As the field rounded toward what would end up being the final restart at Pocono, it looked as if the Truck Series was falling back into its rut.

After two new winners in the 2025 season, this race saw the series’ most dominant driver, Corey Heim, lead the majority of the laps with many coming under caution. However, Heim’s bad luck caught up to him yet again and the #11 truck’s right rear tires went flat as they approached.

With Heim, the control car, fading walking controversy Carson Hocevar assumed control of the restart, jumping out to a huge lead. Hocevar’s move was illegal as control was now in the hands of Riggs who never launched. 

As Hocevar drove away, it was only a matter of time until Riggs would assume the lead. With less than 20 laps to go the black flag flew for Hocevar and Riggs, who had been the second fastest truck of the day, assumed the lead. 

From there, all Riggs had to do was cruise to his long awaited first win of 2025. That’s exactly what he did, bouncing back from a disastrous showing at Pocono last season to punch his ticket to the playoffs.

Riggs was close to winning his first race of the season at North Wilkesboro, but a slide into Heim in the closing laps doomed him. That was the story of Riggs’ season, chasing Heim and failing at the end, until today.

While Heim remained dominant, the gap between the two butting rivals appears to be closing. With his ticket to the postseason now confirmed, the championship will most likely come down to the young rivals.   

Heim, for his part, was disappointed at another race that was taken away from him due to out of control circumstances. Heim has continued to lead significant laps, but hasn’t won since Charlotte. 

“We kinda find a new way to have it go away on us each week,” Heim said. “I can’t really put words to it, it’s just unfortunate… just the worst kinda situation you can have there.”

Heim is nearing 900 laps led on the season, leaving Mike Skinners’ series record of 1,533 still within reach. It’ll take a miracle for Heim to break the record for single season wins, needing now to win six of the 11 remaining races. 

After the chaotic restart, Hocevar pleaded with NASCAR to review their decision, arguing he was going slow and eventually had to go. Riggs admitted in his post-race interview he didn’t know why Heim slowed up so much, which means it was unlikely for him to go at all.

This unfortunate position for Hocevar to fall into highlights a need for NASCAR to refine their restart protocols in extreme cases. This was very close to taking out half or the entire field, if Riggs and Hocevar do not launch. 

It was a return to form for cautions in the Truck Series, four cautions took up over a fourth of the laps. Thanks to the series’ reduced lap time, these cautions eat into time that could have been spent racing and made this one a tough watch.

With the amount of non-guaranteed playoff spots closing, look for winless drivers to pick up their aggression heading into the final stretch of the regular season. With four races left before the playoffs begin, two of them at road courses, there’s still a chance for a surprise winner to sneak in.

The Truck Series heads to the first of those two road courses, Lime Rock Park next Saturday with the green flag flying at 10:00 a.m. PST.