Darlington Truck drama
Corey Heim pulled a stunning last‑lap pass to win the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Darlington, beating Ross Chastain and cementing Heim as an early championship contender (nascar.com). The Friday night finish capped Heim’s second start of the season and reignited talk about his title chances while sparking headlines about the race’s last‑lap theatrics (beyondtheflag.com).
Heim pitted on Lap 145 for scuffed tires that were five laps fresher than the leaders, a strategy call that set up his late surge after he restarted 15th on the first overtime attempt and ninth for the final restart. (nascar.com) The Buckle Up South Carolina 200 at Darlington Raceway on March 20, 2026 went to double overtime and finished with nine cautions for 47 laps, 14 lead changes among eight drivers, a race time of 2:12:39 and an average speed of 97.012 mph. (nascar.com 1) (nascar.com 2) The victory was Heim’s 24th in 91 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts and he led three separate times for a total of 28 laps during the event. (nascar.com) Heim’s 24th career win tied him with Johnny Sauter for fifth‑most all‑time in Truck Series victories, a mark noted by series statisticians after the race. (speedwaydigest.com) Ross Chastain led 35 laps and controlled both overtime restarts before finishing second, while Kaden Honeycutt — who won the pole and led a race‑high 59 laps — restarted second in overtime but slipped to fourth at the checkered flag. (nascar.com) Heim also collected the $50,000 Triple Truck Challenge bonus for the Darlington victory and would be eligible for a $150,000 “Trip” prize if he records a second win in the series at Rockingham Speedway on April 3. (nascar.com) The official margin of victory was 0.145 seconds, underscoring how the late pit stop for fresher tires and the overtime restarts decided the Buckle Up South Carolina 200. (wtop.com)
