Christopher Bell Predicts the Driver Who Can Take NASCAR by Storm Like He and Kyle Larson Did

Among the new racing talents in the young driver pool, Christopher Bell believes Corey Day possesses a natural talent akin to Kyle Larson’s and his own.

Day currently races full-time in the High Limit Racing Series and has inked a multi-year deal with Hendrick Motorsports. He is scheduled to participate in ten Xfinity Series races for HMS in their #17 car.

Having observed Day’s skills on the track, Bell commended his exceptional abilities and noted the similarities in their dirt racing origins. Ahead of the fourth race of the NASCAR Cup Series, when Bell was queried about how Corey Day’s dirt racing experience might benefit his transition to pavement racing

Bell remarked, “I think he’s another guy coming up like myself, and Kyle (Larson) that has a lot of raw ability. What the dirt racing teaches you — is to run off instinct and car control.”

“You are always searching around, so there are a lot of strengths that come from that discipline of racing that he obviously has. I would not be surprised at all if he came into this sport and took it by storm like the two of us did. He certainly has the skill set that we do,” he further explained.

Day’s racing career took a turn after a broken arm at the age of 9 shifted his focus from dirt bikes to sprint cars, thanks to his father, Ronnie Day, a revered figure in West Coast racing.

By the age of 15, Day had already made history, becoming the youngest driver to secure a victory at a USAC National Midget Series event at Circle City Raceway.

Fast-forward to 2025: He competes under the banner of Spire Motorsports in the Truck Series, backed by a development agreement. That’s why Bell, who shares a background in dirt racing with Day, sees many parallels in their respective paths through motorsports.

The #20 Toyota driver contended that dirt racing is instrumental in upskilling a driver’s instincts and mastery over vehicle control. These attributes were prominently displayed in Day’s outstanding 2023 campaign, where he won both the King of the West Sprint Car Series Championship and the Make-A-Wish Trophy Cup.

Besides Bell, Kyle Larson has also extolled Day’s talent, characterizing him as both calculated and astute, with an ability to make quick, intelligent decisions under pressure. Despite such high praise, Day maintains a level-headed approach regarding the expectations set upon him.

He remarked, “I don’t put the pressure on me. I mean, I know that him speaking the praises he does all the fans are gonna hold me to a higher standard. But at the end of the day, I just got to do my job, and… that’s what he’s speaking the praises about.”

Day will compete for Spire Motorsports in the Truck Series and the ARCA Menards Series as well, with a schedule comprising eight truck races and four ARCA events, all sponsored by Hendrick Motorsports. His Truck Series campaign started on March 14 in Las Vegas and will conclude at Darlington Raceway on August 30.

About the author

Neha Dwivedi

Neha Dwivedi is an experienced NASCAR Journalist at The SportsRush, having penned over 5500 articles on the sport to date. She was a seasoned writer long before she got into the world of NASCAR. Although she loves to see Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch win the races, she equally supports the emerging talents in the CARS Late Model and ARCA Menards Series.. For her work in NASCAR she has earned accolades from journalists like Susan Wade of The Athletic, as well as NASCAR drivers including Thad Moffit and Corey Lajoie. Her favorite moment from NASCAR was witnessing Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. win the championship trophies. Outside the racetrack world, Neha immerses herself in the literary world, exploring both fiction and non-fiction.

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