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CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA – OCTOBER 03: Brent Crews, driver of the #1 JBL Toyota, and Giovanni Ruggiero, driver of the #17 First Auto Group Toyota, race during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series EcoSave 250 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 03, 2025 in Concord, North Carolina. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images)
Thanks to a brilliant, sweeping capture of the podium, TRICON Garage inscribed its name in the history of NASCAR this evening by dominating the performance of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. At the head was Corey Heim, and the other two drivers, Brent Crews and Gio Ruggiero, followed him to the line in the first and third positions, only the third time in series history a team had taken the first three.
The milestone puts TRICON and Thorsport Racing, which have done the dirty in Richmond in 2020 and Las Vegas in 2021, next to each other. In the case of TRICON, the outcome is not only a sculpture of its expanding supremacy, but also showcases the prosperity in the progression of Toyota Racing Development (TRD) drivers.
A Rare Triumph in NASCAR Truck Series History
Really, a tried and tested competitor in the Truck Series with back-to-back appearances in the Championship 4, Corey Heim once again displayed his veteran cool on his way to the money. At the age of 17, Crews managed a storming career-best second, and 19-year-old Gio Ruggiero proved in third with his aggressive, all-out style.
According to NASCAR Insights, TRICON’s sweep places the team in “elite company.” TRICON’s official X account echoed the excitement with the celebratory post “TRICON PODIUMMM”, fueling social media buzz.
This is only the third time in Truck Series history a team swept the top three:
Corey Heim – 1st
Brent Crews – 2nd
Gio Ruggiero – 3rd
Previous:
Thorsport Racing – Richmond 2020 & Las Vegas 2021 https://t.co/trHmFzTGdT
— NASCAR Insights (@NASCARInsights) October 3, 2025
Spotlight on Rising Stars
Corey Heim: The Winner of the race is consolidating what has been a successful year in which he has been one of the consistent performers of the NASCAR Truck Series and has been a guide that has led to success by his younger teammates.
Brent Crews: Crews was a 17-year-old who led a spectacular career when he came second. Crews is the youngest-ever champion in SCCA Trans-Am TA2 ProAm Series history, and the winner of go-kart world titles in 2017 and 2018.
Gio Ruggiero: Racist and driver with an aggressive on-track persona, Ruggiero has developed a reputation due to numerous disciplinary wins in 2023 and good results with the ARCA Series, no fewer than seven top-five finishes in 10 races during the 2022 season alone. The aggressive style of racing was important to get the historical sweep.
Context, Controversy, and What’s Next
Although this was applauded by the whole NASCAR community, it also evoked controversy. Other fans blamed it on favoritism, as others rejoiced that the young trio at TRICON is the future of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
The controversy comes against the backdrop of TRD’s 2025 Driver Development Program, launched in February, which identified Heim, Crews, and Ruggiero as core prospects.
Backed by strong partners such as ExxonMobil and JBL, TRICON Garage now stands as Toyota’s flagship Truck Series program. Tonight’s sweep only reinforces that role.
Moving forward, it will be incumbent upon Corey Heim to keep up his pace at the championship; it will be upon Brent Crews and Gio Ruggiero to ensure breakout runs transform into regular and continued title bids. The Truck Series might soon be full of rising stars in the person of TRICON, as the Truck Series performance this night was more than impressive.
Dogli Wilberforce is a sports writer who covers NASCAR, Formula 1 and IndyCar Series for Heavy Sports. With bylines at Total Apex Sports and Last Word on Sports, Wilberforce has built a reputation for delivering timely, engaging coverage that blends sharp analysis with accessible storytelling. Wilberforce has covered everything from major football transfers to fight-night drama, bringing readers the insight and context behind the headlines. More about Dogli Wilberforce
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