Just days ago, Corey Day’s flip in the Hangtown 100 put everyone’s breath on hold. On Lap 42, his right-front wheel clipped the back of Gavin Miller, and he went flipping and bouncing like a rag doll. Luckily, he came out well, thanked the fans, and didn’t suffer any injuries. But being Hendrick Motorsports’ main man for next year’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, was this risk worth it?

Kenny Wallace doesn’t feel so. He is someone who’s seen this scenario before, with none other than Day’s HMS teammate and the 2025 Cup champion, Kyle Larson. And what Wallace told Kyle Larson then is exactly what he wants to say to Corey Day today.

Wallace’s wise words for Day

“Kyle, make your 100 million dollars in NASCAR. Your dirt fans will be waiting for you.”

This is the advice Kyle Larson received from Kenny Wallace for his dirt stints. Wallace’s point is simple. First, you focus on what you’re hired for. You do justice to that. See the bigger picture. In pursuit of side missions, don’t lose out on the main storyline. The dirt racing isn’t going anywhere.

This is the exact deja vu moment he felt when he saw the Day crash at the Hangtown 100.

“When I watched Corey Day, I thought, ‘Oh my god!’ Corey’s so young that I’m thinking, ‘Hey! Go win that O’Reilly championship. Get in the Cup Series and then go back and visit your dirt friends, cause that was a close call.'”

It’s not even been a month since Hendrick Motorsports announced that Corey Day will be driving full-time in the No. 17 Chevy. And right in the offseason, Day faces such a huge risk that could have surely gone sideways.

“All these drivers are gonna do what they want to do,” added Wallace on the Herm & Schrader podcast.

He doesn’t say this out of hatred, but from an empathetic stance that he knows how it feels. That passion, that young blood to just go out there and let yourself loose in doing what you love. But Wallace advises caution, and to focus on the bigger picture.

Also, you look at this from the team’s point of view. No team, be it Hendrick or any other, would want to see their driver crash out, that too in a competition outside their contract. Imagine the stakes there.

So not just Wallace, but the popular advice from anyone would be for Day to smartly prepare for the stock cars from the trucks. And certainly, not lose a long-term goal for a short-term feeling.

Meanwhile, Day deserves a break, as he’s earned one, with fresh news coming in from Ventura.

Corey Day wins the Turkey Night again

Corey Day is on cloud nine after winning the 2025 Turkey Night Grand Prix straight for the second time. This win made him the youngest two-time victor of the ARP Turkey Night Grand Prix.

This follows up from his last year’s record, where he had become the youngest ever Turkey Night Grand Prix winner. And now, he has an extended birthday celebration with this new feat.

“I love coming home at the end of the year and running these races. This is just such a cool place for me,” he said.

He gave a lot of credit to his owner, Willie Kahne, saying, “It just wouldn’t be possible without Willie Kahne. He works so hard all year and just tinkers on this thing and tries to get it better. Even though we won last year, we showed up with a little something different this year to try and be better, and I think it was.”

Day won the race in a 98-lap duel with Logan Seavey, with both exchanging the lead on nine separate occasions. That itself was another record in the past 55 years or so. Ultimately, the last 24 laps were his to fly by.