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Gateway NASCAR Trucks: Corey Heim cruises to victory over Eckes

It was the ninth victory of Heim's career and his fourth of the 2024 season. He now has 24 playoff points (most of any driver) and closed the gap in the battle for the regular season title. Heim also earned a $50,000 bonus for the win.

"Total team effort today," he said post-race. "We actually struggled a bit yesterday and worked overnight on it.

"Just have to say, this pit crew has redeemed themselves. Last week, we could have won the race, but admittedly, they made some mistakes, but they redeemed themselves today and that's what it's all about. Tot team effort ... that was awesome."

After taking the checkered flag, Heim was followed by Christian Eckes, Nick Sanchez, Ty Majeski and Layne Riggs in the top-five.

Chase Purdy, Ben Rhodes, Stewart Friesen, Andres Perez, and Luke Fenhaus rounded out the top-ten.

Stage 1

After a three-hour delay due to rain, the Truck Series race finally got underway. Majeski held the early advantage over Eckes in a clean start to the 160-lap event.

Making his Truck Series debut, Fenhaus brought out the first caution of the race. He made a three-wide move into Turn 1 but pushed up and spun after getting a shallow entry into the corner. Several trucks deeper in the field took the opportunity to pit.

Eckes managed to pass Majeski on the restart, moving into the race lead. However, an aggressive Majeski quickly put the bumper to Eckes and muscled his way back into the lead.

He went on to win the stage, beating Eckes, Sanchez, Friesen, Heim, Dean Thompson, Grant Enfinger, Ben Rhodes, Daniel Dye, and Taylor Gray.

Stage 2

A handful of drivers stayed out with Connor Mosack and Tay. Gray restarting from the front row. Gray held the lead while behind him, an issue was developing on the No. 1 TRICON Toyota Tundra of Colby Howard.

He sustained right front damage and was now circulating the track with tire rub, which quickly blew out. Howard crashed heavily into the outside wall from fifth position, causing another caution. His race was over.

Gray was unable to hold onto the lead with those older tires. Rhodes made a huge move up to the middle, passing both Sanchez and Gray to take over the race lead.

Majeski takes the lead with 5 to go. Sweeps the stages, followed by Eckes, Sanchez, Rhodes, Heim, Enfinger, Tan. Gray, Tay. Gray, Purdy, Ty Dillon.

Stage 3

Tyler Ankrum and Dye grabbed some track position with a two-tire call, but Heim immediately took over the lead on the restart.

Tay. Gray was forced to pit with a mechanical issue, derailing his day. Up front, things remained green with Heim in control.

Final round of green-flag stops began with just under 45 laps to go. Heim was one of the first down pitroad with Majeski following.

Several trucks chose to run long, but a crash for Vicente Salas caused a caution in the middle of the pit cycle. He spun on the exit of Turn 2, nosing the truck into the inside wall.

Chase Purdy, who had yet to pit, was scored as the race leader. Just 13 trucks with on the free pass.

Heim cycled back into the lead for the restart with Majeski joining him on the front row. The race got back underway with Heim in control. Majeski put pressure on him, even trying to move him at one point. 

Back in the pack, there was some very intense racing with Friesen nearly losing control. 

As the run went on, Heim began to build a gap. Majeski faded with Eckes aggressively taking the runner-up position from him.

Heim crossed the line with a 1.854s advantage over Eckes, taking his fourth win of the 2024 season.

CLA DRIVER # MANUFACTURER LAPS TIME INTERVAL PITS POINTS
1
C. HeimTRICON GARAGE
11 Toyota 160

2:01'27.683

  6  
2 C. EckesMCANALLY HILGEMANN RACING 19 Chevrolet 160

+1.854

2:01'29.537

1.854 6  
3
N. SanchezREV RACING
2 Chevrolet 160

+2.001

2:01'29.684

0.147 6  
4 T. MajeskiTHORSPORT RACING 98 Ford 160

+4.232

2:01'31.915

2.231 6  
5 38 Ford 160

+4.357

2:01'32.040

0.125 9  
6 C. PurdySPIRE MOTORSPORTS 77 Chevrolet 160

+5.324

2:01'33.007

0.967 7  
7 B. RhodesTHORSPORT RACING 99 Ford 160

+6.460

2:01'34.143

1.136 7  
8 S. FriesenHALMAR FRIESEN RACING 52 Toyota 160

+7.002

2:01'34.685

0.542 7  
9
A. PérezSPIRE MOTORSPORTS
7 Chevrolet 160

+7.881

2:01'35.564

0.879 8  
10
L. FenhausTHORSPORT RACING
66 Ford 160

+9.132

2:01'36.815

1.251 9  
11 T. GrayTRICON GARAGE 15 Toyota 160

+10.994

2:01'38.677

1.862 7  
12
D. DyeMCANALLY HILGEMANN RACING
43 Chevrolet 160

+12.381

2:01'40.064

1.387 7  
13 T. DillonRACKLEY W.A.R. 25 Chevrolet 160

+12.875

2:01'40.558

0.494 9  
14
D. ThompsonTRICON GARAGE
5 Toyota 160

+13.012

2:01'40.695

0.137 6  
15 T. AnkrumMCANALLY HILGEMANN RACING 18 Chevrolet 160

+15.117

2:01'42.800

2.105 7  
16
R. CaruthSPIRE MOTORSPORTS
71 Chevrolet 160

+15.496

2:01'43.179

0.379 7  
17 G. EnfingerCR7 MOTORSPORTS 9 Chevrolet 160

+15.593

2:01'43.276

0.097 7  
18 T. HillHILL MOTORSPORTS 56 Toyota 160

+20.167

2:01'47.850

4.574 10  
19
A. LawlessREAUME BROTHERS RACING
33 Ford 160

+20.955

2:01'48.638

0.788 10  
20 M. CraftonTHORSPORT RACING 88 Ford 160

+23.615

2:01'51.298

2.660 12  
21
B. HolmesBRET HOLMES RACING
32 Chevrolet 159

+1 Lap

2:01'39.484

1 Lap 11  
22 45 Chevrolet 159

+1 Lap

2:01'51.126

11.642 10  
23 M. MillsNIECE MOTORSPORTS 42 Chevrolet 159

+1 Lap

2:01'52.636

1.510 10  
24
J. GarciaTHORSPORT RACING
13 Ford 159

+1 Lap

2:01'53.358

0.722 8  
25
V. SalasMCANALLY HILGEMANN RACING
91 Chevrolet 157

+3 Laps

2:01'56.566

2 Laps 11  
26 S. BoydFREEDOM RACING ENTERPRISES 76 Chevrolet 156

+4 Laps

2:01'33.259

1 Lap 12  
27
K. McGeeREAUME BROTHERS RACING
22 Ford 156

+4 Laps

2:01'34.820

1.561 13  
28 T. MoffittFACTION MOTORSPORTS 46 Chevrolet 155

+5 Laps

2:01'36.679

1 Lap 15  
29 B. CurreyNIECE MOTORSPORTS 41 Chevrolet 153

+7 Laps

2:01'57.255

2 Laps 13  
30
T. GrayTRICON GARAGE
17 Toyota 152

+8 Laps

2:01'53.705

1 Lap 7  
31
M. MasseyYOUNG'S MOTORSPORTS
02 Chevrolet 126

+34 Laps

1:36'56.842

26 Laps 9  
32
C. HowardTRICON GARAGE
1 Toyota 46

+114 Laps

36'16.702

80 Laps 7
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