NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series North Carolina Education Lottery 200: William Byron Gets Cup Extension; Corey Heim Earns Top Odds

In the hours leading up to Friday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports announced a new contract agreement with driver William Byron. 

The four-year extension will keep the 27-year-old behind the wheel of the No. 24 Chevrolet until at least 2029. A Charlotte native, Byron ed 14 Cup wins, including back-to-back Daytona 500 titles. 

“We’ve built something special with the No. 24 team,” Byron said via press release. “I’m thankful for the opportunity to continue working with amazing people at Hendrick Motorsports who believe in me, especially Mr. and Mrs. Hendrick. We’ve accomplished some great things that we’re really proud of, but we have even bigger goals ahead. I’m excited to go after them with this team and this organization.” 

A Championship 4 contender the past two seasons, Byron seeks his first national series title since earning the Xfinity crown in 2017. Byron appeared in two Truck events this season, earning a P2 at Kansas. In 29 career circuit races, he collected eight wins.  

“William is the real deal,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports, in the release. “What makes him so special is that he combines natural ability with an unrivaled work ethic. You see it in the great ones – the drivers who could get by on talent alone but choose to outwork everyone anyway. That’s William. On top of it all, he’s a person of high character and embraces his role as a leader. We’re proud to have him in our lineup and look forward to many more wins together.”

NEWS: @WilliamByron will drive the iconic No. 24 through 2029 🔒

📰 https://t.co/iG0WuDhRaB pic.twitter.com/527FMDRokR

— Hendrick Motorsports (@TeamHendrick) May 23, 2025

Corey Heim Tops Cup Regulars For Best Odds 

Despite the presence of two Cup regulars, Kyle Busch and Ross Chastain, Truck Series points leader Corey Heim remained the circuit’s sports-betting favorite Friday.  

The driver of the No. 11 Toyota enters Friday’s race with +175 odds to claim the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 title, according to BetOnline Sportsbook. Busch, who collected 67 career Truck circuit wins, was tabbed with the second-best odds at +190, followed by Ross Chastain (+600).

Back at Charlotte tomorrow @safelite pic.twitter.com/r3dIJ3SbDZ

— Corey Heim (@CoreyHeim_) May 23, 2025

North Carolina Education Lottery 200 Odds     

Here is a look at the drivers’ odds for Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series’ North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, according to BetOnline Sportsbook:  

*-Odds current at time of publication