Copyright Essentially Sports
Ty Majeski’s 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series title at Phoenix Raceway was the kind of dominant drive that etched his name into the record books. He qualified on the pole for the championship race, led a staggering 132 of the 150 laps, and pulled away in the final green-flag run to claim the win by 3.945 seconds. But this year, it’s been all about one standalone champ. Corey Heim, driver of the No. 11, dominated the season, winning as many races as his car number. No one, including Majeski himself, would be surprised if Heim goes on to repeat the same feat on Friday. But that doesn’t mean Majeski’s given up. In fact, he has a very strong reason not to, as he’s found the No. 11’s weak point to target. Majeski warns Heim With the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship on the line, defending champion Ty Majeski wants to repeat his last year’s show. He isn’t holding back, and his latest comments sound more like a warning than confidence. Majeski believes title favorite Corey Heim is under “a lot of pressure” because of his dominating season. “They’ve won a lot of races this year, and everybody’s expecting them to go to Phoenix and perform as they’ve been all season long. I don’t think anybody would be shocked if they went out and did that.” Majeski sees the weight Heim carries. Eleven wins scream supremacy, but the playoffs flip the script to one lap, one shot. Heim storms in as the man to beat, but Majeski smells blood in the water. The champion knows Phoenix’s oval flips favorites on their heads, and a storm of expectation can sink a ship faster than a bad restart. He took note of Heim’s frustrated comments after Martinsville, “I caught Corey’s press conference at the end of Martinsville, and a lot of it was about how silly the playoff format is, and to me, he mentioned us a couple times.” This was the loophole where Majeski saw an opening, where Heim criticized NASCAR’s playoff format for ignoring season-long dominance. “So I feel like we have him right where we want him. I think we’re certainly a threat to him, and we’re going to apply the pressure.” Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports Heim’s Martinsville remarks, calling the format “silly” and “unfair” despite his record-breaking regular season, hinted that the pressure of being the favorite might be starting to weigh heavily. Heim’s gripes at Martinsville showed the toll. Dominance all year, but one bad night could erase it. Majeski grins at the crack; the champ knows pressure flips poise to panic. Storming into the finale, Majeski’s team storms the hunt, ready to shove the leader off the ledge. Majeski’s storm keeps building. His 2024 Phoenix pole and 132-lap lead set the bar; now he storms back to defend it. Heim’s 11 wins loom large, but the playoffs level the land. One lap flips fate, and Majeski’s message lands clear: we’re the storm you didn’t see coming. The storm brews. Phoenix waits under desert lights, a 150-lap war where one shove steals the crown. Majeski storms in, eyes on the throne, ready to make the favorite flinch. Heim’s horizon 2026: Truck, Xfinity, Cup Mix? Majeski’s storm keeps Corey Heim grounded in the now, but 2026 looms large for the 23-year-old phenom. Sam Hunt Racing’s full-time grab of Harrison Burton clouds Heim’s Xfinity hopes, leaving his future a three-series scramble with TRICON Garage, Sam Hunt, and 23XI Racing. Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports broke it down: Sam Hunt’s Burton lockout douses Sam Hunt’s Xfinity door. Heim eyes part-time in all three, Truck, Xfinity, Cup, no full-time lock. The 2025 storm keeps him in the title chase, but next year’s a patchwork plan. Heim craves Cup full-time, but 23XI’s Bubba Wallace, Tyler Reddick, and Riley Herbst fill the slots. Sponsor cash seals Herbst’s seat; Heim hunts his own. Storming through 2025’s 11 wins, the storm keeps him in the spotlight, but 2026’s a storm of starts, not a straight shot. The storm clears. Phoenix crowns one; Heim storms on, chasing the full-time dream. Majeski’s threat meets Heim’s hustle; one storms to glory, the other to the next lap.
