Venturini Motorsports has long been a launchpad for a lot of NASCAR talent through its ARCA Menards Series program since 1982. Stars like Joey Logano, William Byron, and Alex Bowman are a few of the countless stars who’ve passed from there, gaining all the skills that they use today to race at the top levels. And now, Venturini might have uncovered its next big star.

After a legendary legacy of 43 years, the team has just sold its ownership to Nitro Motorsports, which will continue its long-lasting partnership with Toyota GAZOO Racing. The team’s owner, Billy Venturini, was once asked by Kevin Harvick about his favorite driver who’s passed through its gates. “Willy B,” the former had replied. But today, his answer’s changed, and very confidently.

Billy Venturini names the best sim driver

Venturini Motorsports father-son duo Bill and Billy Venturini were the guests on Harvick’s latest Happy Hour episode. This time, speaking to Billy, Harvick asked the question differently: “Let me ask you this, how has the driver changed since then?”

Billy didn’t hesitate one bit and said, “A lot. The amount of research that the drivers do off track now, is insane. I think the very best one for how he preps using sim and everything else, is Corey Heim. Corey is the best sim driver I’ve ever seen, I’ll go that far, and it translates because he’s super special.”

It’s true. The driver of today in NASCAR has come a long way when it comes to race prep and strategy. Just raw talent is no longer enough. If you want to succeed, you need to bring your A-game research to the table, whether it’s mastering the simulators, analyzing data, talking to engineers to fine-tune the setups as per the tracks, all of it before you even get to the track.

And his choice, Corey Heim. It’s an unarguable one. The 23-year-old prodigy has won a mammoth ten races this season. To really sink in the magnitude of this, it’s more than all the combined wins of the rest of the garage!

Heim’s already recognized so widely for his immense simulator prep, spending hours mastering every track and scenario before race day. That dedication is what allows him to translate his virtual performance into real-world results, making him “super special” and the “best driver” Billy’s ever seen.

Billy then went on to drop his bold claim, “I believe he’d win a Cup race as a rookie. That’s how strong I think he is. He’s unique.”

Harvick added to this sentiment, saying, “There’s guys like Corey Heim that are special. I’m glad you said that because I feel like he’s pigeon-holed into the Truck Series right now. He’s out there destroying them because he’s so much better than them. If you put him at Daytona next year in the Cup car, he’s going to be competitive and he’s going to figure it out.”

Both Venturini and Harvick recognize Heim’s extraordinary talent, noting that his dominance in the Truck Series reflects skills far beyond the level he’s currently racing in. If he’s able to outperform his peers so easily in Trucks, then a Cup win is not impossible at all, given his advanced racecraft and simulator knowledge.

Bill Venturini Sr. also couldn’t help but chime in light-heartedly, “My wife called him ‘the robot’. When he put the helmet on, totally different person the minute the helmet went on.” 

But as the hype around the rookie builds, there’s a lot of chatter about his transfer plans next season.

Heim still awaits his Cup ambition

Denny Hamlin’s 23XI Racing signed Corey Heim this year as their first development driver, with a multi-year contract. However, that part-time Cup ride still hasn’t converted into a full-time one, not just through 23XI but across the Cup garage.

His Xfinity team, Sam Hunt Racing, is looking to expand its operations, apparently with ambitions to enter the Cup Series. This would have been a perfect opportunity for Corey Heim to be behind the Cup wheel for Hunt’s team. However, a new rumor adds a twist to this, as Harrison Burton might be the antagonist of the story.

Many outlets are now warning that there’s a possibility of a partnership between Burton and Sam Hunt Racing, and this could leave Heim waiting further for a full-time ride in 2026.

“The likely plan for Heim, according to industry sources, is a combination schedule where he runs select races in all three national series — in the Cup Series for 23XI Racing, in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series for Sam Hunt Racing and in the Truck Series for Tricon,” insider Jordan Bianchi had reported last month.

Despite the uncertainty, Heim’s talent remains undeniable, with the Venturinis and Kevin Harvick praising him as a standout driver whose skill and simulator mastery definitely qualify him as a future Cup-caliber talent.