Because some NASCAR Cup Series teams owned by multi-billionaire NBA superstars still need to rely on underachieving pay drivers to stay afloat, reigning NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Corey Heim is still stuck in the lower levels. In fact, this year, he's not even running full-time.
No matter, though. Heim has won twice in three appearances to start the 2026 season, including on Friday at Rockingham Speedway when he held off hard-charging TRICON Garage teammate Kaden Honeycutt.
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleDespite missing two races, he is the series' points leader after five events, thanks to the extra bonus points for wins NASCAR instituted to compensate for the demise of the win-and-in playoff format.
So, in other words, there is a legitimate chance Heim could compete for the Truck Series title despite not even having a ride for the full season. Except for one problem: he's not allowed to.
Corey Heim is being absolutely robbed by the dumbest rule in NASCAR
Ever since 2014, NASCAR has made it clear that all drivers must compete in every race in order to be eligible to make the playoffs. Of course, the sanctioning body has handed out waivers like candy to circumvent this in cases of emergency, with "emergency" more accurately defined as "literally anything".
Missed races due to injury? Cool. Suspended for an on-track incident? Fine. Suspended for an off-track incident? You bet!
You decided to compete in different race in a different series that you knew might be a direct conflict? Uh... hold on, let's think about it for a few weeks... yeah, sure!
What won't you get a waiver for, though? Apparently, just not having a ride for a few races here and there, even if you've scored enough points to qualify over drivers who have.
Grant Enfinger got royally screwed over by this rule back in 2021, when he had to split time between two different teams and missed the season's second race at the Daytona International Speedway road course.
This was with the win-and-in format, when it was understandable to have the full-time requirement in place; we can't have someone running a partial schedule and making the playoffs just because they won once.
But Enfinger didn't. He didn't even win that season. He would have made it into the playoffs on points, sitting eighth in the full-season standings prior to the reset. Right then and there, NASCAR should have adjusted the rule, making it so that if you're good enough to get in on points as a part-time driver, you can be in the field.
Now, that's the only way to qualify, and we still have to put up with this silliness.
It's irrelevant how many races Heim runs this year. As it stands right now, the series points leader is quite literally ineligible to win the championship. It's every bit as ridiculous as it sounds.