Kevin Harvick was not thrilled by the post-race altercation involving NASCAR driver Corey Heim and multiple team members of Chad Bryant Racing. The 2014 Cup champion believes incidents like those make for a black eye on Late Model racing.
After Heim tangled with Chad Bryant Racing driver Treyten Lapcevich on-track in the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville, multiple members of Lapcevich’s team went after Heim. The 23XI Racing driver can be seen getting punched multiple times.
Heim did not throw any punches himself and ultimately left the scene without going for retaliation.
Harvick on Heim Martinsville Incident: ‘Bad Look’
On a recent episode of “SPEED with Harvick and Buxton,” the retired NASCAR star gave his perspective on what happened between Heim and Lapcevich after the checkered flag of Saturday night’s Late Model race.
“Looked to me like the 77 (Lapcevich) had the 22 (Heim) pinned down and then they jumped tires. … Hard to know exactly what went on,” Harvick said.
Instead of letting the drivers hash things out themselves, the team members took it upon themselves to attack Heim by the Martinsville hot dog stand located in the infield. That was something Harvick frowned upon.
“The bad part here is the 77 team actually stopped their driver from going to talk to Corey Heim,” Harvick said.
Harvick expressed hope that punishments would be handed down to the crew members involved in the situation. The former driver of the No. 4 believes it is not a great look for the Late Model landscape.
“Hopefully, they throw both of those crew guys out because this is the kind of stuff that gives Late Model racing a bad name,” Harvick said.
Harvick also took issue with Heim’s social media post following the incident as the latter posted a selfie with a thumbs up, penning the caption:
“Solid effort, but at least make it count next time 😂”
Overall, the Martinsville melee involving Heim was not something Harvick was pleased to see.
“Probably not an ideal choice to egg all this stuff on but it’s not what you want to see after such a great race on the racetrack but ultimately, it happens a lot, unfortunately, at Martinsville,” Harvick said.
NASCAR Dropped Hammer on Chad Bryant Racing Members
Much like Harvick hoped they would, NASCAR Regional handed down punishments to the seven crew members involved in the Heim Martinsville incident.
The ones who were given the largest punishments were Chad Bryant and Steve Civatarese, while five others were also penalized for what unfolded at Martinsville.
“From the Martinsville Heim-Bryant team fight, NASCAR suspended Chad Bryant and Steve Civatarese indefinitely from NASCAR events as well as the 2027 event at Martinsville and probation for a year. Bryant fined $2K; Civatarese fined $1K. Five others fined and put on probation,” Bob Pockrass wrote via X.
Heim finished third in the Late Model stock car event on Saturday night in the No. 22 car. The 24-year-old has two more part-time Cup starts in 2026, which will happen at Charlotte Motor Speedway next Sunday and at the season-finale race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Kevin Harvick Takes Issue With Corey Heim Martinsville Incident