Kyle Larson Sets the Record Straight on His Support for Corey Day Moments After HMS Signing

Getting a certificate of appreciation from Kyle Larson is something worth framing. It would probably be the stand-out feature in your resume. Hendrick Motorsports’ new signee got the same, and for good reason, too. For the past nine seasons, Corey Day has made waves in various levels of sprint racing. In 2024, he competed in Larson’s Kubota High Limit Sprint Car Series and made jaws drop.

Day enrolled for 50 features and won eight of them en route to a fifth-place finish in points. This, along with a series of impressive starts in the ARCA Menards Series and the Craftsman Truck Series, convinced Larson about his talent. The HMS veteran heaped praises on the youngster ahead of his big debut.

Kyle Larson throws his weight behind Day

The HMS No. 5 Chevrolet has attained legendary status since 2021. That year, Kyle Larson wheeled the race car to a whopping 10 victories and clinched the championship regally. In 2024, Larson clinched 6 Cup race wins – alongside attempting the grueling 1100-mile-long Double. So when this phenomenon claims that Day is “better than I was at that age,” we have got to listen closely. Rick Hendrick did listen to his topmost star, and Day has been registered for a jam-packed 2025 schedule featuring NASCAR Xfinity, Truck, and Trans Am starts with HendrickCars support.

As a new talent is on the blocks for Rick Hendrick, Kyle Larson did his part. He endorsed Corey Day in the highest regard, touting him as a future spectacle. Larson told Sirius XM NASCAR recently: “He’s definitely, in my opinion, of guys who haven’t made it to (the three series, NASCAR), he’s definitely the best prospect out there. So…yeah, I definitely endorsed him for sure because I’ve gotten a chance to race with him and first hand see how good he is.” Then Larson dropped the resemblance he feels is there: “He’s probably the only one that… I feel like looks like me almost out there…You know, same sort of driving style and all that, very versatile, can hop in anything, and can figure it out.” 

In the World of Outlaws Sprint car series, Day has been a consistent performer. In 46 races from 2022 to 2024, Day has amassed two wins, 13 top-5 finishes, and 20 top-10 finishes. The 19-year-old also ran part-time for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s Chevrolet in the Truck Series last season for four races, posting three top-20 finishes. If you thought this was versatile enough, Day also boasts the record of being the youngest driver to ever win a USAC National Series event. At just 15 years of age, he secured a victory at Circle City Raceway in the National USAC Midgets Series in 2021.

In 2024, Day made his Late Model debut with Dale Earnhardt Jr. owned JR Motorsports #88 at Hickory Motor Speedway. In the final feature event, he took the lead in Lap 2 and never looked back, securing his first Late Model win. Everyone knew he could do it on dirt, but a dominant win on asphalt had everyone stunned. Day said after the win, “These guys worked really hard. We came and practiced yesterday and practiced all day today to get me comfortable. I appreciate everyone at JR Motorsports working hard to get a dirt guy comfortable on asphalt.”

Day is presently in Daytona for ARCA’s pre-season test session. 79 other drivers are there as his competitors at the high-banked tri-oval. He will start his Truck schedule in March, and Kyle Larson believes that he will dazzle Rick Hendrick. “Yeah, I feel like he’s going to do a great job. When you’re at Hendrick Motorsports, you’re given a great opportunity to showcase your abilities. So yeah, he’s going to have a lot of fun this year and gaining experience… Hopefully, he can show the world how good I know he is.”

Day is also gearing up for his big season and feels confident in the strong company.

Learning amidst legends

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Hendrick Motorsports is typically very picky about who enters its ecosystem. Once somebody does, they inevitably draw attention with their success on racetracks. Corey Day is their latest pick, and he does not disappoint – in 2024, he clinched 10 victories and 25 top-five finishes across 73 starts in dirt racing events. Yet honing such unbridled talent also requires experience, which HMS has a ton of. Kyle Larson is an active full-time driver who brings a wealth of knowledge. However, the old legends like Jeff Gordon – 4-time Cup Series champion and current vice chairman of HMS – are also there to help him out.

So, despite the slightly frightening uphill climb ahead, Corey Day is confident because of the amazing people on his new team. “It’s going to be a lot, of course, and I’m trying to be as mentally prepared for it as possible. With the group of people I have around me to be able to ask questions to, really anything I need I don’t have too many concerns. I know I’m probably going to have a lot of questions. There’s going to be some things come up to where I’m confused, but when you’ve got Jeff Gordon, Kyle Larson, Josh Wise … all these guys I can ask questions to, I think I’m going to be OK.”

With Kyle Larson’s invaluable endorsement, Corey Day might clinch success as soon as he hits the track! We are most eager to see this young HMS speedster shine.