NASCAR driver Corey Heim was punched by members of Chad Bryant Racing following post-race contact at Martinsville Speedway.
NASCAR driver Corey Heim was attacked and punched by members of Chad Bryant Racing on Saturday night following the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 late model race at Martinsville Speedway.
Wreck triggers pit road confrontation
The altercation followed contact between Heim and Treyten Lapcevich on the cooldown lap. Heim placed second and Lapcevich finished third in the race, which Caden Kvapil won. After the checkered flag, Lapcevich moved Heim toward the curb, and Heim’s car slid up the track, spun Lapcevich, and went airborne over his hood. Both cars rolled onto pit road heavily damaged.
Video footage showed crew members from Chad Bryant Racing confronting Heim in front of Martinsville’s infield hot dog stand. Heim was pushed against a menu board reading “A Half Mile of Mayhem” and hit multiple times. Heim wore a 23XI Racing firesuit and held a helmet, but he didn’t strike back. Fox News reported that team owner Chad Bryant took part in the altercation alongside his crew.
Heim responds on social media
Hours after the brawl, Heim posted a selfie on X giving a thumbs-up. “Solid effort, but at least make it count next time,” Heim wrote. Former NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. reacted on social media by highlighting the location, writing, “The thing of it is, those are some damn good hotdogs.”
The outlets gave differing accounts of the history of the ValleyStar Credit Union 300. Fox News reported that the late model stock car event has run for more than five decades, while an EssentiallySports report carried by Yahoo Sports stated the race was in its 31st year, paying $32,000 to win from a $125,095 purse.
Heim, who won NASCAR Cup Series races at San Diego and Indianapolis during the 2026 season, is set to compete full-time for 23XI Racing next season.
