Corey Day

Corey Day Bio

Corey Eric Day (born November 28, 2005) is an American professional dirt track and stock car racing driver from Clovis, California. He competes full-time in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, driving the No. 17 Chevrolet Camaro SS for Hendrick Motorsports. He has also competed part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for Spire Motorsports and has prior experience in the ARCA Menards Series, the ARCA Menards Series East, and the ARCA Menards Series West. Before transitioning to stock cars, Day built a reputation as one of the top young sprint car talents on the West Coast.

Early Life and Background

Corey Eric Day was born on November 28, 2005, in Clovis, California, and grew up surrounded by racing. He comes from a multigenerational racing family, and his father, Ronnie Day, was a respected West Coast racing legend whose career helped shape Corey’s path into the sport. From an early age, Day was exposed to engines, dirt, and competition, first riding dirt bikes around his family’s property before progressing to competitive motorcycle events.

At the age of nine, Day suffered a broken arm while racing dirt bikes, an injury that ended his motorcycle career. The setback pushed him toward four-wheeled racing, and with the support of his family, he began exploring sprint cars. The transition proved to be the defining moment of his young career, as his dirt-track instincts and fearless approach translated quickly once he was behind the wheel of a sprint car.

Path to NASCAR

Day began driving sprint cars in 2016, competing in USAC Restricted Micro Sprints for his family-owned team and posting a best finish of third at Keller Auto Raceway in his first season. He steadily moved up through the ranks, winning micro sprint events and drawing attention as a teenage standout. In 2021, he captured his first career USAC National Midget Series victory at Circle City Raceway, becoming the youngest driver ever to win a USAC National Series event.

By 2023, Day had established himself as a sprint car champion, winning the King of the West Sprint Car Series title and the Trophy Cup championship. He continued to refine his skills in High Limit Racing and late model competition, and in 2024 he made his ARCA and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debuts, opening the door to national touring series.

Corey Day Career

Early Career (2016–2022)

Day’s early career was defined by his rapid climb through the micro and sprint car ladder. From his first season in 2016, he won races at every level he entered, building a reputation as a calm, fast teenager with a mature racing mind. His family-owned team provided the foundation, and as he aged into larger sprint car classes, his results continued to improve.

By 2021, he had broken through at the national level with his USAC National Midget Series win, the kind of moment that signaled his readiness for bigger opportunities. The next two years brought more victories and prestigious West Coast sprint car championships, setting the stage for his eventual move into stock car racing.

ARCA Menards Series Breakthrough (2024)

On July 24, 2024, it was announced that Day would run three ARCA Menards Series races for Pinnacle Racing Group with sponsorship from HendrickCars.com, starting at Salem, then Bristol, and finally Kansas. He debuted at Salem with a fifth-place start and a fifteenth-place finish after a late-race incident with Toni Breidinger, and he later logged three top-ten finishes across the schedule.

The ARCA program gave Day valuable superspeedway and short-track experience and deepened his ties to Hendrick Motorsports through the HendrickCars.com sponsorship. On January 9, 2025, it was announced that Day would expand into the ARCA and Truck Series with Spire Motorsports, driving the No. 77 in ARCA competition beginning at Daytona.

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Breakthrough (2024–2025)

On September 16, 2024, it was announced that Day would make his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut at Bristol Motor Speedway for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing in the No. 81 truck. He started 22nd and finished 18th, then added three more races that season, with a best finish of 16th at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

On January 9, 2025, it was announced that Day would increase his Truck Series schedule for the upcoming season, running eight races for Spire Motorsports in the No. 7 truck. Across his Truck Series career, Day has recorded three top-ten finishes and one pole, steadily building his comfort level in the heavier stock car equipment.

Hendrick Motorsports Era (2024–Present)

On December 6, 2024, Day signed a multi-year contract with Hendrick Motorsports, and in 2025 he ran eleven races in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for the team in the No. 17 car. The move placed him inside one of NASCAR’s most successful organizations and gave him a clear development path toward full-time national series competition.

On November 7, 2025, it was announced that Day would run full-time for Hendrick Motorsports in the now renamed O’Reilly Auto Parts Series for the 2026 season, continuing in the No. 17. He opened the year with a 27th-place DNF at Daytona before reeling off eight consecutive top-ten finishes, then scored his first career national series win at Talladega. He quickly added a second win at Dover, confirming his arrival as a legitimate winner on the circuit.

Driving Style and Strengths

Day’s dirt-track background gives him a rare feel for sliding a car and managing traction, which shows up most clearly on short tracks and abrasive surfaces. He is comfortable in traffic, willing to lean on the car through the corners, and has shown poise in late-race restarts during his first O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season. Working within Hendrick Motorsports has also given him access to elite engineering support and a structured crew chief partnership, both of which have helped polish his stock car instincts.

Notable Races and Milestones

Day’s first career USAC National Midget Series win at Circle City Raceway in 2021 made him the youngest driver ever to win a USAC National Series event, a record that still defines his early legacy. He added sprint car championships at the King of the West, Trophy Cup, and Gold Cup levels, and in 2024 he won the prestigious Turkey Night Grand Prix. His first two NASCAR national series wins came at Talladega and Dover, both high-pressure venues that underlined his growing comfort in stock cars.

Corey Day Career Wins

Corey Day has built a versatile résumé with victories across sprint cars, midgets, late models, and stock cars. His sprint car and dirt-track wins form the foundation of his résumé, and his two NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victories at Talladega and Dover mark his arrival on the national stage. Below is a summary of his supported series results, with full numbers verified from available records.

NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Highlights

Day runs the No. 17 Chevrolet Camaro SS for Hendrick Motorsports in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, where he has recorded two wins, fifteen top-ten finishes, and one pole. His first win came at the 2026 Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega, and his most recent win came at the 2026 BetRivers 200 at Dover. His first series race was the 2025 US Marine Corps 250 at Martinsville, and his best season finish to date is 32nd in 2025.

Other Wins and Performances

In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Day has made 0 wins, 3 top-ten finishes, and 1 pole across his part-time schedule with Spire Motorsports and McAnally-Hilgemann Racing. In the ARCA Menards Series, he has 0 wins and 3 top-ten finishes, and in the ARCA Menards Series East he has 0 wins and 1 top-ten finish. He also captured the 2023 King of the West Sprint Car Series title, the 2024 Trophy Cup championship, the 2024 Turkey Night Grand Prix, and the 2017 Tulsa Shootout Restricted A-Class win, and he is a multi-time Gold Cup Sprint Car Champion in 2023, 2024, and 2025.

Corey Day Family

Family Background and Racing Lineage

Corey Day was raised in a multigenerational racing family based in Clovis, California, and his father, Ronnie Day, is widely recognized as a West Coast racing legend. Growing up around his father’s career gave Corey direct access to shop knowledge, car setup experience, and a long list of mentors across the California racing scene. The family’s hands-on involvement in his early teams, including his family-owned micro sprint operation, played a central role in his development.

Personal Life

Corey Eric Day is American and continues to be closely associated with his California roots, where much of his early dirt-track success was earned. He is active on social media under the handle corey_day_, where he shares updates on his racing schedule and results. Despite sharing a surname with fellow racer Alon Day, Corey Day is not related to him.

2025 Season Performance

The 2025 season marked Corey Day’s first full year of NASCAR national series activity. He split time between the NASCAR Xfinity Series in the No. 17 for Hendrick Motorsports and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in the No. 7 for Spire Motorsports, building experience across two touring series while learning the rhythms of a national schedule.

In the Xfinity Series, he ran eleven races and posted consistent top finishes, including a string of top-ten runs that led into his first national series victory in 2026. In the Truck Series, he expanded to eight races for Spire Motorsports and earned a pole along with three top-ten finishes, sharpening his comfort in the heavier trucks.

On November 7, 2025, Hendrick Motorsports confirmed that Day would step up to a full-time ride in the renamed O’Reilly Auto Parts Series for 2026, a clear sign of the organization’s confidence in his long-term potential. With two wins already in the early part of that campaign, Day’s outlook entering the heart of the season is among the brightest of any young driver in the garage.