Corey Day has inked a long-term contract extension with Hendrick Motorsports.
As part of the long-term extension, the 20-year-old Day from Clovis, California, will return for a second consecutive full-time campaign in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series division in the No. 17 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro entry in 2027. He will also campaign in his first-ever set of Cup Series events on a limited basis, with details of his ride and selected events remaining to be determined.
The news comes as Day is currently campaigning in his first full-time season in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series division with Hendrick Motorsports. As one of 12 competitors who made this year’s series’ Chase, he is currently ranked in fifth place in the standings and is 46 points behind points leader Justin Allgaier as he is also coming off a runner-up result during this past weekend’s Chase opener at Darlington Raceway.
“When I joined Hendrick Motorsports, I knew I had a lot to learn. And I still do,” Day said. “But the people here have really embraced me and invested a lot of time in helping me grow, both as a driver and a person. Mr. and Mrs. Hendrick give us all the resources we could possibly need. I’m so grateful to them, Jeff Gordon, Jeff Andrews and the 500 teammates who put so much into our success. I’m focused on winning a championship together this year and bringing many more trophies home to Hendrick Motorsports in the future.”
Day is an accomplished racer with a championship title in the King of the West Sprint Car Series in 2023, back-to-back Trophy Cup championships at Tulare Speedway in 2023 and 2024, and three consecutive Gold Cup Sprint Car championships between 2023 and 2025. He is also the youngest competitor to win a USAC National Midget Series event, a feat he accomplished at Circle City Raceway in Indianapolis in 2021 at age 15 years, six months and 12 days old.
Day, who first signed a multi-year contract with Hendrick Motorsports on December 6, 2024, made his first 11 career starts with Hendrick in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series division in 2025, during which he achieved a season-best fourth-place run at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in mid-October. On November 7, 2025, he was announced as a full-time O’Reilly competitor in Hendrick’s No. 17 entry for the 2026 season.
Through 25-scheduled starts this season, Day notched his first two career victories: Talladega Superspeedway in mid-April and Dover Motor Speedway in mid-May. He also earned his first career pole at Rockingham Speedway in early April, seven top-five results, 16 top-10 results, 196 laps led and an average-finishing result of 13.4.
Through a total of 36 starts in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Day has achieved a pair of victories, a single pole, eight top-five results, 18 top-10 results, 196 laps led and an average-finishing result of 14.2 as he continues his pursuit for additional race victories and his first championship. He has also made 14 starts in the Craftsman Truck Series and six in the ARCA Menards Series, to date.
“What Corey has accomplished in such a short time is remarkable,” Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports, said. “He came to us with generational talent but almost no experience racing on pavement. The fact that he’s already competing for a championship at this level is extraordinary, and he’s just beginning to scratch the surface. We love Corey’s character and how he fits our organization, and we’re proud to have him with us for many years to come.”
“There’s no substitute for seat time, which makes Corey’s progress even more impressive,” Jeff Gordon, vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports, added. “We see growth every weekend when he gets in the car. He puts in the work and isn’t afraid to ask questions and apply what he learns. The Cup races next year will give him another opportunity to gain valuable experience and challenge himself at the highest level. It’s going to be fun to watch.”
With his future plans set, Corey Day’s 2026 Chase for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series championship resumes this Saturday, September 12, at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois, for the Nu Way 225. The event’s broadcast time is slated to commence at 7:30 p.m. ET on the CW Network, MRN Radio and SiriusXM.
