“This is a dream come true.” That’s how Corey Heim described his opportunity with 23XI Racing this season. The young driver finally got a shot in the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series, but his journey to this point has been anything but smooth. This past weekend at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA), Heim made his first Xfinity Series start of 2025. However, the race didn’t go as planned. After running competitively early on, Heim got spun in the chaos and ended up finishing outside the top 30.
For most drivers, a rough race like that would just be part of the learning curve. But for Heim, every misstep is magnified. Unlike some of his Toyota Racing Development (TRD) teammates, he never had the luxury to get chances with Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR). Despite being one of TRD’s top prospects, it’s shocking that he never got a chance in Toyota’s best team. And this treatment has not gone unnoticed by the NASCAR fans. Especially with Ty Gibbs being handed the reins of the No. 54 car while Heim is restricted to partial Cup races and Truck Series rides.
Does Corey Heim deserves a full-time ride in the Cup Series?
Corey Heim’s path to the NASCAR Cup Series has taken an unconventional route. Instead of joining Toyota’s top-tier team, Joe Gibbs Racing, he has found a home with 23XI Racing. The team co-owned by Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan offered him a part-time Cup run in No.67 Toyota. Additionally, Heim also signed on with Sam Hunt Racing (SHR) for Xfinity Series races with backing from 23XI.
The TRICON Garage driver got his first Xfinity shot in COTA but failed to put up a show. Following his COTA run, fans took to social media to voice their frustrations. Many accused JGR of intentionally keeping Heim out due to his long-standing rivalry with Joe Gibbs’s grandson Ty Gibbs. One fan summed it up bluntly, writing, “Corey Heim and Ty Gibbs have a feud going back to the 2021 ARCA season that apparently got very personal.”
To understand why fans are calling out JGR, one has to look back at Heim’s 2021 ARCA Menards Series rivalry with Ty Gibbs. That season saw the two Toyota drivers go head-to-head in an intense battle for the championship. The bad blood between them escalated after multiple on-track incidents. At Elko Speedway, Heim moved Gibbs out of the way for a win and later said, “He’s probably mad because he lost like he usually is.” Their aggressive racing style led to multiple clashes throughout the year, but in the end, Gibbs won the title, taking 10 wins to Heim’s six.
Corey Heim
While Heim proved he could go toe-to-toe with Gibbs, it appeared to have lasting consequences. When JGR promoted young drivers, the team overlooked Heim. Even though Heim consistently performed at a high level, JGR never offered him a serious shot. It’s hard to ignore the pattern. Joe Gibbs Racing has fielded Xfinity rides for multiple Toyota-backed drivers including Taylor Gray and Joe Graf Jr. but never for Heim.
Many fans believe it all comes down to one thing: Gibbs and Heim don’t get along, and JGR refuses to put anyone in a car who might challenge their golden boy. Notably, the ongoing season has been a testament to Heim’s skills and abilities. He finished second in Daytona but later won after officials disqualified Parker Kligerman’s car. He is currently the leading Toyota driver in the points table.
On the other hand, Ty Gibbs had a struggling 2024 season where he remained winless. In 2025, Joe Gibbs-led squad decided to shuffle crew chiefs and gave Gibbs a strong partner. But there is little progress to be seen in the first three races. In Daytona, he finished 16th but failed to crack into the Top 30 in the next two races. He also had multiple incidents in the first three races. These dismal performances have fuelled the anger in fans who continue to accuse Joe Gibbs of nepotism.
Fans continue to question Joe Gibbs!
NASCAR fans aren’t shy about calling out what they see as unfair treatment, and Corey Heim’s situation has sparked plenty of debate. Many believe this is a clear case of nepotism, with Joe Gibbs prioritizing his grandson’s career over true talent. “Toyota has funded a ride with sponsorship for Heim at SHR, and JGR has had Toyota-sponsored rides in Xfinity but not for Heim. I think if you’re the top team and you have a top prospect, you would want to grow them,” a user wrote.
Another user echoed the sentiments and said, “Because Taylor Gray and William Sawalich are not more deserving.” Notably, The numbers back up the argument. At just 22 years old, Heim has won 12 Truck Series races and holds the record as the youngest driver with more than 10 wins in the series. He made it to Championship 4 in the last two seasons and has been the top Toyota driver. Yet, instead of developing him within JGR, the team has forced him to find his own way.
Some fans have even gone as far as saying Heim is better than Gibbs which doesn’t suit the JGR team. “The known-for-sure reason is that Ty Gibbs and Corey Heim just don’t like each other. Corey Heim is more talented than Ty Gibbs, and that hurt little Gibbs’ fragile ego,” a user commented. Now, the real test for Heim will be when he gets behind the wheel in the No. 67 car at Kansas Speedway. This will be a perfect opportunity for him to show the world that he’s a better driver than Ty Gibbs.
Another user echoed the sentiments and said, “I get that Ty and Corey don’t like each other, but they’re both grown adults. JGR should quit being petty and sign one of the most talented young up-and-comers.” Although JGR onboarded Chase Briscoe, they are going to need a new driver in a couple of years. At 44, Denny Hamlin is on the brink of running his final few seasons at a top level and grooming young talent is what JGR should be focusing on.
This remains debatable since Ty Gibbs has a much stronger record in the Xfinity Series with JGR-backed teams, while Heim has struggled with smaller teams. Gibbs has raced in more than 60 Xfinity events, while Heim has only competed in 16. Many believe that, based on his Truck Series stats, Heim could become a NASCAR superstar if given a top-tier ride. But, for now, Heim is focusing on utilizing the part-time opportunity with 23XI Racing.
The post ‘Dirty Laundry Is Out’, Joe Gibbs Face Serious Accusations as NASCAR Fans Rips Into JGR’s Biggest Nepotism Coverup appeared first on EssentiallySports.
