For years, Corey Heim looked like one of NASCAR’s most accomplished prospects without a clear path to the Cup Series. Despite piling up wins and consistently contending for Truck Series championships, a full-time opportunity at the sport’s highest level never seemed guaranteed. That changed when 23XI Racing announced Heim as part of its 2027 Cup lineup, a decision Denny Hamlin later revealed had been years in the making.

“Generational drivers only come by every now and again, and I believe we have one here,” Denny Hamlin proclaimed while announcing Corey Heim as part of 23XI Racing‘s 2027 lineup.

While speaking to Kelly Crandall about Heim, Hamlin said that he had been monitoring the driver since 2023. As a member of the Toyota Racing Development group, Corey Heim was a top prospect who had the overall consistency of a winner.

Hamlin also compared him to his star driver, Tyler Reddick, when it came to his ability to make difficult passes during the race.

It was no wonder that both Hamlin and Michael Jordan were anxious to get him into the team as soon as possible. As Matt Weaver explained on X:

“One thing we learned from the 23XI, FRM v. NASCAR lawsuit discovery process is how much Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan valued signing Corey Heim. ‘Lock him up,’ MJ told Denny in a text message. They did.”

23XI’s latest resembles what they did in 2023 with Tyler Reddick. Richard Childress Racing prioritized star power; 23XI saw Reddick’s potential with the right car. And today, they are reaping the benefits. Reddick is leading the 2026 championship for them with five victories to his name.

Heim’s statistics have been improving rapidly in the NCTS. He went from an average finish of seven with three wins in 2023 to an average finish of five with 12 wins in the last season. That is a difficult number to maintain, especially when you consider the fact that multiple Cup drivers race in the Truck series throughout the year, raising the level of competition.

Heim’s latest contract also puts an end to the debate that keeps revolving around his rivalry with Ty Gibbs. Back in 2025, Bob Pockrass reported Joe Gibbs kept Heim out of the O’Reilly Auto Parts series owing to his sour history with Ty Gibbs. The fear across the industry was that Joe Gibbs had essentially blacklisted him from getting a top ride as a Toyota prospect.

However, there is one question left. Who will Corey Heim replace in 2027? Unless 23XI secured a fourth charter, Heim displaces one of the three current drivers. Bubba Wallace and Riley Herbst are two names that come up, but at this point, it is pretty obvious that Riley Herbst has to give up his seat.

Industry insider Jordan Bianchi already linked him to Legacy Motor Club earlier this year. And so far, his performance has not shown the audience what the 23XI or Toyota cars are capable of. In his rookie season last year, he posted an average finish of 26.4 and ended up 35th in the driver standings. This year looks no better, as he only has one top 10 finish with an average finish of 22.5.

Herbst sits 28th in points. With Heim incoming, his 23XI tenure is over. It does make more sense for him to work with Jimmie Johnson and develop Legacy Motor Club as a Toyota driver while getting mentorship from a seven-time champion.

For now, Riley Herbst’s future doesn’t contain 23XI Racing in it. But what about the future of the man who is orchestrating this entire game? What is Denny Hamlin going to do in 2027?

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Denny Hamlin’s contract with Joe Gibbs will be up for renewal in 2027. It is pretty clear on his part that he does not wish to continue racing any longer than he has. Hamlin’s only motive to continue driving the No. 11 car is his hunt for the championship title.

At Darlington this year, Hamlin also signaled that his replacement was already underway after he conveyed his intentions to Joe Gibbs about retiring from NASCAR. “I’m not really sure. I think that I’ve given Gibbs enough of a heads-up that they’re working on the plans for beyond. So, as long as those all go as planned, I would still assume that the end of 27 is it.”

It seems like Gibbs didn’t take his warning for granted. On Fox Sports, Bob Pockrass claimed that Brent Crews will be the one to replace Denny Hamlin at Joe Gibbs Racing. The buffer year of 2027 is going to give him enough experience in the NOAPS to make the step up when necessary. Crews seems to be the chosen driver for Joe Gibbs in the TRD pipeline.

He was chosen over Corey Heim in 2026 for a full-time seat in the O’Reilly series, sparking a hot debate about the state of affairs at Toyota. With Hamlin’s retirement from the series set in place, once again Brent Crews is going to be JGR’s top choice.

And with that, the pieces of the puzzle seem to be falling in place this year. Corey Heim has found his ride, Herbst has found a new mentor, and the top prospects of the TRD pipeline are starting to find their place in the NASCAR Cup Series one by one.