Billionaire Rick Hendrick praises Corey Day’s talent after multi-year signing, mentioning Kyle Larson and Jeff Gordon's endorsement

Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) has signed dirt racing phenom Corey Day to a multi-year development deal, beginning with the 2025 season. Following his signing, HMS owner Rick Hendrick expressed confidence and praised Day’s talent and potential as a young race car driver.

On Thursday (January 9), HMS announced that 19-year-old Corey Day will begin a development program with the team with a sponsorship from HendrickCars.com. Day will race nearly 30 pavement events this year with HMS and its affiliate teams. His 2025 schedule will consist of races in the Xfinity Series, Truck Series, ARCA Series and Trans Am Series.

In a team release, Hendrick emphasized how Day’s abilities have caught the attention of HMS’s elite members by referencing endorsements from their star driver Kyle Larson and former driver Jeff Gordon, who serves as vice chairman of the team.

Praising Day’s strong racing lineage and his impressive achievements early in his career, here’s what Rick Hendrick, who has a net worth of $1 billion (according to Celebrity Net Worth), said:

“When Kyle Larson and Jeff Gordon say someone is the real deal, it certainly gets your attention. Corey comes from a great racing family and in a short time has shown a level of talent that sets him apart. What he’s already accomplished at this point in his career speaks volumes, and it’s been impressive to see how quickly he’s adapted to pavement. We’re excited to welcome him to our team.”

Corey Day will compete in eight NASCAR Truck Series events behind the wheel of #7 Spire Motorsports and four ARCA events, including the season opener at Daytona in the #77 Spire Motorsports. He made his Truck Series debut at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2024, making four appearances in the series.

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Corey Day expressed his feelings on signing the championship-winning HMS

In a team release, Corey Day, one of NASCAR’s top prospects, said that joining HMS is a dream scenario for him. He extended his thanks to Rick Hendrick and Hendrick Automotive Group for providing him with the opportunity to race at higher ranks.

Expressing his feelings, Day said:

“This is a dream scenario. I’m grateful to Mr. Hendrick and everyone at Hendrick Motorsports and Hendrick Automotive Group for providing a platform to grow and compete at this level. There’s still a lot to learn on pavement, but having such incredible support gives me a ton of confidence. I’m ready to work hard and take in as much as I can. It’s going to be a fun year.”

Corey Day, who grew up in a racing family, was named the 2022 Chili Bowl Rookie of the Year. He followed in his father Ronnie Day’s footsteps by winning the 2023 King of the West 410 NARC championship, and the same year, he won the World of Outlaws Gold Cup Race of Champions title.