Corey Heim scored the victory in Sunday’s rain-delayed NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at North Wilkesboro Speedway to notch his third win of the season. Heim led twice for a race-high 66 laps (of 250) in the TRICON Garage No. 11 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro.
Late Model racer Brenden Queen finished fourth at North Wilkesboro in his first-career Truck Series start behind the wheel of the TRICON Garage No. 1 Tundra TRD Pro, while Stewart Friesen also earned a top-10 result for Toyota with a 10th-place finish.
Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
North Wilkesboro Speedway
Race 10 of 23 – 250 Laps, 156.25 Miles
TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, COREY HEIM
2nd, Grant Enfinger*
3rd, Layne Riggs *
4th, BRENDEN QUEEN
5th, Sammy Smith*
10th, STEWART FRIESEN
13th, TAYLOR GRAY
16th, TANNER GRAY
26th, TIMMY HILL
27th, DEAN THOMPSON
*non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
COREY HEIM, No. 11 Safelite Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage
Finishing Position: 1st
Was there any point where this win was in doubt for you other than when your truck was under water yesterday?
“That was crazy. Definitely a crazy weekend with the weather and whatnot, but I knew since practice that we had the speed. I can’t say enough about these TRICON Garage guys. What a truck, what a weekeend. I knew we had potential from practice and we put it all together and executed great today. So, a huge thank you to them, Safelite and Toyota Racing for everything.”
How proud are you of this team and the performance level of your Tundra today?
“Honestly, I was dissapointed because I thought it was going to be more single groove and sure enough the repave actually was great. We could move around and yeah, it was a lot of fun. Obviously, this truck was phenomonal. Huge thank you to TRICON Garage and Toyota Racing for everything. Our Safelite Tundra TRD Pro was so good today. Hats off to everyone with the repave. I think it raced a lot better than last year. Glad to come here and get a win.”
Were you surprised by the racing today and was it fun today?
“Yeah, really I thought it was going to be go to the bottom and hang on kind of a deal. But we actually moved around a lot and you had to find the grip so that’s what short track racing is all about and I’m glad to be a part of it.”
Is this a statement win for your team as you push toward the Playoffs?
“Yeah, I think so. It should be three in a row for us. We led every lap last week before we got wrecked. Just can’t say enough about TRICON Garage. These trucks week in and week out were so good and just can’t do it without that speed.”
BRENDEN QUEEN, No. 1 Best Repair Company Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage
Finishing Position: 4th
What are your emotions and thoughts on what you accomplished here today?
“Oh man, I just can’t believe it. We got that speeding penalty and I thought I was conservative on the lights and it just got us – rookie mistake. I told them – well, you know what, congrats to the teammate (Corey Heim). That’s awesome, he gets to go and ride the lift and I know what that feels like. I told the team I was going to get them back in contention and we did.”
Can you describe the racing at the end of the race?
“Just dirty air made it hard on the right front. But in clean air, I felt like we had one of the fastest trucks, man. Seth (Smith, crew chief) and all these boys right here, they’re the reason I finished here, it ain’t me. It’s this TRICON Toyota Tundra, everybody at TRD, Best Repair Company, everybody.”
What was this experience like today?
“Man, this is what I worked for my whole life and never knew if I’d get this opoprtunity. First off, huge thanks to TRICON Garage, everybody at Toyota, TRD, TPC (Toyota Performance Center) for giving me this chance. TRICON Garage brought a fast, fast Best Company Toyota Tundra and I was just lucky to drive it. Got to thank the man above for keeping us all safe. I just never knew if I would get this opportunity. “Butterbean” Nation has stuck with me as you can see. I’m just blessed, man, and I just hope that I can turn this into some more opportunities. I love racing my Late Model, but this is my dream to get to the next level. I hated to put my team in that box with that penalty and I told them, ‘We’re going to get back to the front one way or another.’ And, they deserve it. Those guys at the shop, they put the hours in and that’s why this truck is fast. I’m just the lucky guy that gets to hold the wheel.”
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