Michael Jordan and his NASCAR team, 23XI Racing, have discovered that hot prospect Corey Heim will not be eligible for Rookie of the Year honors in his first full-time season.
Heim will step up to weekly Cup Series racing in 2027 with 23XI Racing having cemented his status as one of the sport’s top young drivers. He has twice been to Victory Lane as a part-time driver for the team co-owned by Jordan and NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin this season, winning the inaugural San Diego Naval Base Coronado race then claiming the prestigious Brickyard 400.
Those results came after it was already confirmed Heim would replace Riley Herbst in the team’s third car next year, lining up as teammate to Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace.
Heim was expected to be the top contender for the Rookie of the Year award in his first full season. But NASCAR has now decided he will not be able to claim the accolade as he has appeared in too many races to be eligible, a ruling deemed controversial among fans.
Mike Forde, NASCAR’s vice president of racing communications, revealed on the latest episode of the Hauler Talk podcast that the new criteria determine a Cup Series driver can have no more than 12 starts prior to the season they declare for Rookie of the Year, with the benchmark set at 10 starts in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and Craftsman Truck Series.
Heim has made 15 Cup Series starts since 2024 and is scheduled to make four more this season before his step up next season. Heim could have competed for this year’s Rookie of the Year award but did not apply, meaning Connor Zilisch will win the award by default as the only driver in contention.
Corey Heim will not be eligible to win the NASCAR Rookie of the Year award next season
Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing team has promoted Heim to a fulltime Cup Series seat in 2027
23XI Racing would have had to apply for Heim to be in consideration for the Rookie of the Year award, but has now discovered that request will not be granted as he no longer meets the new eligibility requirements.
NASCAR had previously operated on a case-by-case basis in terms of reviewing requests, though the process has changed multiple times since the award was first given in 1954.
‘I think seven (starts) was always out there of if you passed that threshold of seven then the NASCAR rookie committee would be able to have a discussion,’ Forde said. ‘They could say, ‘OK, he had eight, or he had nine or 10. He didn’t go that far above it. He wants to be a rookie and wants to shine a light on the program and on the series; it’s good for the sport for him to be a part of the rookie program.’ Then we’d allow that.
‘But I think last year or the year before we kind of put a line in the sand and said, ‘Hey, let’s make it easy for everybody,’ because it did get for a good while there a little bit confusing on not understanding how this person is a rookie with 20 starts last year or whatever. We put some numbers and parameters on there.’
While the new criteria means that Heim will never have a Cup Series Rookie of the Year award on his CV, the 24-year-old is aiming much higher having already made history with his two wins this season.
Heim is the first driver in the modern era to win multiple Cup Series races within his first 15 starts.
There is also discussion over what number Heim will drive in his rookie season. He has driven the No.67 for his two wins this year but had planned to switch to the No.35 driven by Herbst. However, his recent wins in the No.67 have him reconsidering.
During an interview on Stacking Pennies with Corey LaJoie, Heim said: ‘I don’t know. I could be convinced. I’m way more up in the air with it right now than I was a month ago before we had won San Diego.’
Heim has already won two races in the No.67 car despite only being on a part-time schedule
Jordan is an active owner of 23XI Racing, attending multiple races and keeping a close eye
Heim’s stock has risen significantly this season after he made the decision to bet on Michael Jordan’s team and commit his future to 23XI Racing and Toyota when there was high demand for his signature. And Heim has previously opened up on his relationship with the NBA legend, including his surprising nature when they first met.
‘You know, it’s funny, he texts me regardless of whether I run 30th or whether I won the race, you know what I mean,’ Heim told The Express. ‘He’s a super supportive guy, whether it’s a ‘hey, keep your head up’, or a ‘congratulations’ text, it’s always one or the other.
‘He’s very involved, a lot more involved, and I think a lot of people would assume from his perspective. So to hear from him was, of course, it was awesome. I remember the first time I met him was 2025 in Daytona in February for the 500 weekend last year, and it never has felt like I’m talking to Michael Jordan, if that makes sense.
‘He’s such a down-to-earth guy, just has some great stories, and he’s really easy to hang out with and talk to. But he’s also just so supportive, has invested so much into this 23XI organization. The cars have been just fantastic this year, so he’s done a great job, and yeah, just, just super cool to be a part of it, for sure.’
