{"id":226700,"date":"2025-09-14T17:49:17","date_gmt":"2025-09-14T17:49:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/226700\/"},"modified":"2025-09-14T17:49:17","modified_gmt":"2025-09-14T17:49:17","slug":"michael-jordans-nascar-prodigy-corey-heim-leaves-riley-herbst-in-the-dust-after-just-4-cup-starts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/226700\/","title":{"rendered":"Michael Jordan\u2019s NASCAR Prodigy Corey Heim Leaves Riley Herbst in the Dust After Just 4 Cup Starts"},"content":{"rendered":"

Not a lot of people expected to see Corey Heim lining up at the Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday night, but the Truck Series ace was there nonetheless. Heim took the wheel of the 23XI No.67 and delivered a respectable P6 under the lights.<\/p>\n

After the race, a revealing stat emerged that is sure to embarrass Riley Herbst, the third full-time Cup Series driver for the Michael Jordan co-owned team.<\/p>\n

How Did Corey Heim Outshine Riley Herbst in Just Four Cup Series Starts?<\/p>\n

Heim showed up for his second double-duty weekend at Bristol, and the Georgia native made it count. He had already conquered the 0.533-mile track in April, finishing third in the Weather Guard Truck Race and eighth in the SciAps 300 NASCAR<\/a> Xfinity Series race. Saturday night\u2019s sixth-place finish in the No. 67\u00a0proved that success wasn\u2019t just a fluke.<\/p>\n

The result was even more impressive considering the circumstances. This was the first playoff elimination race, where Cup Series heavyweights fought desperately for every position. Heim not only held his own but finished ahead of several established stars, landing right outside the top five in just his fourth Cup Series appearance of 2025.<\/p>\n

Heim\u2019s Cup Series journey this season started strong with a 13th-place finish at Kansas Speedway in May. However, the next two outings brought him back to reality. He suffered a DNF at Nashville a few weeks later, then managed only a 29th-place finish\u00a0at Richmond in August.<\/p>\n

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With his 6th place finish, Corey Heim now has more Top 15\u2019s than Riley Herbst this season in his 4th start (2). pic.twitter.com\/aa0CsVLCPV<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 No Context NASCAR (@NoContextNyoom) September 14, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The Bristol finish gave Heim his second top-15 result of the season, putting him ahead of Herbst<\/a>, who has managed more than one top-15 finish in 29 races. Meanwhile, Herbst finished 18th at Bristol, his best result since July, but still couldn\u2019t match the part-timer\u2019s consistency.<\/p>\n

What Does This Mean for Herbst\u2019s Future with 23XI Racing?<\/p>\n

Herbst moved up to the Cup Series full-time in 2025 after five seasons in the Xfinity Series. 23XI Racing placed the three-time Xfinity Series winner in the No. 35, joining Bubba Wallace in the No. 23 and Tyler Reddick in the No. 45.<\/p>\n

The transition has been rough. Herbst is averaging a 26.24 finish this season, with his lone top-15 coming at Texas Motor Speedway in the Wurth 400. For a driver expected to help 23XI Racing establish itself as a three-car powerhouse, those numbers tell a concerning story.<\/p>\n

Reports indicate that Heim will run several Cup Series races for 23XI Racing in a fourth car next year, though the exact number depends on the outcome of the team\u2019s ongoing NASCAR lawsuit. He\u2019s also expected to compete in Xfinity Series races for Sam Hunt Racing, with his schedule still being finalized.<\/p>\n

For now, Heim remains focused on capturing the Craftsman Truck Series championship. He has claimed eight victories in 20 starts this season, including three wins in his last four Truck Series outings. But Saturday night\u2019s performance proved he\u2019s ready for bigger challenges whenever the opportunity arises.<\/p>\n