"He’s raced me that way since I was 5 years old" - Corey Heim reflects on Carson Hocevar crashing into him

Corey Heim's championship dreams took a hit after a heated on-track altercation with fellow contender Carson Hocevar during Friday (November 3) night's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship race in Phoenix.

The incident, which occurred with just 30 laps remaining, ultimately cost both drivers their shot at the title.

Corey Heim, piloting the No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota, had been leading the championship-eligible drivers and had an impressive 47 laps out in front. However, Hocevar's aggressive maneuver going into Turn 2 turned the race on its head.

The impact sent Heim's Toyota into Stewart Friesen's, causing a caution. The 21-year-old driver was forced into a pit stop for repairs. The setback cost him a lap, putting him at a severe disadvantage in the final stretch of the race.

Carson Hocevar expected a countermove from Heim, and that is exactly what he received. A collision between the two drivers later in the race sealed Hocevar's fate. He was relegated to a 29th-place finish and effectively removed from the championship picture.

Heim, in an interview with NASCAR journalist Peter Stratta following the race, expressed his belief that the contact from Hocevar was deliberate. He stated:

"He (Hocevar) passed me clean and hit me 2-3 times and finally when he had enough fun, he just kinda hit me and wrecked me. It is what it is." (Quotes taken from NASCAR.com)

Turning the clock back to their earliest days in the sport, Heim said:

"He's raced me that way since I was 5 years old. It's a part of championship racing."

Carson Hocevar is set to join the Cup Series next season. Making a clever remark on his upcoming move, Corey Heim quipped:

"Every guy on Sunday is gonna see that and understand that they're gonna be racing against him like that."

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Corey Heim reflects on his NASCAR Truck Series Championship weekend

Despite the disappointing conclusion to the championship pursuit, Heim took a moment to commend his team and sponsors. He told Speedway Digest:

"I thought we had a great weekend overall, qualifying on the pole and winning the second stage. Had a super fast Safelite Tundra TRD Pro, and it's really a shame."

He continued:

"Super unfortunate. Just super proud of Tricon Garage and Toyota Racing for everything they did to get us here. We had such a fast truck tonight. Can't stress it enough."

Meanwhile, Ben Rhodes of ThorSport emerged as the 2023 NASCAR Truck Series Champion after securing a fifth-place finish at the Phoenix Raceway.