Corey Heim wins Brickyard 400 after late pass on Denny Hamlin
Corey Heim beat Christopher Bell by 0.287 seconds at Indianapolis for his first Brickyard 400 victory and second Cup win of 2026.
By Deshawn Carter · Sports Writer
3 min read
Corey Heim Brickyard 400 history came fast and loud Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where the 24-year-old slipped past Denny Hamlin on the final restart and stayed out front to win one of NASCAR’s crown-jewel races.
The Associated Press reported that Heim led the final 35 laps on the 2.5-mile oval, then kept Christopher Bell behind him by 0.287 seconds at the finish. Joey Logano, winner the previous week, took third, 0.972 seconds off Heim’s pace.
It was Heim’s second NASCAR Cup Series win of the season, even though AP noted he is not scheduled to become a full-time Cup driver until next season. AP also reported that Heim is the first Cup driver since A.J. Foyt in 1965 to win twice within his first 15 career starts.
How did Corey Heim win the Brickyard 400?
Heim made the move that decided the race on the final restart, going around Hamlin on the outside. From there, he had to manage Bell and Logano closing in while his car became harder to control late in the run.
“That was a damn handful,” Heim said, according to AP. He said the car got loose after the shade came over the track and the pace picked up, forcing him to fight through dirty air and concentrate on corner exits.
Hamlin finished fifth, more than six seconds behind Heim, AP reported. The result still gave Hamlin another owner’s win at Indianapolis through 23XI Racing, the team ownership group that includes Michael Jordan. Bubba Wallace, Heim’s teammate, won the 2025 race for the same organization.
For Hamlin as a driver, the wait goes on. AP reported that he is now 0-for-18 at Indianapolis as he continues chasing the one crown-jewel win missing from his NASCAR résumé.
Todd Gilliland cashes in as Blaney gets caught
Todd Gilliland grabbed the $1 million In-Season Challenge prize after starting 36th, according to AP. He spent much of the race trailing 2023 Cup champion Ryan Blaney, then got the break he needed when Blaney was swept into a nine-car crash with 41 laps remaining.
Team Penske’s crew worked to get Blaney’s No. 12 Ford back into the fight, but AP reported he could not get back ahead of Gilliland. Gilliland finished 24th, while Blaney came home 26th.
The stage results were busy before the late scramble. Ty Gibbs won Stage 1 and placed third in Stage 2, but AP reported he fell to 14th during a Stage 3 pit sequence. Ross Chastain won the second stage.
Kyle Larson’s winless run stretches again
Kyle Larson’s rough weekend ended early. AP reported that the defending Cup champion finished last in the 39-car field after a left-rear tire failure sent him into the wall near the end of Stage 1.
Larson had qualified 10th, more than three-tenths of a second behind pole winner Carson Hocevar, according to AP. He said afterward that the tire let go and did not blame pushing too hard, calling it “a little bit of bad luck.”
AP reported that Larson’s Cup winless streak is now at 46 races. Since joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2021, he has won 26 races and two series championships, but his most recent victory came at Kansas in May 2025.
Daniel Dye also went out before the end of Stage 2 after a blown tire put him in the wall, AP reported. Chase Elliott was another early exit after hitting the wall and losing the right rear wheel.
What comes next for the Cup Series?
After 16 straight weeks of racing, AP reported that Cup drivers get a break to begin August. The series returns Aug. 9 at Iowa’s 0.875-mile oval.
William Byron is the defending winner at Iowa, while Blaney won the 2024 night race there, a race AP described as affected by tire problems.
This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.