Corey Day has made the jump to full-time racing in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2026, Hendrick Motorsports announced Nov. 7.
Day will drive Hendrick’s No. 17 in all races, with sponsorship from HendrickCars.com.
Adam Wall returns as crew chief for the outfit, which had been part time since its inception.
“Corey impressed us with how quickly he adapted this year,” Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports, said in a team release. “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.”
“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 added. “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.”
Day made 11 starts in the series in 2025, his first O’Reilly season. He earned one top five and two top 10s.
The No. 17 was also piloted by Hendrick’s four NASCAR Cup Series drivers, plus Rajah Caruth and Jake Finch, in 2025. William Byron and Kyle Larson earned the team a win apiece.
Kevin Rutherford is the executive editor of Frontstretch, a position he gained in 2025 after being the managing editor since 2015, and serving on the editing staff since 2013.
At his day job, he's a journalist covering music and rock charts at Billboard. He lives in New York City, but his heart is in Ohio -- you know, like that Hawthorne Heights song.