NASCAR
Is Corey Truly in Charge? Looking at the Craftsman Truck Series Contenders
24 races and eight months of anticipation have whittled the Craftsman Truck Series down to four remaining contenders. A history-making run has largely defined 2025 in the Trucks, but it has one hurdle left to end on top. Corey Heim, Ty Majeski, Tyler Ankrum, and Kaden Honeycutt all head to battle over 150 laps around Phoenix Raceway for a NASCAR championship. One of these men will be holding the big trophy high at week’s end. Here’s a look at each of their chances for this career-making achievement.
Corey Heim
What more needs to be said about the 2025 season for Corey Heim? 11 wins through 24 starts, including four Playoff victories, have put the No. 11 in unmatched air. No driver in Truck Series history has seen a season this dominant, with no true weakness shown anywhere. Heim’s only poor results this year came after mechanical issues or a rare wreck. Since a flat tire at Pocono in June, the TRICON Garage driver has not finished worse than third. Coming on the heels of two wins split by a runner-up in the Round of 8, all eyes and pressure are on Heim to perform again in Phoenix.
“I think objectively everything as far as what we are doing on our side is all very positive,” Heim said. “I think for, you know, for lack of a better word, I feel like we’re just doing what we need to do, you know, going into Phoenix and have the equipment where we need to be. Have our mindsets where we need to be. Everyone’s clicking and everyone’s bonding very well within the team. So, that’s all good. It’s just, you know, I think everyone knows kind of the state of what next week brings. It’s just very out of control at times. We just got to do what we can do to stay up front and stay out of the mayhem of Phoenix. But as far as our approach and our side of things, I think it’s going really well. So kind of just doing everything we can to optimize our approach to Phoenix and get there and execute.”
“We definitely looked into where we lacked last year and I think a lot of that was myself. I think looking at data from really any short track or one mile and under racetrack, I definitely had one major glaring weakness including [Martinsville], and I was able to fix that. I was able to fix that at other racetracks and I think I’m able to fix that at Phoenix. You just can’t really project it until you get there, of course. But I feel like we’re working on the right things. Of course, we’ve gotten a little bit of a head start on other guys. Just kind of I really haven’t done a lot of sim for [Martinsville] leading up to it at all. We were really focused on just tuning everything for Phoenix just since we were lacking in some departments last year. But I personally think we’re working on the right things. I guess we’ll find out on Thursday night.”
Heim has delivered victories on every track type this season, putting up otherworldly stats reading like a videogame on easy mode. Phoenix Raceway is the final road block in Heim’s march to the championship stage–a track he has yet to conquer. Heim was runner-up in the finale last year, but the No. 11 team is exponentially better 12 months later. Heim will likely be lights-out fast again in the desert, but any unforced error could see this impressive season end in ultimate disappointment.
Corey Heim’s No. 11 Safelite Toyota Tundra on the grid at Martinsville Speedway before winning the Slim Jim 200 on Friday, October 24, 2025. Photo Credit: Peter Stratta/TSJSports
Ty Majeski
With all points advantages wiped away, Ty Majeski may just be the favorite heading back to Phoenix. The ThorSport Racing driver was unbeaten in this race last year, taking the 2024 Truck Series title after leading almost every lap. The No. 98 has yet to find victory lane again, but knows his team can get the job done here.
“All the pressure is on [Heim],” Majeski said. “It would be a disappointing season for him not to be champion. Obviously, he’s certainly deserving. They’ve been the best team all year. But with the way this point system works, that means absolutely nothing. And we’re on offense next week.”
“You know, been there done that right. So just another race, prepare like we always do. Like I said, I feel like we’re playing with house money. I think the other three are. It’s Corey’s to lose, and we’re going to put the pressure on him.”
Majeski’s best result so far in 2025 has been second, on two similar short ovals at IRP and Richmond Raceway. Laps led a week ago at Martinsville show recent speed out of this Ford as well, with a second-straight title up for grabs. If anyone is to truly rival Heim on Friday night, do not put it past Majeski to stink up another show. ThorSport is no stranger to upset championship drives; Majeski hopes to deliver this team title number six.
Ty Majeski’s No. 98 Soda Sense Ford F-150 on the grid at Martinsville Speedway before the Slim Jim 200 on Friday, October 24, 2025. Photo Credit: Peter Stratta/TSJSports
Tyler Ankrum
Making the Championship 4 cut by one mere point was Chevrolet’s lone contender–Tyler Ankrum. The Truck Series veteran in McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s No. 18 ended a record-long losing drought in April at Rockingham. In the 17 starts since, nine top-10s delivered him to fifth in overall points and one marker clear of elimination. Despite making a maiden Championship 4 appearance, Ankrum surprisingly trumps the rest of the field in Truck Series experience. With a best Phoenix result of sixth, Ankrum is eager to possibly turn heads and play upset this weekend.
“I feel great,” Ankrum said. “We’ve worked really hard on Phoenix. It’s kind of weird to say going to Phoenix, considering I’ve been in this Truck Series for however long. I haven’t gone yet. I can say I haven’t been knocked out of the Round of 10, but I have almost every year been knocked out of the Round of 8. So super happy to finally go to Phoenix, have my shot, and see what we can do.”
McAnally-Hilgemann Racing are no strangers to Phoenix success, earning a 1-2 result here in 2023. The odds are admittedly stacked against Ankrum, but craziness has certainly ensued in championship races before. MHR may be admittedly overlooked heading into this finale, as Ankrum strives to get this team their first Truck Series title.
Tyler Ankrum’s No. 18 LiUNA Chevrolet Silverado on the grid at Martinsville Speedway before the Slim Jim 200 on Friday, October 24, 2025. Photo Credit: Peter Stratta/TSJSports
Kaden Honeycutt
If any contender can truly be called ‘The Little Engine That Could,’ it’s the 52 crew and Kaden Honeycutt. The pavement late model star from Texas didn’t even race for this team before Richmond in August. Playing super substitute for the injured Stewart Friesen, Honeycutt has matched Friesen’s 2019 Championship 4 run. That season saw the 52 win at Phoenix; can history repeat itself with a young hotshoe behind the wheel? No matter what happens on Friday night, Honeycutt is eternally thankful for this team taking a chance on him when no other opportunity was available.
“It’s awesome, man,” Honeycutt said. “Just, you know, I very easily could have been on the couch and watching the rest of this year. Thanks to Toyota and Halmar and Chris Larsen and Stewart [Friesen]. I wanted to run this for the championship so bad for him. He deserved to be in the Playoffs, and I hate that he got hurt. But you know, with the opportunity to come and go to the Championship 4, to even have a chance, I’m just so grateful and I’m thankful for Toyota, Halmar, Mohawk Northeast, everyone that works so damn hard on our race team. They deserve it. We’ve had speed this whole Playoff run, and we just haven’t had the results to show for it. And finally tonight, we got a good finish. So, I drove my ass off there. I wanted to do everything I could to solidify ourselves in, and I hate that me and Rajah [Caruth] got together off of [turn] four. I really have to see what that was about. Either way, we get to go next week and it’s pretty incredible.”
“This program is has been good. I just hate that Stewart just wasn’t able to show how good it was in the Playoffs. So like I said, this is for him. This race team, they deserve it so much more than I did. And you know, before I even started this Playoff run, I said, ‘This Playoff run is for that man, Stewart, and for this whole race team.’ I’m just a very lucky person that gets to hold the steering wheel and turn in circles. Regardless if we win it next weekend, it still has been an amazing run and I appreciate everything that they’ve done for me.”
If momentum is to be believed, then Martinsville’s runner up should help fuel Honeycutt into Phoenix. Second proved to be just enough to put Honeycutt in by a points tiebreaker. This marked his Truck Series career high point through 57 starts, and his first top-five since Pocono. The reigning CARS Tour Pro Late Model champion hopes to add another big trophy to his case.
Kaden Honeycutt’s No. 52 Halmar International Toyota Tundra on the grid at Martinsville Speedway before the Slim Jim 200 on Friday, October 24, 2025. Photo Credit: Peter Stratta/TSJSports
Heim has rightfully separated himself as the overwhelming title favorite. While the TRICON No. 11 chases a 12th checkered flag on the year, his three rivals all combine for one win so far. A lot of drama, pressure, and intrigue can unfold over the 150-lap desert sprint, however. The Truck Series title remains very much up for grabs between any of these title hopefuls. Who takes to Phoenix Raceway the quickest may have their name etched into NASCAR history books as King of the Road for 2025.
Written by Peter Stratta
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