At the chaotic Mission 176 at Watkins Glen, Corey Heim emerged victorious after a grueling triple-overtime battle, naturally edging out Daniel Hemric. The dramatic wind marked Corey’s sixth victory of the 2025 season and his 17th career triumph, making him the youngest driver in series history to reach that total. Starting from the pole, Corey led 48 of the 81 laps and held off Daniel Hemric by just 0.202 seconds amid nightfall and high tension.

But Heim’s victory didn’t come easy. He had to fend off rivals who were facing mechanical failures and a carnage that would have ended his chance to win. Moreover, Daniel Hemric also had his eyes on the prize. And now as the sun sets on Watkins Glen, Corey cannot help but issue out praises for the 34-year-old.

“I enjoy racing around him, ” says Corey Heim about his win over Daniel Hemric

Corey Heim’s late test triumph at Watkins Glen showed both his finesse and grit. Facing mounting dusk, fuel uncertainty, and a slew of late-race cautions, he capitalized on the final restart to reclaim the lead and secure his fourth straight road course win. His No. 11 Tricon Garage Toyota, which started from the pole and dominated much of the race, managed to hold on after surviving a new spin through the Bus Stop and battling brake issues.

And Daniel Hemric’s surge didn’t make it any easier for the winner. Daniel delivered a master class in resilience and strategy. Despite early struggles, his crew chief’s bold call to stay out during a caution paid dividends. That tactical call kept Hemric’s No. 19 Chevrolet in play throughout the closing stages. In the final overtime, he pushed Corey hard, tracking him closely through the esses and nearly making the decisive move on the inside into Turns 6 and 7.

Reflecting on the intense final moments, Corey Heim didn’t shy away from crediting Hemric’s nature as a driver. He revealed, “You know, the last one, I think he kind of knew what I was trying to do, and try to go as early as possible to throw him off a little bit, but he did a good job kind of sticking with me and crossed me over into one. Did everything right, really just was in a bad aero spot, and I really got a lot of respect for him for not, you know, sticking it through there and then walking me out because he certainly could have, so you know, Daniel’s always been a really clean racer. I enjoy racing around him. So you know props in for that.”

This underscores Heim’s tactical approach on the restart, trying to disrupt Daniel’s timing while also respecting Daniel’s disciplined defence. Both drivers demonstrated strategic acumen. Heim expertly managed his brakes and fuel for multiple overtimes, especially after struggling with the Bus Stop, and used gritty restarts to preserve the lead. Similarly, Daniel’s early pit choices and fuel banking kept him in contention when others faded. As a result, both were primed for that dramatic final showdown, proving the race was won not only by speed but also by smart execution under pressure.

Moreover, the 22-year-old went on to add, “I think the end result is just you’re not turning around backwards you know, obviously but Have been you know, I’ve made my own mistakes in my career and whatnot but I just feel like I’ve been surrounded by guys in my career that You put them in a bad aero spot and stuff and I think they’re, you know they’re all talented enough to know where they’re at and what’s gonna happen if they, you know, keep the pedal down and keep digging but They just don’t care. So to have a guy like that to race around and know that you can race hard with him and race tight with him and he’s not gonna put yourself Put himself in a bad spot to put you in a bad spot, you know, I think that’s a really gratifying feeling as a racer.”

The Watkins Glen finish was more than a nail-biter; it was a testament to sportsmanship. Corey’s refusal to criticize Daniel, praising his fairness as a racer, speaks volumes. In a sport where a hair’s breadth often separates triumph from tragedy, their mutual respect stands as a bold message to their peers. It demonstrates that hard-fought, clean competition can ignite memorable battles and elevate both drivers in the process. But now that Corey Heim stole the win, Daneil has opened up about his strategy for the race.

Daniel Hemric reveals his two-fold strategy that eluded his win

Daniel Hemric admitted his No. 19 Chevrolet wasn’t the strongest truck on the grid, but a calculated gamble early on kept him in the hunt. Crew chief Kevin Bellicourt made the call for Hemric, along with playoff hopefuls Ben Rhodes and Gio Ruggiero, to stay out under a Lap 11 caution. The move allowed Hemric to restart upfront and finish eighth in Stage 1 before pitting in Stage 2. Although a brief fuel pressure issue dropped him to 14th by the stage break, the early strategy proved pivotal, positioning him for a late race charge in the final segment.

The last stage ran smoothly until 11 laps remained, when a wave of accidents, including two involving teammate Connor Moscak, tightened the field and set up multiple overtime restarts. Hemric lined up on the outside of the front row on the second attempt but couldn’t capitalize, with another caution giving him one final shot. On the decisive restart, he stuck close to Heim’s bumper, drawing nearly even into Turn 6 on the last lap, but he couldn’t complete the pass and was forced to settle for second place in a tight finish.

Daniel explained, “I learned something off the first (restart) and tried to apply it for the second one. I felt like it was better and I had a better chance at it. I liked my chances and my leverage that I had into (turn) 1. The 11 how to make a big block on me down the front straightway and let me get to where I wanted to be in 1. I thought I had him where I wanted to be, but man, he just had a lot of potential starting in the esses, and it was all I could do to not drive into his door.” Post-race, both drivers showed mutual respect for the clean, hard racing.