Matching legendary milestones set by Jeff Gordon and A.J. Foyt, this generational talent is rewriting the record books before his full-time Cup Series debut even begins
SPEEDWAY, Ind. — Corey Heim just won the Brickyard 400, and it’s time we start treating him like the legitimate championship contender he’s going to be in 2027.
Heim picked up his second win in just six weeks, and his second victory in only his 15th career Cup Series start. That makes him the first driver to accomplish that feat since A.J. Foyt.
He also became the youngest driver to win the Brickyard 400 since Jeff Gordon did it back in 1994. Let that sink in for a second.
Here’s what makes this even crazier — Heim isn’t even full-time yet. He’s not officially a rookie until next season. Right now he’s running part-time in the fourth car for 23XI Racing, and he’s already won two of the biggest and most prestigious races on the schedule: the San Diego Street Course and now the historic Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
That’s not normal.
His 2027 rookie season is already shaping up to be the most anticipated rookie campaign in NASCAR history. And after what we’ve seen from him so far, why should we put any limits on what he can do?
Making The Chase as a rookie would be a huge deal. But honestly, why stop there?
With a full-time ride in a primary car at 23XI Racing next year, driving for the strongest manufacturer in Toyota, and already proving he can win on completely different types of tracks, there’s no reason Heim can’t contend for a championship in his first full season.
Think about it — his boss Denny Hamlin has never won at Indy, yet here’s Heim knocking that one off in just his first trip ever to the historic track.
That tells you everything you need to know about how special this kid is.
He’s a generational talent.
The kind of driver who doesn’t come around very often.
More seat time is only going to make him better. He’s already showing ice-cold composure, racecraft beyond his years, and the ability to close out big races under pressure. Put him in a competitive car every single week and it’s not crazy to think he could dominate.
A lot of people will say it’s too early to talk about a rookie contending for a title. But when a driver is winning at this level in limited starts, you’d be foolish to ignore what’s right in front of us.
Corey Heim isn’t just going to be a solid rookie. He has the potential to be the face of this sport for the next decade and then some.
2027 is going to be his year. The hype is real, and after winning the Brickyard the way he did, it’s time we start putting him in the championship conversation right now. He’s earned it.
This isn’t your average rookie coming up. This is something special.
And if the last few weeks have shown us anything, it’s that Corey Heim is ready to take over.
