The 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season tested Corey Day in many ways. Twenty-five races across the country, each demanding precision, endurance and adaptation. For the young driver making his full-time debut with JR Motorsports, the year became less about immediate results and more about building the foundation for sustained success.

Now, as the offseason provides breathing room for reflection, Day is processing the lessons from a grueling rookie campaign, and setting his sights on 2026.

A season of hard-won lessons

Day entered 2025 with impressive sprint car credentials, but NASCAR’s weekly grind quickly revealed the chasm between regional racing and competing at the national level. The schedule alone demanded consecutive weekends of bouncing between road courses, short tracks, intermediate ovals and superspeedways.

Each track type required different setups, driving styles and mental approaches. Success at one venue guaranteed nothing at the next.

According to the Hendrick Motorsports article documenting his season, Day gained critical insights into what makes a championship contender. “I think the biggest thing I learned this year is just how much preparation goes into each and every race,” Day said, acknowledging the systematic excellence NASCAR demands.

It wasn’t about showing up and driving fast. Instead, it was about dedicated simulator work between races, studying telemetry until patterns emerged and communicating setup preferences to crew chiefs in language they could translate into mechanical adjustments. Day had to embrace a learning curve that was steep and unforgiving.

Driver Corey Day (left) talks to crew chief Adam Wall at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. (Source: https://www.hendrickmotorsports.com/news/articles/145378/corey-day-recap-lessons-learned-2025-full-time-nascar-xfinity-series-ride-2026 )
Growing pains and the unglamorous work of development

The JR Motorsports organization provided resources and expertise, but Day had to do the work of absorbing institutional knowledge built over decades. Some weekends showcased his potential. Others exposed how much he still had to learn. Both were equally valuable.

The season wasn’t measured in victories but in incremental progress with qualifying positions gained, laps led, moments where instinct gave way to calculation. According to Day, “People can tell you that this is going to happen so don’t do that, but until you go do it and feel it and feel why you don’t need to do it – I just felt like I needed to make those and go through the growing pains and that’s what I did.”

2026: Translating experience into performance

With one full season complete, Day approaches 2026 with a crucial advantage: familiarity. As Day told Hendrick Motorsports, his excitement stems from opportunity — the chance to apply everything he absorbed during his trial-by-fire debut. “I’m really excited about next year and being able to take what I’ve learned and apply it,” he said, his confidence built on earned experience rather than untested optimism.

The prediction for 2026 isn’t surprising: expect measurable improvement, better qualifying efforts, stronger race finishes and fewer rookie mistakes. This transformation won’t happen overnight, but Day should expect measurable improvement from year one to year two.

Looking ahead

As Day and the entire Hendrick Motorsports organization, an Acronis #TeamUp partner, head into the new season, they carry forward the same commitment to excellence and performance that defines both championship racing and cyber protection: meticulous preparation, resilient systems, and the drive to protect what matters most.

Header image: Corey Day (17) recorded his first top 10 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at World Wide Technology Raceway in September. (Source: https://www.hendrickmotorsports.com/news/articles/145378/corey-day-recap-lessons-learned-2025-full-time-nascar-xfinity-series-ride-2026 )