Rumor: Fans Speculate NASCAR Driver to Jump Ship as JGR Holds Him Hostage

Corey Heim, often known as the “Wonder Kid”, has a path ahead that looks uncertain, with no clear signals on where he’ll land full-time in the Cup Series. Right now, he runs part-time for 23XI Racing in the No. 67 Toyota, handling select races while dominating the Trucks. His Cup starts this year have shown flashes of speed, but questions linger about when he’ll get a permanent shot.

Denny Hamlin has weighed in, saying, “He’s going to be a Sunday Cup guy. There’s no doubt in my mind about it. He’s going to be with 23XI for the long haul.” Yet, with Heim’s seven wins already tying records, fans wonder if that’s enough to force a move up. Heim kicked off his Cup experience last year at Dover, subbing for Erik Jones in the No. 43 at Legacy Motor Club and finishing 25th after starting 35th. Since then, he’s added starts at Nashville and Richmond, building reps in the No. 50 and 67, respectively, while leading 1,125 laps in Trucks, smashing the old mark of 833. Hamlin’s confidence shines through, but with 23XI expanding to three cars and Riley Herbst locked in the No. 36 for Xfinity, spots stay tight. What if that loyalty keeps him sidelined longer than expected?

The core issue boils down to Joe Gibbs Racing’s tight hold on Heim’s progression, tying him to development without a guaranteed Cup seat amid packed lineups and past grudges. JGR’s focus on Ty Gibbs, who bumped Heim in a 2022 ARCA race at Chicago, leading to ongoing tension, has fans seeing favoritism that blocks Heim’s advance. Gibbs got fast-tracked to Cup in 2023 after that incident, where Heim accused him of intentionally wrecking during a late restart, sparking a feud that lingers.

With JGR’s four Cup cars filled by Hamlin, Gibbs, Bell, and Briscoe, until his 2024 retirement, Heim stays stuck in Trucks despite his 18 career wins. Hamlin, as 23XI co-owner aligned with Toyota, reinforces this setup, noting in a YouTube press conference, “He’s our development driver for the foreseeable future. So, he’s got plenty of races ahead of him with us.” This keeps Heim racing select events but delays a full Cup role, much like how JGR held Bell in Xfinity until 2020, prioritizing veterans over youth.

That statement from Hamlin highlights the strategy. Keep Heim in the fold for “plenty of races,” but without a timeline for promotion, echoing Toyota’s history of slow burns that frustrate talents. Bell waited through the 2019 Xfinity title before Cup, substantiating how development can feel like a holding pattern. For Heim, it’s compounded by the Gibbs rivalry; after Chicago, JGR reportedly soured on him, per fan discussions, leading to no JGR Xfinity starts despite his Truck dominance. Instead, he runs with Sam Hunt Racing in Xfinity, grabbing three P1s in the last 4 races in 2025.

Why the delay? Toyota’s engine troubles and charter costs push economics over performance, as seen with Jones’ 2020 exit. Hamlin’s words sound supportive, but they tie Heim to more lower-series runs, potentially pushing him to seek options elsewhere if a Cup door doesn’t open soon.

A Reddit thread titled “Denny Hamlin: Where will Corey Heim Race Next Year?” captured the buzz, quoting Hamlin’s take and sparking debates on his stuck status. Fans piled in with theories, from manufacturer switches to forced hands, showing the community’s split on whether Toyota’s grip helps or hinders.

Fan buzz: Hamlin’s speculation runs wild

One fan vented, “Toyota fumbles prospects like they blow engines – frequently!” Toyota’s track record backs this, with drivers like Alex Bowman leaving in 2014 after limited chances, landing at Hendrick, and winning eight Cup races by 2024. Bowman ran the full Xfinity for Toyota but got no Cup shot, mirroring Heim’s wait. The background? Toyota’s 2007 Cup debut flopped with zero wins, setting a pattern of development missteps that lost talents like Kasey Kahne, who switched to Chevy in 2012 and grabbed six victories with it.

Another chimed, “I said this in the truck series post-race thread, but I really think Spire/Team Chevrolet throw Heim that offer he can’t refuse or at the very least really force Toyota’s hand. He’s a can’t-miss prospect in my mind, and Spire has not been afraid to throw some money around to make things happen.” Spire‘s aggressive spending shows in signing Zane Smith for 2024 after his Truck title in 2022 and investing in alliances with Hendrick for engines.

“It honestly needs to be RFK. Ford is hurting on development drivers, and Brad wants to get the Xfinity program back up and running.” RFK shuttered Xfinity in 2018 after Ryan Reed‘s wins dried up, but Keselowski’s 2024 comments hint at a revival for prospects like Hailie Deegan. Ford’s thin pipeline lost Austin Cindric to Cup in 2022 without backups, making Heim a fit.

Then, “I’m glad to see somebody else say this. Heim would be the entire future of Ford, alongside Riggs (possibly Kvapil too if the Penske stuff is true). Corey is completely wasting his time in the Toyota camp since they’ll never give him a Gibbs ride. I’m 100% sure Brad could find sponsorship for him with Kroger and potentially Castrol.” Layne Riggs‘ 2025 Truck win positions him as Ford’s hope, but the manufacturer lost Cole Custer to Chevy in 2023. Keselowski’s 2012 title with Fastenal on the No. 2 could lure sponsors for Heim, echoing Ford’s 1990s rebuild around Mark Martin.

Finally, “He won’t be at JGR. Toyota could offer them $1B, and it wouldn’t happen.” The Ty Gibbs bump at the 2022 Chicago race, where Gibbs spun Heim for the win, left JGR wary. Gibbs advanced to the Cup while Heim stayed down. This echoes the 2017 Bell-Jones clash at Kansas, where Bell wrecked Jones, yet both progressed, but for Heim, it stalled talks.