18-year-old Corey Day has got team owners in NASCAR out with their checkbooks early this racing season. He started his first full-time season in the High Limit Racing Series this year and has found considerable success already. Also, he made his pavement Late Model Stock car debut last month in the Hickory Speedway and ended up winning the race. With these showings, it was inevitable that he drew the attention of Kyle Larson.
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The Hendrick Motorsports star has already been vocal about his admiration for the youngster and hyped him up as his favorite upcoming driver in the racing world. With these fresh achievements that Day has unlocked, Larson is only more in awe of him. Currently in Darlington for his Cup Series race, the former champion was asked about the attention that Day has been getting.
He responded, “I feel like he’s kind of a lot like me. In that sense where I’ve never really reached out to anybody like, ‘Hey, man, I’m getting ready to run this.’ Even IndyCar. Like, ‘Hey, I’m getting run in the Indycar. What do I need to do or look out for?’ I’ve always tried to just figure things out on my own and he seems to be the same way.”
Continuing, he noted how Day has got a ton of experience racing despite his young age. He acknowledged that he has been following the youngster these last few years and witnessed him getting better firsthand. “He’s very in control with how hard he runs,” he said. “He’s very calculated. Feel like he makes really smart quick decisions out there on the track.”
“I am Corey Day. I am not Kyle Larson”: A race car battle in the making?
Day is now officially finished with high school and is now a full-time race car driver. Much like Larson he has showcased a strong affinity to be a versatile performer participating in multiple disciplines. He told FloRacing in a recent interview, “I think any real race car driver feels that way. As many race cars as you can drive. Really doesn’t matter the type.”
Continuing on the comparison that people draw between him and the Hendrick superstar, he sent out a strong statement. He hammered, “I love that I am being compared to Kyle. It’s awesome that people are comparing in that aspect. At that level, you could say. That’s awesome. But I am Corey Day. I am not Kyle Larson.” Strong words of ambition from a well-worthy youngster.
Kyle Larson, being who he is, isn’t unaware of the potential threat. Continuing his words in Darlington, he courted the idea of Day being a rival someday either in sprint cars or even in the NASCAR Cup Series. As of this time, Larson is the epitome of versatility in North American Motorsports. Safe to say, Day is quite some distance away from being a genuine thorn in his side. But time is on the move and both drivers are aware of it.
