Day Sets The Pace In Rockingham Xfinity Testing

Corey Day during NASCAR Xfinity Series testing at Rockingham Speedway. (Scotte Sprinkle/Race Face Digital photo)

ROCKINGHAM, N.C. – He might be relatively fresh to the pavement world, but sprint car and midget standout Corey Day wasted little time in getting up to speed in a NASCAR Xfinity Series car Tuesday.

Day posted the fastest time overall among four one-hour blocks of organizational testing at Rockingham Speedway, touring the historic one-mile oval in 22.540 seconds (162.431 mph) with the No. 17 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.

The 19-year-old from Clovis, Calif., was nearly three tenths of a second quicker than anyone else on single lap pace and almost a full second better than the existing Xfinity Series mark of 23.414 seconds (156.358 mph) set in February of 2001 by Greg Biffle.

It marks the continuation of a rapid progression for Day, who will contest roughly 30 pavement races this year across the Xfinity Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, ARCA Menards Series, and Trans-Am Series with Hendrick Motorsports and its affiliate teams.

Second on the combined speed charts was RSS Racing veteran Ryan Sieg, who turned a lap of 22.834 seconds (160.340 mph) in the No. 39 Ford Mustang, with rookie-of-the-year contender Taylor Gray third (22.845/160.263) in the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota GR Supra giving all three manufacturers representation among the top three positions.

Big Machine Racing’s Nick Sanchez and JR Motorsports’ Connor Zilisch, both fellow rookies alongside Gray, closed the top five.

Placing sixth was sophomore driver Jesse Love for Richard Childress Racing, followed by JR Motorsports’ Carson Kvapil, Richard Childress Racing’s Kasey Kahne, JR Motorsports’ Sammy Smith, and Sam Hunt Racing’s Dean Thompson.

AM Racing’s Harrison Burton, returning to the Xfinity Series for the first time since 2021, turned 125 laps Tuesday – the most of any driver.

Testing is slated to continue Wednesday due to a rain delay that postponed the start of Tuesday’s track time. On-track action will run from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., with grandstand admission free to fans.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series returns to Rockingham Saturday, April 19 during the Easter holiday weekend for the North Carolina Education Lottery 250, the first series event at The Rock since February of 2004.

Broadcast coverage is slated for 4 p.m. ET on The CW, the Motor Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.

For ticket information regarding NASCAR weekend at Rockingham Speedway, visit racetherock.com/tickets.