Everything was lining up for Corey Heim, until it wasn’t. The defending Truck Series champion had the No. 1 machine hooked up, went toe-to-toe with two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch early, and looked every bit like a driver ready to seal the deal. But just as a 23-year-old began setting the stage for a late-race statement, NASCAR’s decision to shorten the event flipped the script, cutting off the comeback before it could fully ignite.

While Heim was left betrayed by the clock, it was Busch who went on to claim a record-breaking 68 truck wins. This will definitely sting Heim for a while, who would have definitely done things differently had he known about the race cut.

“I mean, if they had told us that they’re going to shorten the race, you know, 10-15 laps from the start of stage three, would have painted a totally different picture, but, and they might have, but I was never informed of that. So, yeah, I don’t, I just think it’s stupid,” Heim said post-race.

For someone who snagged the Stage 1 win, this definitely burns. The Fr8 Racing 208 was cut short because of time constraints after significant delays earlier in the day, most notably due to rain that pushed the scheduled start back and forced NASCAR to set up for a cut-off time of 4:20 pm ET so that the following O’Reilly Auto Parts Series could run on schedule.

And while NASCAR had its reasons, officials announced that once the time expired, the leader would be given the white flag and the next circuit would be the final lap, regardless of how many of the originally scheduled 135 laps had been completed. Because of this clock, NASCAR ended the race about 10 laps early, with the white flag waving with roughly 11 laps to go instead of running the full distance.

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That decision frustrated some competitors, including the 2025 Truck champ, who felt crews and drivers weren’t adequately notified or prepared for the shortened distance, especially as strategies hinge on knowing how many laps remain.

This kind of time limit scenario is unusual in the NASCAR national series and can dramatically alter how teams plan tire wear, fuel mileage, and restarts, leading to post-race heat from those caught off guard by the decision.

And the clock had crashed Heim’s party, who was looking to make a comeback after a standout 2025 truck series. What was supposed to be a 135-lap chess match suddenly turned into a speed round blitz.

Instead of lining up for a calculated late-race charge, the Georgia native found himself starting under a white flag that came out too soon. Fifth place isn’t a disaster, but when you have been circling the win all afternoon, it feels like someone pulled the plug. For a driver used to dictating terms, the abrupt finish definitely stung.

Meanwhile, Kyle Busch did what Kyle Busch does best: sniff opportunity and slam the door. Busch was camping near the front, waiting for the right moment, and pounced when the race turned into a timed dash. With Spire Motorsports’ Carson Hocevar playing wingman, Rowdy muscled his way into prime real estate before the clock could betray him, too.

And as a result, Busch crossed the finish line 1st, claiming his 68th career truck series victory, the most in series history, and adding another Atlanta win to his record.

An intense Atlanta race

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Atlanta turned into a nail-biter from start to finish. Two-time Truck Series champ Ben Rhodes dictated much of the early running, leading the most laps and working like the guy to beat until fuel woes bit him hard, forcing him to pit and dropping him back in the field before he charged back forward.

Meanwhile, a wild tussle for position unfolded upfront between Kyle Busch, Carson Hocevar, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., with each hauling their rigs into the fray as the lap ticked away and drivers fought for prime position on the tricky 1.54-mile oval.

As the race clock edged down towards its predetermined cut-off, Rhodes’ mid-race misfortune left the door cracked just enough for Busch to sneak through. A strong shout from Hocevar helped Busch Russell indeed back and hold off a sprinting pack trying to reel him in.

And in the chaos of the final sprint, with the field scrambling into interposition before the white flag flew, Rowdy emerged just ahead, sealing the victory by a razor-thin margin as several contenders came up just shy of their late race assaults. And although Heim’s heart hangs heavy, there are more races to come, and it can be said with much certainty that the 23-year-old will not give up without a fight.