The current leader in points on the Xfinity Series playoff board has yet to script his next season’s story. Corey Heim has stunned his fans this year with six wins and currently holds the first rank in points. But Joe Gibbs Racing is turning a blind eye to this stellar progress and onboarding other drivers for 2025 instead. Is this a result of Heim’s history of beef with Joe Gibbs’ grandson? Now that seems more likely as Ty Gibbs has already picked an Xfinity driver.

This speculation proceeds even as Denny Hamlin, Gibbs’ teammate, eyes Heim as a potential driver for a third 23XI Racing seat. However, with the NASCAR lawsuit blurring that possibility at the moment, Heim’s best Toyota deal would have laid with JGR. But it appears Ty Gibbs has yet to settle with him.

Ty Gibbs’ conflict obstructing Toyota’s phenom

Ever since Corey Heim burst into the NASCAR scene, he has put up an amazing climb to the top. But during the early stages of his career, Heim got into a nasty rivalry in the 2021 ARCA Menards Series. Ty Gibbs was competing alongside him, and the 20-race season witnessed at least three races where the duo were at each other’s necks. The fender-banging climaxed several times – Heim moved Gibbs for an Elko Speedway win, and Gibbs dumped Heim for the win at Winchester Speedway. Heim issued a savage comment at Elko, saying, “He’s probably mad because he lost like he usually does.”

Eventually, Gibbs’ 10 wins beat Heim’s 6, and Coach Gibbs’ grandson clinched the championship with a 37-point margin over his rival. But their heated rivalry continued this year when Heim seemed to purposefully deny help to fellow Toyota and JGR driver Chandler Smith in Atlanta. So when JGR signed winless Taylor Gray for a full-time Xfinity ride, NASCAR expert Eric Estepp begged the question. “How is this guy getting passed over for every Joe Gibbs Racing Xfinity opportunity? Is the beef between him and Ty Gibbs that serious?” 

Other possibilities exist: Corey Heim drives a part-time Xfinity schedule for Sam Hunt Racing this year. He made Cup starts under Denny Hamlin in a 23XI Racing car, so Estepp allowed room for doubt. “Maybe it’s contractual – Corey Heim is the Sim/Reserve driver for Legacy Motor Club and 23XI. Maybe he’s just opting to go a different route. He’s made Xfinity starts for Sam Hunt.” 

But even then, given JGR’s winningest status in Xfinity with 214 wins, the scenario looks odd. “But you’d think if Joe Gibbs Racing was an option, Heim would take it, right? Those are the best Xfinity Series cars in the garage consistently. Maybe it’s not an option, maybe because of the Ty Gibbs beef, or because of sponsorship.”

Ty Gibbs‘ beef may be not only blocking Corey Heim’s progress but also denying JGR a true piece of talent. This impasse needs to end as soon as possible.

A handshake ceremony is overdue

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Being a hot-headed sport where drivers trade paint frequently and drive within a few inches of each other, NASCAR is known for its conflicts.

• Ranging from Dale Earnhardt wrecking Bobby Labonte for the 1999 Bristol victory to Richard Childress delivering an uppercut to Kyle Busch in 2011, beef has been the norm.
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. had feuds with both Busch and Kevin Harvick.
• After the 2018 Daytona 500, Bubba Wallace had locked horns with Denny Hamlin after intense door-to-door racing. The heated exchange was rumored to have escalated into a physical altercation later.

But these rivalries became steadfast partnerships later—Kyle Busch now drives the No. 8 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. Bubba Wallace wheels the No. 23 Toyota under 23XI Racing, co-owned by Denny Hamlin. Then Dale Earnhardt Jr. shares a laugh or two about past competition with both Busch and Harvick.

Similarly, Ty Gibbs and Corey Heim have ample opportunity to be inspired by these rivalries. Even though they do not have to be friends, they can make up for the greater good—ultimately, racing is business. If Gibbs has bad customer service at a Bass Pro Shops or FedEx, or if a can of Monster Energy explodes all over him, will the team no longer want them as sponsors?

Yet, as is evident, Ty Gibbs’ team is not ready to induct Corey Heim yet. Let us wait and see if this rivalry has a closing chapter or not.