“My dad asked Jeff Gordon to send him a picture to make sure he was real”: HMS prodigy Corey Day reveals the unknown story behind his recruitment

NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon played a pivotal role in 19-year-old racing phenom Corey Day's recruitment to Hendrick Motorsports. On Thursday (Jan. 9), Day signed a multi-year development deal with the team. Following the announcement, the rising star shared the story behind his exciting journey to one of NASCAR's most prestigious organizations.

Ahead of his announcement as a development driver, Day came with endorsements from heavy hitters like four-time Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon, who also serves as the vice chairman of the organization. The 2023 King of the West Sprint Car Series champion was interviewed by Sportsnaut where he revealed an exciting yet humorous story about his announcement as an HMS driver.

“My dad showed me the text and was like, ‘do you think this is real,’ and then asked Jeff to send him a picture to make sure he was the real Jeff Gordon,” the younger Day recalled during an ARCA Racing Series media session at Daytona.

“He did send a photo,” Day confirmed. “I’ll have to go get on my dad’s phone and screen shot the conversation. It was hilarious and we were laughing once we had the realization, ‘oh crap, this is Jeff Gordon and this is real.’ So yeah, that was cool.”

Corey Day is scheduled to run 30 different events with Hendrick Motorsports and the teams HMS is in alliance with in the Xfinity Series, the Truck Series, the ARCA Series and the Trans AM Series.

Meanwhile, besides being endorsed by NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon, who amassed 93 Cup Series wins during his illustrious 25-year career, all behind the wheel of the iconic #24 for Hendrick Motorsports, several parallels have been drawn between him and HMS ace Kyle Larson.

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Rick Hendrick credits Jeff Gordon and Kyle Larson in scouting out Corey Day

Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick recently shared his thoughts on bringing Corey Day into HMS' drover development program. Hendrick further credited HMS legend Jeff Gordon and the driver of his #5 Chevy Kyle Larson, for their exceptional scouting skills.

Day's talents first caught the attention of Kyle Larson, the 2021 Cup Series champion, who followed a similar path early in his career. Like Larson, Day honed his skills in grassroots racing before being signed by Hendrick Motorsports. Gordon’s endorsement further solidified Day’s reputation, culminating in one of the most exciting signings of the year.

Team owner Rick Hendrick has since shared his thoughts on the dynamic duo of Larson and Gordon, who played key roles in bringing Day into the Hendrick fold.

"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," the HMS owner said in a press release.



Meanwhile, the Cup Series will return for the Daytona 500 on February 16th at 2:30 PM ET. Catch the race exclusively available on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM.