NASCAR car owner Rick Hendrick made it clear about his future plans for O’Reilly Auto Parts Series rookie Corey Day. The champion owner commented on Day’s future during a press conference for the announcement that Connor Zilisch would take over the No. 48 car in 2028.
Day has bagged two victories in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in his rookie season, earning wins at Talladega and Dover. The driver of the No. 17 currently ranks fifth in the series points standings.
Rick Hendrick on Day’s NASCAR future: ‘When the timing’s right’
In the wake of Alex Bowman announcing he will retire at the end of the 2027 NASCAR season, that opened the door for someone to fill the No. 48 car.
On Monday, it was announced that Zilisch would leave Trackhouse Racing after 2027 and join Hendrick Motorsports ahead of the 2028 season.
With Day currently competing in HMS’ O’Reilly Auto Parts Series program, Hendrick was questioned about why the 20-year-old was not the one to take over the ride.
Day, who grew up dirt racing, has only raced on pavement for a short period of time. Before he moves up to the Cup Series, Hendrick wants to see some growth.
“First of all, Corey Day is a tremendous talent, and our plan is for him to be in our future for a long time. People don’t realize he’s only been on pavement about half a year and so it’s going to be good to watch him grow,” Hendrick said.
Hendrick reassured that Day moving up to the Cup Series is in the plans for the future. Yet, it will happen in due time.
“We have plans for him that go well beyond the next couple of years. So, when the timing’s right, he’ll move up. For right now, Corey’s learning. We want to run for the championship in the O’Reilly car next year and so we’re excited about him. I love the youth. I love the enthusiasm. I love the energy and the talent,” Hendrick said.
Zilisch leaving Trackhouse for Hendrick in 2028
Ahead of the 2026 Cup Series season, Zilisch signed a multi-year deal to pilot the No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet.
While the details of the contract were never made public, it is clear the “multi-year” agreement will end after two. Zilisch, a 13-time winner in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, will take his talents to HMS in 2028.
Zilisch’s rookie campaign at Trackhouse has been one of struggle. The 20-year-old has recorded a series-high eight DNFs, only one top-10 finish, and sits 34th in the points standings.
While Zilisch has struggled to get up to speed in the Cup Series, the talent he showcased in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series is hard to overlook. Zilisch earned 10 wins in the 2025 season and finished runner-up in the championship.
The announcement of Zilisch joining HMS in 2028 will be an interesting one regarding how far along the North Carolina native will be in his Cup development by then.
In turn, with Day on the rise, it will be fascinating to see how he fits into the HMS Cup Series fold in the coming years.
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