Corey Day's Remarkable Rise in NASCAR with Hendrick Motorsports

Corey Day, a 20-year-old driver, has made a remarkable impact in NASCAR during his debut season with Hendrick Motorsports, securing two major victories. His journey began with a background in dirt racing, where he caught the attention of Cup champion Kyle Larson and team executives Jeff Gordon and Rick Hendrick.

Day's transition to stock car racing was challenging, as he had never driven a manual transmission before attending a driving school. Despite initial difficulties, he showed impressive speed during a test session, prompting Larson to endorse him for a more aggressive development path. This led to Day skipping traditional developmental steps and securing a full-time ride in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series for 2026.

In his first full season, Day has consistently finished in the Top 10, including a notable victory at Talladega Superspeedway. As he heads into the playoffs, he currently ranks fifth in the championship standings, competing closely with other top drivers in the series.