Corey Heim will compete full-time in 2027, but he will not be eligible for a postseason award due to a recent change made by NASCAR.
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He will not be able to compete for Rookie of the Year while driving for 23XI Racing. He is no longer eligible due to making too many starts at NASCAR's top level before his "rookie" season.
"When you're looking at a rookie, they've changed," Mike Forde, vice president of racing communications, explained in the latest episode of the Hauler Talk podcast. "The rookie designation has changed over the years, and also, not all rookies are created equal.
"In that, to be a rookie, you actually have to apply to be a Rookie of the Year candidate. So you can go through the entire season and be a rookie, be a first-year driver, and not be technically a Rookie of the Year candidate if you didn't apply to do so. And then recently, we have changed the rookie criteria."
What is this change? NASCAR has put a limit on the number of races in which a driver can compete in a particular series before applying to be a Rookie of the Year candidate.
In past seasons, NASCAR would look at each application and make a case-by-case decision. This is why both Noah Gragson and Ty Gibbs remained eligible for Rookie of the Year in 2023 despite making 18 and 15 starts in 2022, respectively.
Now, the sanctioning body has set a limit — 12 or fewer starts in the Cup Series, 10 or fewer starts in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series, and eight or fewer starts in the Craftsman Truck Series.
"Corey Heim has 15 (starts) right now, so by rule, he cannot be a rookie in 2027, or at least a Rookie of the Year candidate in 2027," Forde added.
This recent change leaves Heim in a difficult position. He can't win the award in 2027, nor can he win it this season despite winning two races already.
Forde said that Heim didn't apply for Rookie of the Year before taking on a part-time campaign with 23XI Racing this season. This means that Trackhouse Racing driver Connor Zilisch is still the only eligible driver for the award in 2026.
Jesse Love will also likely be a shoo-in for the award next season as he joins Wood Brothers Racing. He has only made seven Cup Series starts, and he will not have to contend with Heim.
