Hamlin Questions Corey Day's Future After String of Mistakes

NASCAR veteran Denny Hamlin wonders if the 'Corey Day experiment' should continue after a series of on-track incidents.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Denny Hamlin, a veteran NASCAR Cup Series driver, has questioned how long the 'Corey Day experiment' should last after the young driver's string of mistakes and controversial incidents early in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series season. Hamlin pointed to Day's lack of asphalt experience and the fact that he has caused more mistakes than great runs, leading to other drivers becoming upset with him.

Why it matters

Corey Day was a star on dirt tracks before moving up the NASCAR ranks, but Hamlin is unsure if that experience will translate to success on asphalt. Day's aggressive driving style and string of incidents have already made him enemies in the NOAPS garage, raising questions about how long he can continue this way before facing consequences.

The details

In the latest incident, Day knocked Connor Zilisch out of the lead late in the race at COTA, with Zilisch calling Day an 'absolute hack' afterward. Earlier in the season, Ryan Sieg was furious with Day after being spun at Atlanta. Hamlin sees Day's mistakes as 'big ole blatant' and different from the aggressive style of someone like Carson Hocevar, who has also drawn criticism. Hamlin wonders if Day is 'underperforming' or if his dirt track experience will truly translate to success on asphalt in NASCAR.

  • On March 3, 2026, Denny Hamlin questioned how long the 'Corey Day experiment' should last after a string of mistakes.
  • In recent weeks, Day has been involved in controversial incidents at Atlanta and COTA.

The players

Denny Hamlin

A veteran NASCAR Cup Series driver who has questioned the future of the 'Corey Day experiment' after a string of mistakes.

Corey Day

A young driver who was a star on dirt tracks before moving up the NASCAR ranks, but has struggled with mistakes and controversial incidents early in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series season.

Connor Zilisch

A driver who was knocked out of the lead late in the race at COTA by Corey Day, leading Zilisch to call Day an 'absolute hack'.

Ryan Sieg

A driver who was furious with Corey Day after being spun at Atlanta early in the season.

Kyle Larson

A NASCAR driver who is a big fan of the young Corey Day.

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What they’re saying

“How long does the experiment continue to go? I mean you've seen good runs out of him. I haven't seen a lot of great runs out of him. You've seen more mistakes than you've seen great runs. And like when I say mistakes, like big ole blatant mistakes. And every weekend there's some guys that are upset.”

— Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Cup Series Driver (Actions Detrimental Podcast)

“You're asking someone that has been doing dirt his whole life to, 'Hey, come over here and do this and show us how great you are.' And it's just, it's probably a lot to take in. So I guess maybe you've got a little more patience.”

— Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Cup Series Driver (Actions Detrimental Podcast)

“Corey Day is an absolute hack.”

— Connor Zilisch (on3.com)

What’s next

By the end of the 2026 NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series season, Hamlin believes there will need to be less mistakes from Corey Day and more consistent front-running performances, especially in the competitive car he is driving, in order for the 'Corey Day experiment' to continue.

The takeaway

Corey Day's aggressive driving style and string of early-season mistakes have already drawn the ire of fellow drivers, raising questions about whether his dirt track experience will truly translate to success in NASCAR's national series. Veteran Denny Hamlin wonders how much longer the 'Corey Day experiment' can continue if the young driver doesn't show marked improvement in cutting down on errors and running up front more consistently.