Updated

Updated · ESPN · Jun 22

Corey Heim Wins 1st Cup Race at Naval Base Coronado as Tyler Reddick Falls to 25th

Updated

Updated · ESPN · Jun 22

Corey Heim Wins 1st Cup Race at Naval Base Coronado as Tyler Reddick Falls to 25th

Q: With his first career win, has Corey Heim now secured a full-time Cup Series ride?

Yes. Heim already has a full-time NASCAR Cup Series ride lined up, though not because of this win alone. 23XI Racing announced on May 30 that Heim will move into a full-time Cup role in 2027, driving the chartered No. 35 Toyota Camry XSE. So his victory at the Anduril 250 strengthens the case for that promotion, but it did not create it. The broader context is that Heim has long been viewed as one of Toyota’s top development drivers. He built that reputation through his Truck Series success and his part-time Cup schedule in 2026, which was widely seen as a developmental season. 23XI’s decision was based on that body of work and its long-term planning, not solely on one result. What the win does change is the perception of his readiness. Winning a Cup race on a difficult street course at Naval Base Coronado, and doing so by more than 10 seconds, gives Heim a major proof point that he can convert opportunity at the top level. It also adds momentum to the idea that he could become a bigger factor in Cup even before 2027 if more starts open up. So the direct answer is that Heim has secured a full-time Cup ride already: he is set to join 23XI Racing full-time in 2027.

3 articles · Updated · ESPN · Jun 22

Two laps from the finish, Corey Heim passed teammate Tyler Reddick and sealed his first NASCAR Cup Series win in just his 13th start.
Reddick had led Heim around the 16-turn, 3.4-mile Coronado street course before a late flat tire dropped the points leader to 25th.
23XI Racing put two cars near the front all day, with Bubba Wallace finishing 10.365 seconds back in second and Kyle Larson taking third.
Lap 32 brought the race's biggest disruption when Connor Zilisch and Austin Hill collided battling for the lead, triggering a nine-car crash that caught pole-sitter Shane van Gisbergen and caused a nine-minute red flag.
The win made Heim the second first-time Cup winner in the past three inaugural street races, and NASCAR now heads to Sonoma on June 28.