Corey Heim Wins Brickyard 400, NASCAR Heads to Iowa Speedway Next
INDIANAPOLIS — Corey Heim, driving a part-time schedule for 23XI Racing, captured the Brickyard 400 on Sunday with a masterful restart and a gritty hold on the lead. The win, his second of the season in just eight starts, sets the stage for NASCAR's return to the Iowa Speedway in Newton after an off week.
Heim outdueled a field of full-time stars, including Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell, to take the checkered flag at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The victory came on a restart with 35 laps to go, where Heim got a decisive push from Joey Logano to jump ahead.
“I’m pretty out of breath,” Heim said after the race on the TNT telecast. “That was a workout. It was a dream come true. Winning at the Brickyard? That’s unbelievable.”
Restart Execution Sealed the Win
Heim’s win hinged on a single restart. While he and Logano coordinated their push, the line of Hamlin, Bell, and Chase Briscoe failed to sync. Hamlin dropped from contention to sixth place, while Bell managed second.
“Pushing is the name of the game, and Briscoe let me know he was going to push me, but he got on me way early, and then it was pushing me into Denny — and then Denny is on the binders trying to not get a penalty,” Bell explained. “The three of us just did not execute the restart very well.”
Heim then held off challenges from Bell, Logano, Briscoe, and Hamlin to secure the win. He acknowledged the aggressive move on Hamlin, saying, “He has every right to be a little bit frustrated with me. He probably would have done the same thing.”
Hamlin Left Frustrated After Near Miss
Denny Hamlin, co-owner of 23XI Racing, was visibly frustrated after the race. Despite his team’s back-to-back Brickyard 400 wins — Heim this year, Bubba Wallace last year — Hamlin saw victory slip away.
“It’s really more on us and the 20 and the 19 of just not orchestrating good pushes there,” Hamlin said. “We came detached at the wrong time. That’s how you lose them. These restarts, when everyone kind of knows when you’re going to go, it’s about the pushes.”
Larson’s Early Promise Ends in Tire Failure
Kyle Larson looked poised to dominate early, but a blown left rear tire on Lap 44 ended his run just as he was about to take the lead. The Hendrick Motorsports driver had no warning of the failure.
“It’s obviously disappointing,” Larson said. “You go from 10th to the lead on a good start and then race strategy — we set ourselves up well to gain a lot of points there and also set ourselves up to maintain that track position the rest of the race. It’s a bummer, but that’s just part of racing.”
Larson won the Brickyard 400 in 2024 but has otherwise struggled at the historic track.
Gilliland Wins $1 Million In-Season Tournament
Todd Gilliland finished 24th but still walked away with a $1 million prize from NASCAR’s in-season tournament. The Front Row Motorsports driver won when his opponent, Ryan Blaney, got caught in a late-race accident and finished 26th.
“My heart was pounding those last 25 laps,” Gilliland said. “It was me, the 16 and the 12. I still feel like we kind of earned it coming down the stretch. The biggest thing for me that was really cool through this whole process was seeing how my team really elevated themselves, really grabbed another gear.”
Blaney was less thrilled. After John Hunter Nemechek apologized for the contact that triggered the wreck, Blaney told TNT, “He apologized and said he didn’t mean to do it. It still happened. It’s a shame it ended that way.”
Iowa Speedway Next After Off Week
The NASCAR Cup Series now heads into its second and final off weekend of the regular season. Racing resumes at the 0.875-mile Iowa Speedway in Newton, a short track that fits into a stretch of similar venues including Richmond and New Hampshire.
For Iowa fans, the return to Newton is a highlight. The track, which opened in 2006, has hosted Xfinity and Truck Series events but gained a Cup Series date in 2024. The race promises tight, door-to-door action on a layout that rewards driver skill over raw horsepower.
Iowa Speedway is known for its progressive banking and abrasive surface, which can wear tires quickly. Teams will need to balance speed with tire management, a challenge that often produces dramatic finishes.
“It’s another short track and part of a string of short-track races,” the FOX Sports report noted. “Iowa, Richmond, and New Hampshire will test these drivers.”
What This Means for Iowa Fans
For Iowa residents, the Brickyard 400 result sets up an intriguing narrative. Heim, a rising star, will look to carry momentum into Newton. Hamlin, still seeking his first win of 2026, will be hungry to bounce back. And Larson, despite his Indy disappointment, remains a threat on any track.
The Iowa Speedway event also offers a chance for local fans to see NASCAR’s best up close. The track’s intimate setting — seating about 30,000 — provides a fan experience unlike larger venues. Tickets remain available for the August race.
As NASCAR’s regular season winds down, every point matters. The Iowa race could be a pivotal moment for drivers on the playoff bubble, adding extra drama for fans in the Hawkeye State.