Any child would love to walk away with a trophy, even if it was just for participation. But not Corey Heim. The NASCAR driver has a rather distinct memory from his quarter-midget racing days, when even flipping his car upside down could earn him a trophy. Even back then, he struggled to see the value in receiving a recognition simply for participating, and years later nothing has changed.

Speaking to Steven Taranto, Heim was asked about the 2027 Rookie of the Year picture, with another young prospect preparing to enter the Cup. And well, he decided to take the time to cite what he thinks is a major flaw.

“I’ve never been a guy that said, ‘I want to be the rookie of the year.’” Heim told Steven Taranto. “I want to win races and be a champion. That’s always been my goal. Never written down on my vision board. I want to be rookie of the year—none of that stuff. But it looks like Jesse will be a rookie next year, and I think he’s super talented. So I think it’ll be a really good battle to keep up with during the year.

“I hate when people get participation trophies, and that’s, if Jesse’s the only one, I mean, that’s kind of what it is, not to knock on Zilisch at all, but I think he literally finished like last on points, and they’re going to hand him a trophy and say he’s rookie of the year. Like I said, it’s not a knock on him. He’s going to be great. He’s going to win races, but it’s like we’ve got nothing to compete against.”

Heim’s criticism centered on Connor Zilisch, who is set to receive the 2026 Cup Series Rookie of the Year award after a difficult first season with Trackhouse Racing. The 20-year-old arrived in Cup following an impressive 2025 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series campaign, winning 10 races and finishing runner-up in the standings.

However, the transition proved challenging. He ended the season 33rd, with no wins, two top-10 finishes, and 10 DNFs. Although his performances showed signs of improvement towards the end, he had spent much of the year fighting simply to establish himself in the field.

Zilisch was the only declared candidate for the 2026 honor, leaving no other eligible driver against whom his campaign could be measured. Heim was careful to separate his criticism of the system from his opinion of the young Trackhouse driver, whose potential remains considerable.

The 2027 rookie conversation could have a different dynamic with Jesse Love joining Wood Brothers Racing. The 2025 O’Reilly Series champion will replace Josh Berry in the No. 21 Ford, bringing championship credentials and considerable experience from NASCAR’s lower divisions. Love has made seven Cup starts but remains within the 12-start threshold for Rookie of the Year consideration.

Heim, however, will not be part of that contest. NASCAR’s rules restrict Rookie of the Year candidates to drivers with no more than 12 previous Cup starts. Heim has exceeded that limit with 20 starts, having already made his mark in the series through his part-time appearances. 

He was eligible to apply for the 2026 award but did not pursue it, meaning the 2027 season will also begin without him in the running for the honor.

This isn’t the first time Heim has raised concerns about the award. Back in August, he was asked whether he was upset about being ruled out of Rookie of the Year consideration. Even then, he made it clear that his frustration was less about missing out on an individual accolade and more about what the award represents.

“I mean, yeah, my only problem with it really is, you’re sort of losing value to that award,” Heim said. “I think if you want that award to mean something, if you’re giving somebody a trophy and you say, here you go, you’re the best rookie, are you really? Or are you not?

“That’s my thing: if you’re gonna give someone a trophy and take a picture, make it worth something, and it’s losing its value.”

For Heim, this isn’t an opinion formed overnight. His dislike of participation trophies goes back to his quarter-midget racing days.

“There’s nothing worse than growing up in quarter-midget racing, and you get literally a participation trophy. Like, they used to basically give us trophies if we flipped over with an upside-down quarter-midget on,” Heim said.

He isn’t alone beating the drums to this tune, even Brad Keselowski seems to agree with him on this.

Brad Keselowski says NASCAR’s Rookie of the Year system is broken

Keselowski knows what Heim is going through. He found himself in a similar position in 2009 after winning at Talladega. Rather than limit his Cup appearances, he chose to make 10 more starts, a decision that ultimately cost him his Rookie of the Year eligibility. And he expressed how he thinks the system is flawed.

“I felt the same way,” Keselowski told NASCAR journalist Tim Moore. “I thought it was a farce. I thought the system was broken. It hasn’t changed, and unfortunately for guys like Corey, it’s a reality.”

He also believes that the award should mean something.

“The Rookie of the Year needs to mean something,” Keselowski said. “It needs to carry weight. And the way it’s set up now, it disincentivizes the evolving process to win it to becoming a successful driver.”

But Heim, of course, has no time to wait around; he has already achieved much and new opportunities awaiting him.

Corey Heim has already exceeded expectations in NASCAR Cup Series

His results explain why the distinction matters little to his career trajectory. He has already won twice in the Cup Series in 2026, following a record-breaking 12-win Truck Series championship campaign in 2025. His performances have also earned praise from 23XI Racing co-owner Denny Hamlin, who has called him a generational talent.

Heim, however, remains grounded despite the expectations that come with such recognition.

“I’ve come to appreciate the accomplishments from the opportunities I’ve had up to this point, but I feel like calling me a generational talent is a reflection of what I’ve already done,” Heim said. “And now it’s not necessarily my job to back that up. I think it’s just my job to at least meet those expectations and perform at a high level, like I’m expected to do.”

A full-time opportunity awaits Corey Heim at 23XI Racing

Hamlin’s confidence in Heim is backed by the opportunity awaiting him in 2027. The 23XI prospect will replace Riley Herbst in the No. 35 Toyota, joining Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick in the team’s Cup lineup. 

Herbst is moving to Legacy Motor Club’s No. 84 entry, opening the door for Heim to take on a full-time role with an organization that has already demonstrated its ability to compete for victories and championships.

Reddick has established himself as a consistent front-runner, while Wallace has also delivered race-winning performances for the team. With Toyota’s technical support and Hamlin’s experience guiding the organization, Heim will have the equipment and infrastructure to compete at the highest level.

The challenge now is translating his part-time success into a full-season campaign. And that’s where his focus right now is.

“My goal is to win races and make the Chase, hopefully give it somewhat of a run for money for a championship next year,” Heim said. “And that’s kind of my priority.”