Heartbreaking losses are an integral part of NASCAR’s drama, where even the most dominant performances can unravel in the final moments. The most memorable instance that comes to mind is when Denny Hamlin led 381 out of the first 382 laps at Richmond until his tire went flat, forcing him to end up with a 24th-place finish after starting on the pole. While the Truck Series did not witness such a drastic change in fortunes, bad luck did rob Hamlin’s mentee Corey Heim of the chance to claim his third win of the season.

Corey Heim is one of NASCAR’s brightest young stars, and he experienced a devastating turn of events. After dominating the race and showcasing exceptional skill, his hopes were dashed by an unforeseen technical issue. What followed was a raw and emotional post-race reaction that captured the heartbreak of losing a race that seemed well within reach, something his mentor, Denny Hamlin, would know too much about.

Corey Heim won everything but the race!

Corey Heim is widely regarded as one of Denny Hamlin’s brightest protégés after Hamlin’s team, 23XI Racing, signed him as a part-time Cup driver for 2025. The 22-year-old impressed everyone after winning 11 races across his first three seasons in the Truck Series from 2022 to 2024. After his six race wins in 2024, Hamlin gave him his first-ever Cup ride at Nashville last season. Continuing from where he left off in 2024, Heim started his 2025 campaign in blistering fashion with TRICON garage, winning 2 of the first 5 races. However, he had to endure a painful end to the race at Miami this weekend.

Starting from pole position and dominating the race by leading 78 laps and sweeping both stages, Corey Heim looked poised for victory. However, with just 20 laps to go, his truck suffered intermittent power failures, effectively ending his hopes for a third win. Despite his struggles, Heim managed to finish third behind Kyle Larson, who staged a remarkable comeback to claim victory after spinning out during the final stage. Corey Heim’s disappointment was palpable during his post-race interview, where he admitted, “This just stings pretty bad,” reflecting his heartbreak over losing what seemed like a guaranteed win.

Heim continued in his post-race interview, “Everything seemed fine… The dash would go black and I had to pull my right hand over and fully recycle the power to get any sort of life back in the motor. Really don’t know what the problem was” he said. This mechanical issue ruined his race but saw him leapfrog Ty Majeski to lead the Truck Series standings. After a dominant performance for most of the race, Heim revealed that this was “probably the best truck I’ve ever had.”

As Hamlin continues to mentor Corey Heim, this race serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of motorsports and the resilience required to overcome setbacks. With two wins already in the season and a commanding presence on the track, Heim remains a strong contender for the championship despite this unfortunate turn of events. However, going by the history of his mentor, Denny Hamlin, along with Heim’s recent championship finale, it seems like luck might not be on his side.

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Heim is emulating Denny Hamlin in the worst way possible

After Corey Heim won his fourth Truck Series race last season at Gateway, he took a moment to thank his mentor, as he had recently signed up to represent 23XI Racing in the Cup Series at Nashville later that month. “A lot of people know that growing up, Denny was my idol. To have him by my side as a supporter, and as a team owner here in a couple weeks, is super cool. It means the world to have grown up idolizing him, never knowing if I would make it to this level, but here I am, and I’ve got him as one of my best supporters right now,” said Heim.

Along with guidance from the veteran, it seems like Corey Heim has inherited Hamlin’s luck as well! He dominated the Truck Series last season but faced a heartbreaking loss to Ty Majeski, finishing 2nd. In 2023, Heim was in the Championship 4 as well, winning three races for the year. However, an ugly finale involving a shoving match with Carson Hocevar led to penalties for both parties. Hocevar shoved Heim on lap 120, and a furious Heim returned the favor later in the race. Heim was able to continue the race, but finished in the 18th spot after starting from the pole in the Championship race! A disappointing end to a bright season. Now, if you are a Denny Hamlin fan, you know where we are going with this.

Denny Hamlin has 54 Cup race victories, the most for any active driver without a Championship! Hamlin has come close on numerous occasions, but bad luck and erroneous decisions have led to his downfall, just like Heim. In 2010, Hamlin was the points leader entering the final race of the season at Homestead Miami Speedway. On lap 24 of the race, Hamlin spun out from nowhere and damaged his right front fender, depleting his chances to win his maiden championship, as Jimmie Johnson took the crown for the fifth year in a row.

Well, after what happened to Corey Heim at the same track this weekend, it’s safe to say mentor and mentee have some demons to overcome when it comes to succeeding at Homestead, and in championship races. While Heim can take some positives from the race as being the new points leader, his main goal will be to win that elusive championship, and he would hope his luck is better than Hamlin’s!