During his first weekend racing for Joe Gibbs Racing, Brent Crews publicly supported Corey Day, a fellow rookie, after Day caused a dramatic crash involving Connor Zilisch during the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series event at Circuit of The Americas (COTA). This Brent Crews NASCAR rookie debut comes amid heightened attention on young drivers navigating the turbulent environment of top-tier stock car racing.
Crews Weighs In Following Tense On-Track Incident
The Saturday race at COTA was marked by Shane van Gisbergen’s victory, while intense moments unfolded elsewhere on the field. Connor Zilisch, who began at pole position, was hit by Corey Day in the twisty ‘esses’ section late in the race, resulting in a spin that cost Zilisch significant track position and left his car with damage. Zilisch voiced his frustration over the team radio and sought an apology after dropping to a 21st-place finish.
Brent Crews, fresh off his own impressive O’Reilly debut for Joe Gibbs Racing, spoke about the situation on the Door Bumper Clear podcast. He described Day as a driver known for racing cleanly on dirt tracks and commented on the extra burdens that come with being a rookie at Hendrick Motorsports.
“I grew up racing him in the dirt side of things where he’s really comfortable in. Corey was like the cleanest guy in dirt because he was comfortable. Like he didn’t tear stuff up, like he didn’t do any of that. It is his rookie year. He’s racing for Hendrick. He’s their prodigy that they haven’t had in a long time.
“He has very limited asphalt starts and he’s got a lot of pressure to be the next Hendrick guy. As a driver racing against him, it is very frustrating, but also as a rookie, like I understand how it’s happening, right? It’s tough. So like a part of me has a lot of sympathy, but also a part of it is like he just has to calm down a little bit,” Brent Crews said.
Despite the chaos, Crews completed the race in sixth place, making a strong statement for his first full campaign in the No. 19 Toyota with Joe Gibbs Racing.
Connor Zilisch Faces More Challenges in Cup Series Outing
The following day, Zilisch’s struggles continued during the DuraMAX Texas Grand Prix in Austin. Starting from 25th, the JR Motorsports talent moved up into the top five through aggressive driving. His efforts were thwarted twice, first when Daniel Suarez made contact and spun him during a restart at Turn 1. Another spin at the same corner during a later restart further damaged his chances, pushing him down the order. Despite his persistence, Zilisch could only recover to fourteenth by the checkered flag.
“Such a bummer man. What a fast race car. It’ll turn around soon👊🏼,” Connor Zilisch reacted after the race on X.
After finishing outside the top 30 in his initial Cup events, Zilisch currently sits 36th in the NASCAR Cup Series standings as he looks ahead to the next race at Phoenix Raceway.
Rookies Under Pressure in NASCAR’s Premier Divisions
The sequence of events at COTA and Austin highlighted the steep learning curve facing newcomers such as Brent Crews and Corey Day. Racing for prominent teams like Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports, these rookies are expected to deliver results quickly, further heightening the intensity of each race. Meanwhile, experienced drivers like Shane van Gisbergen and Daniel Suarez add another layer of competition and challenge for the less seasoned competitors.
This stretch of races is a critical time for rookies to learn under real pressure, absorb lessons from setbacks, and keep improving as the season accelerates. With upcoming events, including the next at Phoenix, the spotlight remains on these young talents as they work to establish themselves in the fiercely contested world of NASCAR.
Should the NOAPS field give Corey Day any sympathy in his rookie season? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/0CSqDX59SH
— Dirty Mo Media (@DirtyMoMedia) March 3, 2026
