In May 2024, Corey Day drew high praise from Kyle Larson for his impressive performances in the High Limit Racing Series and Late Model Stock Car Racing, with Larson noting, “I feel like he’s kind of a lot like me.”
Soon after, the young driver found himself under the microscope in ARCA for his aggressive style, yet his name has remained a steady topic in NASCAR circles as he juggles in the Truck, Xfinity, and ARCA Menards Series this season. Larson recently reaffirmed his confidence in Day after a string of promising runs.
Driving for Hendrick Motorsports in the Xfinity Series, Day has made five starts this year so far, finishing inside the top-20 twice, at Texas and Nashville. However, his results in the Truck Series have been more eye-catching. Behind the wheel of Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado RST, he has logged seven starts so far in 2025, earning two top-five and two additional top-15 finishes.
In his last two Truck outings at Nashville and Indianapolis Raceway Park, Day finished fifth and second, respectively. Reflecting on that progression ahead of the Iowa race, Larson said, “It was good to see him have a strong run there. It was a track that I thought may, you know, suit his style, being able to move around and search for grip and things.”
“He was probably one of the first, if not the first, running below the apron that night and found some speed that way. So, it just lends itself to a dirt guy’s background, probably. But yeah, he’s been slowly getting better here lately in the stock car stuff, and I’m sure gaining confidence. So yeah, I’m hopeful and excited to see how he keeps going in the #17 car,” he added.
Larson emphasized that the Hendrick Motorsports team is fully behind Day, but also acknowledged the vertical learning curve for young drivers like him in today’s NASCAR environment, where limited practice and a lack of real-world testing leave them heavily reliant on simulators. The No. 5 HMS driver said he’s encouraged to see Day starting to figure it out.
Coming from a dirt and High Limit Racing background, Day faces the natural adjustment of learning NASCAR tracks, adapting to heavier cars, and enduring longer race distances. His run at Indianapolis highlighted that learning curve and his ability to rise to the occasion.
At Indy last week, with qualifying washed out by lightning delays, Day started 16th based on NASCAR’s grid metrics. He finished the 200-lap race in second, 1.864 seconds behind Layne Riggs.
Day was the biggest mover of the race, gaining 14 positions from start to finish. He advanced to eighth by the end of Stage 1, slipped to 13th at the close of Stage 2, and then stormed through the final 80-lap green-flag run to claim the runner-up spot, showing the adaptability that has quickly made him a name to watch.
(via @arenasporttv/TT)
