Heim hangs on in time beyond regulation to win NASCAR Truck race at COTA

Heim had constructed a greater than 8-second lead earlier than a weird incident – Marco Andretti misplaced your entire rear-end housing off his truck – introduced out a late-race warning and transient pink flag.

Heim and his Tricon Storage teammate Taylor Grey had been operating first and second and each had been shut on gasoline. Each elected to stay on the observe moderately than pit.

Heim cleared Grey shortly by way of Flip 1 for the lead on the time beyond regulation restart and held on to take a 1.625-second win. The victory is his first of the 2024 season, sixth of his profession and second on a street course.

“I used to be tremendous nervous. On the final lap of the final restart, I stuttered a little bit bit on the right-handers, as a result of the gasoline choose up is on the opposite aspect,” Heim mentioned. “The entire gasoline load would go to the opposite aspect. I believed I used to be going to be out by the point I got here round.

“Fortunately I had a few left-handers on the finish in fact – and I had gasoline, however no matter that, I’m tremendous grateful for everybody at Tricon Storage, Toyota Racing. This Tundra TRD Professional was simply kick-ass all day lengthy. We put a beating on them, so that’s {that a} fairly good feeling. 

“To try this at Mid-Ohio final yr, and to return again right here and do the identical factor with higher gear, was actually particular. I can’t wait to see what the yr has in retailer for us.”

Ty Majeski ended up third, pole-winner Connor Zilisch overcame a wreck and two penalties to complete fourth in his debut whereas Ross Chastain was fifth.

Finishing the highest 10 had been IMSA common Jack Hawksworth in his debut, Ben Rhodes, Christian Eckes, Dean Thompson and Tanner Grey.

Stage 1

Nick Sanchez elected to not pit and held off Majeski by 2.133-seconds to win an eventful Stage 1, his first stage victory of the 2024 season. Tanner Grey was third, Tyler Ankrum fourth and Eckes rounded out the highest 5.

On the opening lap, Zilisch ran off the course in Flip 1 and flat-spotted his tires and Taylor Grey, who inherited the lead, was black-flagged for short-cutting the course in Flip 3.

Stage 2

Heim handed Rhodes with one lap to go and held off Majeski by 2.164 seconds to say the Stage 2 win. Hawksworth was third, Rhodes ended up fourth and Taylor Grey fifth.

Stage 3

Following the break between Phases 2 and three, a handful of vehicles elected to pit, however Heim remained on the observe and within the lead when the race resumed with 14 laps to go.

Zilisch, who had fallen at one level a lap down, moved into second with 12 laps remaining however made contact with Majeski, which left Zilisch’s No. 7 Chevrolet with a tire rub.

With 9 laps remaining, Majeski made his means again round Zilisch to take the runner-up place however trailed Heim by greater than eight seconds.

Zilisch was assessed a pass-through penalty by NASCAR with six laps remaining after brief chopping the course.

Lawless Alan’s No. 33 truck stalled on the observe on lap 38 which pressured NASCAR to place the race below warning. Zilisch and a handful of others used the chance to pit for tires. Heim remained within the lead on the restart with three laps to go.

Simply earlier than Heim took the white flag, the rear-end housing – each wheels and the suspension components included – got here indifferent from Andretti’s No. 04 truck and rolled throughout the observe to carry out a warning and despatched the race into time beyond regulation.

Heim, regardless of being shut on gasoline, elected to stay on the observe and led Majeski, Sanchez, Chastain and Hawksworth when the two-lap time beyond regulation went inexperienced.