NASCAR’s ‘subsequent big factor’ who beat Kyle Larson – Sports News
NASCAR’s ‘subsequent big factor’ Corey Day has admitted he nonetheless feels a little out of place after turning into Hendrick Motorsports’ youngest lively driver – following high reward from Jeff Gordan and Cup Series famous person Kyle Larson. Day, 19, signed with Hendrick Motorsports final Dec. to step up his transition from soiled, the place he caught the attention of NASCAR legend Gordon and Larson, who each share grime backgrounds.
The teenager’s expertise was on full show as he managed to topple Larson within the Thrilling High Limit Racing dash car opener at Las Vegas final month. Day raced 4 races for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing within the Truck Series final yr and three with Spire Motorsports in 2025. However, he made his Hendrick Motorsports debut within the Xfinity Series final weekend at Martinsville.
Day completed twenty first and has admitted he is nonetheless getting used to pavement racing as Hendrick Motorsports’ youngest protege. He finds himself in a distinctive place, because the staff doesn’t have a driver development program, that means Hendrick Motorsports is all-in on their contracted investment.
“It is fish out of water, for sure,” Day advised ESPN. “I still feel like I’m a little out of place, but I don’t think it’s a bad thing. I know what goes on, but not to the extent that I do in the sprint car world, which is what I’m used to and did for the past eight years of my life. So, this is definitely a change, and there are many differences.”
He added: “This does feel like a job. Before, I was racing on the weekends, and if I won and made some money, cool. If I didn’t, oh well. I look back to all the sprint car races I did last year, and I realize that now, not that I’m stressed out or overstimulated, but I’m thinking about this way more. Last year, whatever happened, happened. With this, I want to win, and it’s a lot harder to win here.”
Carrying the endorsement of two former Cup Series champions is a stress Day hasn’t felt earlier than. Both have been key in Day becoming a member of Hendrick Motorsports, and Gordon’s cellphone call proposing becoming a member of the staff was too good to show down.
“I don’t feel like there’s pressure in the sense that I have to do everything right or I’m going to get fired,” Day mentioned. “I do feel like there is pressure to perform. I’ve never been in this position before with the praise of Jeff Gordon and Kyle Larson.”
“When Jeff Gordon asks you if you want to come drive a stock car, you’re not really going to say no,” Day continued. The NASCAR expertise had no prior expertise on pavement earlier than taking the job, however his expertise was properly documented by Hendrick Motorsports figures, for which Day is grateful, as he solely noticed driving in NASCAR as a fantasy.
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“That was as high as it went,” Day mentioned. “I watched NASCAR and kept up, and thought it would be cool to do one day, but it was a fantasy….
“I assume, fortunately, Jeff Gordon paid consideration, and [Hendrick Motorsports general manager] Jeff Andrews, being from Fresno [California] … paid consideration to me, and so did Kyle [Larson] as a result of I used to be racing with him. The stars aligned.”
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