Hendrick Motorsports is set to take on the full NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series season while continuing to support development driver Corey Day.
Videos by FanBuzz
According to a Friday announcement, Day will take on the full season next year while driving the No. 17 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. He will compete for Rookie of the Year honors, as well as the championship. He will work with crew chief Adam Wall, who guided the No. 17 team to two wins last season.
Hendrick Motorsports signed Day to a development deal in December 2024, which included starts across multiple racing series. Last season, the California native made nine starts for Spire Motorsports and posted a best finish of second at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. HendrickCars.com sponsored the entire effort as part of the deal.
Day also made 11 Xfinity Series starts in the No. 17 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro. The dirt racing ace posted a best finish of fourth at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
"Corey impressed us with how quickly he adapted this year," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports and chairman and CEO of Hendrick Automotive Group. "He'll go into 2026 with less pavement experience than anyone in the field, but you'd never know it by watching him drive.
"The instincts and raw talent are off the charts, and he's going to keep getting better with more seat time. Corey has a tremendous future, and we're proud to have him represent HendrickCars.com."
Day is the third driver to compete full-time in the secondary NASCAR series for Hendrick Motorsports. Jack Sprague started all 34 races during the 2002 season and scored one win. He finished fifth in the championship standings. Kyle Busch won five races in 2004 before finishing second in the championship standings.
Day continues to show that he can contend on pavement, but many racing fans know him for his production on dirt. The former Chili Bowl Rookie of the Year has achieved a significant amount in the dirt world, which includes the 2023 King of the West 410 NARC Championship and a World of Outlaws Gold Cup victory. He is also the youngest Turkey Night Grand Prix winner in the event's history.
"The opportunity to race full time for Mr. Hendrick and Hendrick Motorsports is something I've been working toward and feel I'm ready for," Day said. "I've learned so much from everyone here this past year, and I'm grateful for the chance to represent HendrickCars.com every week in 2026.
"Adam and the No. 17 team have shown the ability to win races, and I can't wait to build on that foundation and compete for a championship."
