For multiple years, it was everybody's expectation that Corey Day was the heir apparent to Hendrick Motorsports' No. 48 car once Alex Bowman was out of the seat. But now, NASCAR's most storied organization has thrown a wrench into those plans by signing Connor Zilisch to the entry beginning in 2028.
Even though Zilisch has struggled in his rookie Cup Series season, his long-term stock is still as high as any young driver's and Hendrick is taking a calculated gamble that all he needs is more experience and a better situation around him. He is still a driver who can win races and championships at the highest level.
Now, where does that leave Day? There's one avenue that just became an extremely high likelihood.
Corey Day seems destined for Spire Motorsports after Hendrick opportunity falls through
Day is still in the Hendrick pipeline and can be expected to return to the No. 17 O'Reilly Auto Parts Series ride next year. And unless he stagnates or regresses, one can anticipate he'll be ready to move up to Cup in 2028.
Day is the type of prospect for whom it's "when", not "if", he becomes a Cup Series driver. He is a protege of two-time champion Kyle Larson and on a similar trajectory of learning to race on asphalt after coming from a dirt background. He's too talented to leave him in the lower levels too long and have him become another Sam Mayer or Sammy Smith.
However, there won't be any openings at Hendrick for at least another few years. That gives Day an obvious landing spot at affiliate Spire Motorsports, which has two rides in the No. 7 and No. 71 that likely aren't locked up long-term. Particularly in the latter case, the team would be wise to replace Michael McDowell sooner rather than later.
McDowell has repeatedly stated that he intends to race until 16-year-old phenom Tristan McKee is ready for the Cup Series, but that's unfortunate, because when you're outside the top 20 in points while your teammates are 11th and 13th, those decisions don't get to be yours. Spire has ascended into the upper echelon of organizations in the Cup garage speed-wise but still needs to improve its driver lineup to show it.
Some of that improvement should come naturally from Carson Hocevar, who is one of the faces of NASCAR's future but still far from a finished product. Daniel Suarez is good enough at least for now, and he seems like the right medium-term option to ultimately replace with McKee.
McDowell is the one whose seat needs to be getting uncomfortably warm underneath him. If he only further regresses next year, which is likely at what will be age 42, then Spire has an easy decision to put Day in the No. 71 car in 2028.
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