The Mission 176 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Watkins Glen International on Friday, August 8, ended in a thrilling and historic overtime finish. The event, which was the third truck series race at the track in the last 25 years, saw a rash of mechanical failures and on-track incidents, extending its 72-lap schedule by nine laps. This marked a rare second time in the track’s history that a Truck Series race went into overtime, with the last instance occurring in 1998.
Denny Hamlin’s driver, Corey Heim, secured the victory with a commanding drive in his No. 11 Tricon Garage Toyota. He took the lead on the first overtime restart and skillfully held off former NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Daniel Hemric and rookie Giovanni Ruggiero through two more overtime periods, ultimately winning by 0.202 seconds. After a hard-fought victory at Watkins Glen, Corey Heim had some important positives to say about the runner-up, Daniel Hemric, whose acts in the race earned the 23-year-old’s respect.
Corey Heim respects Daniel Hemric’s clean racing
The Truck Series race was fraught with issues from the very beginning. Several trucks, including Kaden Honeycutt’s, experienced early mechanical failures, and William Lambros triggered the first caution when his truck stalled on the track. Even veteran driver Kyle Busch had a frustrating day, finishing last after a broken steering box ended his race prematurely.
In the third and final overtime showdown, amid the chaos and his struggles, Daniel Hemric was challenging Heim from second place. On the final restart, Hemric anticipated Heim’s move and tried very hard to pass, but he didn’t dangerously force the issue. This is where Hemric earned Heim’s respect, as the latter felt that had Hemric continued to push him aggressively into Turn 2, they both likely would have spun out. In the post-race conference, Heim said, “I think he kind of knew what I was trying to do, and I tried to get as early as possible to throw him off a little bit. But he did a good job, kind of sticking with me and crossing me over into 1. Did everything right, really. Just wasn’t in a bad aero spot. Really got a lot of respect for him for not sticking it through there. Daniel’s always been a clean racer. Props to him for that.”
As you might expect, Corey Heim appreciated Daniel Hemric racing him clean for the win. Mentioned how when he had Hemric in a bad aero spot there were other drivers who wouldn’t have cared and wiped him out.
“To have a guy like that to race around and know that you can race hard… pic.twitter.com/gxa24sLLNJ
— Steven Taranto (@STaranto92) August 9, 2025
Following this, the reporter asked Heim about how different the experience is when there’s someone trustworthy of clean racing like Hemric behind him as opposed to someone else, who may go all the way in instead. Hemric replied, “There’s not a whole lot you can do on your end. I think the end result is just you’re not going to turn around backwards, obviously.”
Corey Heim continued the response and went on to express his gratitude for Daniel Hemric’s sportsmanship. Heim noted that Hemric had the chance to use his bumper to take the lead in the final corners but chose to race clean instead. He respected this decision, which allowed him to maintain his position and secure the victory. To quote his words, “ I feel like I’m surrounded by guys in my career who put them, keep the pedal down, and keep digging. But they just don’t care. So, to have a guy like that to race around and know that you can race hard with him and race tight with them, he’s not going to put himself in a bad spot to put you in a bad spot. I think that’s a really gratifying feeling as a racer, being around a guy who does it the right way.”
Daniel Hemric’s runner-up finish at Watkins Glen his best
Daniel Hemric’s second-place finish at The Glen was a testament to his ability to perform under pressure. For much of the race, he delivered a masterclass in strategic and consistent driving. While Corey Heim secured the win, Hemric’s runner-up position came at a crucial moment in his season, making it a particularly significant result.
The race at Watkins Glen was Hemric’s best career performance on a road course, a testament to the former NASCAR Cup Series driver’s skill. Despite this triumph, Hemric felt he could have done better on the final restart. Speaking to reporters after the race, he admitted, “I undervalued his [Heim’s] potential,” acknowledging that he could have made a better move. This honest self-assessment highlights that while the strong finish was a personal victory, it also served as a reminder of the uphill battle he still faces to secure a playoff spot.
But considering his latest performance, it is good news for Hemric’s fans. If he can maintain this high level of execution over the next several races, a playoff berth is within reach. However, momentum in racing is a fickle beast, and his biggest hurdle will be consistently delivering results that elevate his standing on the points leaderboard.
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