Corey Heim has been confirmed as the new No. 35 driver for 23XI Racing from 2027 onwards. The team has decided to promote its first-ever development driver into a full-time Cup seat.

Heim debuted for 23XI in the 2024 Cup race at Nashville, and the announcement of his going full-time with the Toyota team came at the same track this weekend. The 23-year-old drove five races in the No. 67 Toyota last year, and this year he is set to race in 12 events, including this Sunday at Nashville Superspeedway. 

Corey Heim grew up a Denny Hamlin fan and has often exchanged notes with the 23XI co-owner. While Heim will drive full-time for his idol’s team, it seems like the fandom goes vice versa. Hamlin and Heim sat down in front of the press after the announcement, and Hamlin had high praise for the reigning truck champion.

"Obviously, very well deserved, and for our company, it’s generational drivers only come by every now and then, and I firmly believe we have one here," the three-time Daytona 500 winner said (via Cup Scene on YouTube). "I’m really excited about what he’s going to bring to our team and the performance that he's going to bring."

Hamlin also praised Heim’s work ethic, saying it’s something that makes the team excited looking ahead at the future. Heim, too, was ecstatic. A full-time Cup drive seemed a long time coming after he won a record 12 races in the Truck series in 2025. Heim spoke about the opportunity and said:

"It means the world to me. I firmly believe that as a driver, you just have to be around the right people to succeed. I’ve only started, I think, 10 races for 23XI Racing, but I really feel like this is my home and these people treat me very well."

When did Denny Hamlin realise Corey Heim was “Generational”?

Denny Hamlin was asked when he realised that Corey Heim was a special talent. Having come through the Toyota pipeline, Heim has looked like a driver who was set to have a Cup drive much earlier. 

“It was before his historic season last year. I don't know, 2023-24, somewhere in that range, it’s probably 2023," Hamlin replied. "So yeah, it’s been a long time, and I knew he had went through the Toyota pipeline, which is another great sign of the investment they’re putting into their drivers."

Hamlin elaborated on why he thinks Heim is so talented and what sets him apart. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver added:

"He’s going to be a success story from that (Toyota program). It was many, many years ago, and mostly it was just the race craft in general; it wasn’t speed or finishes or anything like that."

Comparing Corey Heim's racecraft to that of Tyler Reddick, who has been dominating the 2026 NASCAR Cup season, Hamlin further added:

"Very similar to Tyler(Reddick) in the sense that I know when his vehicle is in a certain position that’s a very vulnerable position, and he still finds a way to get out of it and makes a move on whoever he’s trying to pass… the great ones find ways to make them and make it look easy when I know it’s not.”

While Hamlin expressed his joy, Heim made it clear that this is an opportunity he has been waiting for a long time. Now that it’s come, he will latch onto it and make the seat his own after replacing Riley Herbst.

You can read more on the Daytona Racing Digest!

Written by

Debrup Chaudhuri

Edited by

Yask Kotak