heim.
NASCAR reporter Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic said on Sunday night’s episode of The Teardown that Heim is “the real deal” and he praised 23XI for its handling of the top prospect.
“He’s going to be the real deal, man…23XI has played this really, really well. I don’t know if people fully grasp the situation it was. They didn’t want to thrust Corey Heim in a situation where it’s a brand new third team that is still trying to get its legs and build that up and it’s a rookie driver at the same time. They’ve kinda let that third team get a little bit of a foundation, a little bit. When that team is ready, now Corey is going to slide in there.”
Jordan Bianchi on 23XI Racing’s handling of Corey Heim
The consensus around the industry was that Heim was ready for a full-time Cup ride last season. He demonstrated it with a record-breaking season in the Truck Series, setting a series record for wins (12), laps led (1,627), and stage wins (23). He showcased why he was the top prospect in NASCAR.
Meanwhile, 23XI’s third full-time driver struggled in 2025. Riley Herbst failed to record a single top-10 finish, and he had one of the worst average finishing positions (26.39) in the Cup Series while placing 35th in the standings. However, he was brought back for the 2026 season.
It left Heim without a full-time ride this year, leaving him to bounce around part-time in all three series. Despite racing in only four Truck races, he has 204 points, and his average of 51 points per race leads the series.
However, 23XI has seemed to have an established plan all along. Heim is running 12 Cup races this season, giving him added experience in the Next Gen car before he becomes a full-time Cup driver in 2027. Meanwhile, the No. 35 team will have more experience and be in its third year together, which should help put Heim in an even better position for success as a rookie.
