NASCAR has penalized Corey Heim for his actions during the Truck Series championship race on Friday.
Heim was docked 25 driver points and fined $12,500 dollars for violating Sections 4.4.B & D: NASCAR Member Code of Conduct of the NASCAR Rule Book. This was a penalty at the behavioral level. The lost of 25 points drops Heim from third in the championship standings to fourth. The No. 11 remains third in the owner championship.
Heim brought out the caution with three laps remaining of the scheduled distance. He moved up into Hocevar, who had spun him with 31 laps to go. This contact sent them both into the wall. Hocevar finished 29th. Heim completed the race and finished 18th.
Thoughts on Corey Helm’s move on Carson Hocevar?#Championship4
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) November 4, 2023
🎥 : @NASCAR_Trucks pic.twitter.com/qJ9umErzFk
Heim denied that his contact with Hocevar was intentional. According to NASCAR, officials reviewed the No. 11 team’s radio transmissions and determined that Heim had violated member guidelines.
“(I) had a lot of right rear damage and was pretty much out-of-control free, so as soon as (Hocevar), really he was the third one on the outside and I about wrecked every time,” Heim said on Friday. “Then, by the time he finally got there, I just spun out. With him on my door, I lost all my sideforce and lost control. So super unfortunate.”
Grant Enfinger was in the championship lead when contact between Heim and Hocevar brought out the caution and sent the race to the first of four overtime attempts.
Enfinger headed to pit road for fresh tires after the first overtime attempt while fellow contender Ben Rhodes stayed out on the track. Rhodes finished one spot ahead of Enfinger and won his second title in three seasons.
Asked by reporters if they felt the championship had been stolen from them, both Enfinger and Heim said yes. Hocevar said that he was mad that he had cost Heim a championship by spinning him from fifth.
