How 2026 schedule will prepare Heim for full-time work in 2027
23XI Racing co-owner Denny Hamlin and soon-to-be full-time Cup Series driver Corey Heim discuss how the 2026 schedule will prepare the young driver for 2027.
Video Transcript
Zach Starnio, nascar.com.
Denny, first for you.
I am curious, you know, you said that there was a lot of y- y- upside from c- for Corey right from the jump.
What have you seen this year specifically that has kind of, gave you even further confidence in his ability once he gets in behind the wheel full-time in the Cup Series?
Well, I mean, one of the tough parts about his schedule is he has to go out first for qualifying every time.
And, you know, it just has been bad luck.
This is actually the first week he actually won't have to.
Maybe he doesn't have to anyway.
but it's just So he's always up against it.
You know, he's, he's, you know, has, you know, a very developmental pit crew.
you know, usually has to start in the back of the pack because of his draw and things like that.
So i- i- it's always putting him behind the gun every time we send him to the racetrack, and he still finds a way to make it, you know, up towards the front.
So that, that to me just shows that, you know, once he's full-time and got all the resources that he needs, that he's gonna succeed.
And then Corey, and Denny, I'm, curious on your thoughts on this too, but fr- from your perspective, Corey, not being behind the wheel every week this week, or this season, excuse me, and then jumping in the car f- full-time 38 weeks in 2027, how much of an adjustment is that for you that you've, you're gonna have to, prepare for?
Yeah.
I think I'm probably in the seat more than people realize.
You know, I've been fortunate to be able to do some wheel force testing with Toyota this year.
so I've got I think six of those tests on top of some truck racing and some late model racing.
you know, it may not be as valuable as straight up Cup starts by any means, but it just keeps me in the seat and keeps me prepared.
so I've got a really solid schedule regardless of only my, my 12 Cup starts this year.
and it also gives me a little bit of an opportunity to kind of debrief a little longer on a race.
you know, guys that are rookies this year or last year, I've kind of wondered, I'm like, "Dang, you guys have a fast turnaround to think about what just happened."
I mean, they're, you know, drinking through a fire hose as far as all this, all these new things that are happening in the race.
and you have, like, two days or maybe a day to kind of debrief and soak it all in until you have to start preparing for the next one.
So, this kind of every two to three week Cup race schedule for me has given me a chance to kind of just think about what just happened and then, you know, give me some extra time to prepare for the next one.
So, you know, honestly, I was a little, I wouldn't say worried about, you know, being out of the seat as much as I am this year, but, I was definitely It was a thought that was going on in my head.
but as I've kind of gotten in the groove here, I, I do think it's actually a little more healthy just to have that time to debrief and then prepare a little longer.
