Corey Day’s speedy climb by means of R isn’t slowing down.
Hendrick Motorsports introduced Wednesday that it has signed Day to a long-term contract extension, protecting one of many sport’s most intently watched younger drivers within the group for years to come back. And Hendrick isn’t merely bringing him again for an additional season in NASCAR’s O’Reilly Auto Elements Collection.
Day is formally headed to the Cup Collection.
The 20-year-old will return to Hendrick’s No. 17 Chevrolet for a second full O’Reilly Collection season in 2027 whereas additionally making his Cup debut with a restricted schedule. Hendrick has not but introduced which Cup races Day will run or supplied extra particulars about that program.
It’s one other main step for a driver who was nonetheless studying easy methods to race inventory vehicles on pavement simply two years in the past.
Hendrick Motorsports Is Betting Large on Corey Day
Day arrived at Hendrick Motorsports in December 2024 with an infinite popularity in grime racing and nearly not one of the pavement expertise sometimes related to a driver on the doorstep of NASCAR.
His studying curve hasn’t lasted lengthy.
Day has already received twice throughout his first full O’Reilly Collection season, breaking by means of at Talladega Superspeedway on April 25 earlier than profitable once more at Dover Motor Speedway on Might 16. He opened the 2026 Chase with a runner-up end at Darlington and left the weekend fifth within the championship standings.
All of that has come earlier than Day has even reached 70 profession pavement begins in full-bodied vehicles.
Hendrick has clearly seen sufficient.
“What Corey has achieved in such a short while is outstanding,” workforce proprietor Rick Hendrick mentioned. “He got here to us with generational expertise however nearly no expertise racing on pavement. The truth that he’s already competing for a championship at this stage is extraordinary, and he’s simply starting to scratch the floor.”
That final half could be probably the most telling.
Hendrick isn’t treating Day as a prospect it nonetheless wants to determine. By signing him long run and already committing Cup races to him in 2027, the group has laid out the subsequent stage of his improvement earlier than his rookie O’Reilly Collection season is even completed.
Corey Day’s NASCAR Cup Collection Debut Is Coming in 2027
There are nonetheless some necessary items Hendrick isn’t able to reveal.
The workforce hasn’t introduced Day’s Cup automobile, the variety of races he’ll enter or the place his debut will come. What’s settled is that he’ll get his first style of NASCAR’s highest stage whereas persevering with to chase an O’Reilly Collection championship full time.
Jeff Gordon sees these Cup begins because the logical subsequent take a look at.
“There’s no substitute for seat time, which makes Corey’s progress much more spectacular,” the Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman mentioned. “We see development each weekend when he will get within the automobile. He places within the work and isn’t afraid to ask questions and apply what he learns.”
Gordon added that the Cup races will give Day “one other alternative to achieve useful expertise and problem himself on the highest stage.”
It’s tough to discover a a lot quicker path from grime racing to NASCAR’s largest stage.
Day solely started his transition to pavement in 2024. He signed with Hendrick later that yr, grew to become a full-time O’Reilly Collection driver in 2026 and has already turned that chance into two victories and a spot within the Chase.
Now his t is on the calendar.
“Once I joined Hendrick Motorsports, I knew I had lots to be taught. And I nonetheless do,” Day mentioned. “However the individuals right here have actually embraced me and invested lots of time in serving to me develop, each as a driver and an individual.”
There’s nonetheless lots for Day to perform earlier than 2027 arrives, starting together with his present championship run.
However Hendrick Motorsports isn’t ready till then to determine whether or not he’s a part of its future.
It already has.
