"All it does is promote mediocrity": Corey Heim's crew chief calls NASCAR playoffs the sport's worst decision

The NASCAR playoff format has been the center of debate all year, and Corey Heim's crew chief, Scott Zipadelli, has now shared his concerns. The current winner-take-all finale was designed to deliver drama, but has been criticized for its reliance on luck.

One poor pit stop, an unexpected engine problem, or just one late-race crash can erase months of dominance. Heim and the No. 11 Tricon Garage team know that pain all too well.

In 2024, Heim had a standout Truck Series campaign with six wins and 18 top-10s, only to have his title hopes crushed in Phoenix after contact with Carson Hocevar. A year earlier, he finished last among the Championship 4, despite being one of the best trucks all season.

For both campaigns, Zipadelli sat atop Heim's pit box. The veteran crew chief, with over 25 years of experience in the sport, didn't hide his frustrations with the system. Asked how he feels about the playoff era, he said during an interview with NASCAR’s Davey Segal:

"If we were racing the old format, I would have three truck championships. And Carson Hocevar would have never wrecked us for a championship at Phoenix. I think it was the worst thing NASCAR ever did. I think all it does is promote mediocrity."

(L-R) 2023 NASCAR Truck Championship 4 drivers: Grant Enfinger, Carson Hocevar, Corey Heim, and Ben Rhodes. Source: Getty

He continued:

"You could have a truck win five or six races and not win the championship, and the champion be somebody who didn’t win a race all year. How is that promoting equality? Parity, right? That was a word for a long time. We’re going to parity."

"We got to make all the vehicles the same, even trucks the same," he added. "Well, we’re not the same. Some people just work harder than others, right? Some people are just better than others. So how can you make everybody equal?"

What Zipadelli means is clear: a playoff system designed to level the field can erase the advantage of teams that work harder. For him, it strips the title of credibility.

For Corey Heim, the sting of the past years is softened by the numbers he’s putting up now. Nine wins, two road-course triumphs, and a 5.8 average finish, better than both 2023 and 2024, make him the clear favorite entering the Round of 8.

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Corey Heim set for Roval debut as playoff push continues

Corey Heim (11) before the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Darlington Raceway. Source: Getty

Momentum is on Corey Heim’s side. He has won five of the last seven Truck Series races and finished on the podium in the other two, making him the hottest driver in the field. That form will be tested on Friday afternoon when the playoffs reach Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval for the first time.

Heim already owns road-course wins this year at Lime Rock Park and Watkins Glen, and he credits much of that growth to 'studying' the best.

"I never really came from a road-course background. You see a lot of guys that are kind of dominating today in the Xfinity Series with (Connor) Zilisch and Cup with SVG (Shane van Gisbergen). Of course, those guys come from the road-course racing backgrounds, and I think just studying them and understanding what makes them so good … is kind of a big deal of where I sort of progressed a lot," Heim told NASCAR.com.

Like Heim, Connor Zilisch has been a revelation this season with nine Xfinity wins, and he’ll add to the Roval intrigue by driving Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 truck this weekend. Their head-to-head could set the tone for the rest of the Round of 8.

Corey Heim also highlighted his 23XI Racing development role as a significant step in his rapid growth. Combined with the trust and continuity of Scott Zipadelli’s veteran group, the No. 11 team has every reason to believe this might finally be the year their dominance carries all the way to Phoenix.