Dale Earnhardt Jr. really decided to pull out the big guns this weekend. As the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series heads to the Circuit of the Americas road course, JR Motorsports looks unstoppable with its street and road course specialists. However, there may be one roadblock, and it is none other than Rick Hendrick’s young star.

Corey Day is more than ready to tackle this new track while aiming to fend off Dale Jr.’s drivers, Connor Zilisch and Shane van Gisbergen.

“Yeah, for guys like Connor and SVG, they show up to these and probably think less about it than they would an oval race. But for us oval guys, it’s the opposite, right? We show up to this and are fish out of water,” Day said. “So yeah, I think working with Josh and Scott this week, getting some sim time with the team last week, and then this week with Josh while my team was there also.”

The Trackhouse Racing Cup duo have proven more than enough times that they own the street circuits, but the 20-year-old driver isn’t threatened. Zilisch delivered one of the most standout performances of a young NASCAR career at COTA, particularly in the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series Focused Health 250.

After securing pole position in qualifying, the 19-year-old faced innumerable setbacks, including a penalty that dropped him to the rear of the field early. However, he held off challenges to capture his second career Xfinity victory.

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Moreover, although SVG has yet to capture a COTA win, the three-time Supercars champion showed strong pace in his 2025 Cup start. He topped practice sessions and qualified sixth, demonstrating impressive speed relative to the field. And with his string of road course victories, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him running up front.

However, with such strong road course competition and while pulling double duty this weekend, Corey Day chooses to remain positive about his chances at the track.

But Rick Hendrick’s driver aims to build momentum in the NASCAR O’Reilly Series this weekend. The 20-year-old driver has opened the 2026 season on a solid note and currently sits 8th in the standings with 50 points. Given the challenges he faced at EchoPark Speedway, maintaining a top-10 points position is an encouraging sign of progress.

Day’s raw pace was evident in Atlanta, reinforcing the belief that his potential is unquestioned. Still, Hendrick Motorsports recognizes that the No. 17 driver remains in a learning phase as he adapts from dirt racing to the demands of full-time stock car competition, a notoriously steep transition.

And COTA may offer a prime opportunity for another step forward. The No. 17 team has previously won at the track with William Byron, proving the setup can be competitive on the technical road course.

If Day can harness his speed while cutting down on errors, he could realistically position himself for a top-five finish should the race unfold in his favor. But as Zilisch and SVG mark their second return to JR Motorsports as teammates, Dale Jr. has bigger plans for his organization.

Dale Jr expands his JRM organization

JRM is setting the stage for a big 2026 season, expanding its Late Model program with two up-and-coming prospects. Founded by Dale Jr., the team continues to double down on its long-term commitment to developing young talent and building the next wave of racers from the grassroots level up.

The organization announced that Caden Kvapil will take over the No. 88 Chevrolet Late Model full-time in 2026, while Wyatt Miller, Dale Jr.’s nephew, is also stepping into a bigger role in his development. Kvapil’s schedule features major Late Model Stock Car events, including a run at the prestigious Virginia Triple Crown Series, capped off by the iconic ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville Speedway.

But the headline-grabber is Wyatt Miller, the soon-to-be 14-year-old son of Kelley Earnhardt Miller. He’ll compete in a limited Late Model schedule while continuing to race off-road trucks, sprint cars, micro sprints, and outlaw karts, a well-rounded approach designed to fast-track his growth.

With guidance from veteran mentor Bryan Shaffer and support from Kvapil, Miller is stepping into a structured, development-focused program built to give young drivers every opportunity to succeed.