At the Brickyard 400, Corey Heim and Carson Hocevar’s rivalry could have just entered a new phase. But unlike most emerging Cup Series feuds, this one comes with history. It began back in the 2023 Truck Series season, when Hocevar’s encounter with Heim ended his championship dreams. Now that both drivers will be competing in the Cup full-time in 2027, Sunday provided another look at what may be in store.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
“You guys love talking about a guy who finished ninth. I mean, holy c–p. All I did was make sure he stayed behind me, and I did and I finished in front of him. I don’t worry about a narrative or a genre. Like, he’s got a ton of talent and he’s going to win a lot of races, and I’m focusing on myself and trying to do the same, you know? That’s really all there is to it.”
After Sunday’s Brickyard 400, Corey Heim showed little desire to contribute to the expanding story about his relationship with Hocevar. However, the race itself did much to sustain the rivalry. Heim ultimately prevailed as the two drivers squared off for a moment during the afternoon. Heim won the crown jewel event in just his fifteenth Cup Series outing, while Hocevar came in ninth.
The flashpoint came on Lap 91 between the two drivers. Heim came down pit road ahead of Hocevar, who moved all the way toward the apron while running alongside his rival. Carson Hocevar appeared to flip him off out of the window during the exchange.
Heim had just let Denny Hamlin, his employer at 23XI Racing, pass him, which made the scenario very intriguing. Hocevar was not treated with the same courtesy. Corey Heim later stated unequivocally that he had no remorse.
“I was blocking him, not really too bad, I thought,” Heim said after the race. “I mean, I was trying to just hold my position, and I never threw like a bad block. I was just trying to protect my entry, and he didn’t like it, but he lost and I won, so I don’t really care.”
Hocevar clearly recognized what was happening. The Spire Motorsports driver admitted that the two have developed a knack for making life difficult for each other on the track.
“We’re both good at manipulating air, so a lot of times, we’re just pis—- each other off,” Hocevar said.
That dynamic could become even more entertaining once both drivers are full-time Cup competitors in 2027.
Hocevar admitted that Heim is particularly difficult to race because of how effectively he uses the air around his car. For a driver trying to advance through traffic, that can make Corey Heim considerably tougher to pass than most of the field.
“I mean, clearly for him, he won, so he don’t care. But for me today, I’m like, damn it. It just makes it more difficult than some of the other guys in the field you can take advantage of. So it’s just like, damn! I wish they were still holding him out and running him part-time because that’s eventually a car I’ll have to race.”
The timing could make their rivalry even more compelling. Heim has already shown he can win at NASCAR’s biggest venues, while Hocevar is entering the next phase of his Cup career with considerable expectations.
Corey Heim has the bragging rights for now. He won the Brickyard, finished ahead of Hocevar, and made sure his old rival stayed behind him. But with both drivers set to share the Cup grid regularly, Sunday may have been less of a conclusion than another chapter.