- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Rockingham Today
By the People, for the People
Corey Day Earns First O'Reilly Series Pole at Rockingham
Hendrick Motorsports prospect secures top starting spot for Saturday's NC Education Lottery 250
Apr. 3, 2026 at 8:18pm
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
Corey Day's pole-winning performance sets the stage for an exciting NASCAR race at Rockingham Speedway.Rockingham TodayCorey Day, a Hendrick Motorsports development driver, captured his first career NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series pole position on Friday at Rockingham Speedway. Day's fast lap of 22.717 seconds (148.963 mph) around the 0.940-mile oval edged out defending series champion Jesse Love for the top starting spot in Saturday's NC Education Lottery 250.
Why it matters
Securing a pole position is a significant milestone for any young driver looking to make a name for themselves in NASCAR. Day's performance puts him in prime position to contend for his first career O'Reilly Series victory on Saturday, which could further boost his profile within the Hendrick Motorsports organization.
The details
Day's pole-winning lap was 0.064 seconds faster than Love, who will start second as he looks to avenge last year's disqualification at Rockingham. Parker Retzlaff qualified third, while 2024 series champion Justin Allgaier will roll off fourth. Cleetus McFarland, making his series debut this weekend, could only manage the 35th-fastest time in qualifying.
- Qualifying took place on Friday, April 3, 2026.
- The NC Education Lottery 250 is scheduled for Saturday, April 4, 2026.
The players
Corey Day
A Hendrick Motorsports development driver who secured his first career NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series pole position.
Jesse Love
The defending NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series champion, who will start second after qualifying 0.064 seconds behind Day.
Parker Retzlaff
A driver who had a strong performance at Rockingham Speedway last year and will start third on Saturday.
Justin Allgaier
The 2024 NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series champion, who will look to extend his winning streak to three races from the fourth starting position.
Cleetus McFarland
A driver making his series debut this weekend, qualifying 35th-fastest in the No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet.
What they’re saying
“We've been working hard as a team to get to this point, and I'm really proud of the effort everyone has put in. Starting up front is going to be huge for our chances tomorrow.”
— Corey Day
What’s next
The NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series NC Education Lottery 250 at Rockingham Speedway is scheduled for Saturday, April 4, 2026, with coverage set to begin at 2:30 PM ET on The CW.
The takeaway
Corey Day's first career pole position in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series demonstrates the young driver's potential and puts him in prime position to contend for his first series victory on Saturday. The race at Rockingham Speedway promises to be an exciting one, with several drivers looking to make their mark in the highly competitive O'Reilly Series.
