History will be made Saturday when Israeli native Alon Day will drive for MBM Motorsports in the NASCAR XFINITY Series at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio (3:30 p.m. ET, USA). Day will also drive for MBM Motorsports a few weeks later when the NASCAR XFINITY Series visits Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisc., on Aug. 27.
"I am super thankful for this opportunity," Day said.
Day was one of 11 drivers selected to the 2016-17 NASCAR Next class, and is the first driver selected from NASCAR's Whelen Euro Series. NASCAR Next is an initiative designed to feature the best and brightest rising young stars in racing. His selection was announced in May of this year.
He will start 22nd in Saturday's Mid-Ohio Challenge. Earlier in Friday's practices, he finished 23rd and 16th, respectively.
Born in the port city of Ashdod, Israel, Alon Day now lives in Tel Aviv. Currently 24, Day began his motorsports career at the age of 9. He raced Go Karts and became Israel's National Champion. In 2009, he was Champion of the Formula Renault Asian Championship having placed first in six of his 12 races in that series, and was named Israeli Sportsman of the Year. Day continued to race in open wheel race cars through 2014, including six races in 2012 as the first Israeli driver competing in the Indy Lights Series in the United States.
Day transitioned from open wheel to stock cars in 2015, competing in NASCAR's Whelen Euro Series. He finished second overall in his rookie season, winning three of his last four races. In 2016, with his sights set on racing in NASCAR's XFINITY and Sprint Cup Series, he continues to compete in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series.