Hendrick Motorsports Holds Meeting with Rookie Driver Corey Day After COTA Incident

Dale Earnhardt Jr. reveals Hendrick and JRM leadership stepped in to address Day's recent on-track mistakes.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Corey Day, a highly touted 20-year-old NASCAR prospect, has been involved in multiple on-track incidents in his rookie O'Reilly series season, including an incident at COTA that impacted his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Connor Zilisch. In the aftermath, team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. revealed that Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick and JRM leadership held a meeting with Day to address the situation and provide guidance on how to avoid being "detrimental to each other" as he continues to develop as a driver.

Why it matters

Day is considered one of NASCAR's top young talents, but his early-career mistakes have started to impact his Hendrick Motorsports teammates' results. The meeting with Hendrick and Earnhardt signals the organization is taking a hands-on approach to ensure Day's development doesn't come at the expense of the team's overall performance.

The details

In the most recent incident at COTA, Day made contact with Hendrick Motorsports teammate Connor Zilisch, ruining what looked like an epic comeback for the No. 1 JRM Chevy. This came just weeks after Day was at the center of multiple incidents at the Atlanta race that claimed JRM entries driven by Carson Kvapil and Justin Allgaier. The string of mistakes has drawn criticism from across the NASCAR world, prompting Hendrick and JRM leadership to intervene.

  • On March 3, 2026, Dale Earnhardt Jr. revealed the meeting with Corey Day took place after the COTA race incident.

The players

Corey Day

A 20-year-old NASCAR prospect driving for Hendrick Motorsports who has been involved in multiple on-track incidents in his rookie O'Reilly series season.

Rick Hendrick

The owner of Hendrick Motorsports, the NASCAR team that fields cars for Corey Day and other top drivers.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

A former NASCAR driver and current owner of JR Motorsports, a Hendrick Motorsports partner team.

Connor Zilisch

A driver for JR Motorsports who was impacted by Corey Day's incident at COTA.

Carson Kvapil

A JR Motorsports driver who was involved in an incident with Corey Day at the Atlanta race.

Justin Allgaier

A JR Motorsports driver who was also involved in the incident with Corey Day at the Atlanta race.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We all got together. Rick had a conversation with Corey and we're all trying to help him understand, look man, we want you here. We believe in you. We believe you're a winner. But we have to do this without being detrimental to each other. I know it looks ugly for fans who are watching it. It's hard for our teams. But it's part of the process of trying to school up these guys to become the drivers that we think they're capable of becoming.”

— Dale Earnhardt Jr., JR Motorsports Owner (The Dale Jr. Download)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.