Corey Heim to join 23XI Racing full-time for 2027 Cup Series season
Corey Heim will drive the No. 35 Toyota for 23XI Racing full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series beginning in 2027, the team announced Saturday.
Heim, the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion, has made 11 Cup starts for 23XI across the past three seasons, including four this year with eight more slated in the No. 67 Toyota. Heim’s next Cup start will come at Nashville on Sunday (7 p.m. ET, Prime Video, HBO Max, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
A development driver for 23XI since 2024, Heim has been touted as one of the sport’s top prospects for years, collecting a record 12 wins in the Truck Series last season en route to his title. In total, Heim has earned 25 Truck victories since 2022. Now, his jump to the Cup Series becomes official in 2027.
“Since I was five years old, all I ever wanted was to be a Cup driver,” Heim said in a team release. “My family and I have sacrificed a ton to get me to this level, and I don’t take that for granted. When the opportunity came up to be a development driver with 23XI Racing, I trusted my gut and knew this was the place I wanted to build a long-term career. From everyone at 23XI to the team at Toyota Racing, I’ve been blessed to have support from so many people along the way. I can’t wait for the 2027 season to begin.”
Team co-owner Denny Hamlin has been keen to see Heim develop, trying to place his young driver in as many Cup races as possible ahead of his first full-time opportunity. In 11 Cup starts, Heim has a best finish of sixth, which came last fall at Bristol Motor Speedway. By stepping into the No. 35 car, Heim will replace Riley Herbst, who has driven the entry since the beginning of the 2025 campaign.
A Georgia native, Heim joins 2024 Regular Season Champion Tyler Reddick and 2025 Brickyard 400 winner Bubba Wallace as teammates in NASCAR’s premier series. Heim’s contributions have already been noticed by his veteran teammates as significant benefits to the organization.
“Corey has been there a lot just trying to understand how to put it all together and make it work,” teammate Bubba Wallace said ahead of the 2026 Daytona 500. “I think he’s a great asset to our team coming off the success he had last year in trucks. I’m excited for him. […] He’s gonna be a major asset to our team. And to see him grow throughout it all, and figure out where he needs to be, put himself in the right spots, that’s all gonna come with time, but I think he adapts really well.”
In four Cup starts this season, Heim has compiled two top-20 finishes, including a 19th-place result in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway last Sunday.