With significant life changes underway, HMS star Corey Day’s Chili Bowl Nationals performance this year was also subpar. It seems no matter how hard he tries, the end line isn’t favoring him. With the 2025 season being his fourth attempt to claim the Chili Bowl Title, fans expect much more from him.
Despite trying his best, Day is having a hard time making his grounds at Tulsa and it seems as he has figured out why it is happening. Being the youngest driver to win the 2021 USAC National Series, the absence of Day’s prolific ‘grip’ on the track might be a reason for the performance dip. Well, he shared his insights on the matter.
Day shares his insights on below-average performance
ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad
Recently, Day sparked some controversies when he wrecked a fellow driver, Colby Copeland, at the practice sessions. While it did not satisfy fans with Day’s habit of picking up unnecessary moves, his inability to mark the lead has further added to the speculations. While he did showcase a good drive during the preliminary laps, it soon faltered in front of Emerson Axsom’s supremacy on tracks.
This year, the Chili Bowl Nationals have added quite a few changes to the entire inspection process. The addition of technology has been made to ensure that there is not much room left for any mishaps. Speaking on the same, Day said, “To be honest, we don’t cheat. I’d be honest. But the way that it changes the track, though, and the way that they’ve now attacked the track. I don’t know. I don’t feel like it’s insanely different than it was last year.”
Starting from eighth on the grid, Day methodically worked his way through the field, demonstrating sharp racecraft and unrelenting pace. However, soon enough Axsom could take the lead from Day and put him behind Daison Pursley as well.
While it did look like the new HMS recruit could manage his victory, he finished in the third position. However, Day was quite quick to understand exactly what did not work in his favor. He said, “There’s definitely less grip last year, which just to the curb, and it was slicked to the curve. This year, I feel like there’s more grip. That’s hurting us for sure. But no, I don’t really think that it’s affecting a whole lot. I think there’s definitely some cars I’ve seen that were great last year and they sucked on Tuesday or Monday night and on their prelim nights”.
Reduced grip typically demands greater skill in managing car control, throttle application, and finding the right lines. Even the slightest miscalculation in this case could add up and make the driver lose out on positions. It’s exactly what happened with Day. His prior win on the same course makes this latest upset even more surprising.
ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad
During the York Plumbing Qualifying Night at the 38th Annual Chili Bowl Nationals, powered by NOS Energy, California native Corey Day secured his first-ever Chili Bowl preliminary victory. He had himself termed it his best performance, saying, “It’s crazy, it’s definitely crazy. I think they said my best prelim run here in ninth, and this is only my third Chili Bowl”.
Corey will now be a full-time recruit for Hendrick Motorsports in 2025
Perhaps the best news that Corey Day received in 2025 is his multi-year contract with Hendrick Motorsports. The 19-year-old rising star will now be seen sporting across various races at the NASCAR Xfinity Series, an opportunity worth mentioning. Corey Day is in for an amazing run, especially from a team like Hendrick Motorsports, who has accounted for the Cup Series title four times till now. Competing across multiple series, including the Xfinity Series, Truck Series, ARCA Menards Series, and Trans Am Series, Day will feature in at least 30 races.
ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad
Speaking of this opportunity, 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”.
The best thing about him is that he has already received a lot of appreciation from veteran drivers, like Mr. Hendrick. Even Kyle Larson. Whether he will prove his worth is a test of time, the latest one being on Saturday!