Sam Hunt Racing announced that they will have two full-time entries in the Xfinity/O'Reilly Auto Parts Series next year, expanding from one in 2025.
Harrison Burton will join Dean Thompson with the team for next year, after the team's No. 24 car was shared between eight part-time drivers at 16 different races so far this year.
One of those part-timers is Truck Series championship favorite Corey Heim, with this latest news taking his most likely Xfinity drive off the table for next year – with NASCAR insider Bob Pockrass hinting that Heim may not have a full-time seat in any series in 2026.
Kaden Honeycutt is widely expected to replace Heim in the No. 11 Tricon Garage truck next year, with Pockrass noting that the 23-year-old's Cup Series opportunities depend largely on the outcome of the ongoing legal battle between the team and NASCAR.
Hamlin admits court case key in Heim future
23XI co-owner Denny Hamlin admitted as much recently when asked about Heim's future with the team, saying: "Well, I mean, I think that obviously the outcome of December 1st, you know, will dictate a lot of things.
"But, again, he's a development driver for 23XI. He's got races on his schedule as, as of right now. And we don't see any of that changing."
On the SHR side, owner Sam Hunt said: “Bringing Harrison in full-time is another major step in this team’s growth process, and I couldn’t be more excited to have him. He not only brings a new level of experience to SHR but is the perfect fit for our team’s culture and vision. I am grateful to everyone involved and am ready to get to work on our next step.”
Heim's 11 Truck Series wins in 2025 (heading into Phoenix) is a single-season record, but despite his historically dominant campaign, one of NASCAR's great young prospects looks likely to have to piece together a part-time schedule in 2026. It's hard not to think that's a massive failure on behalf of a number of organizations.
