RICHMOND, Va. — Alon Day has had a taste of racing at NASCAR’s highest level, making his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debut last season at Sonoma Raceway.
The venue was a sweet spot where Day said “I know where I’m coming from,” a winding road course that rang familiar with his successful background of competing in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series. This weekend, Day is back in the Monster Energy Series, but for the first time on an oval track in Saturday’s Federated Auto Parts 400 (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Day says it’s impossible for him to draw comparisons between the two starts. But one easy distinction he can make: A continental divide in the approach to driving.
“The aggression is way higher than the European style,” says Day, a 26-year-old native of Israel. “In Europe, we are not allowed to touch each other. We do, but it’s minor. Here, if you made a mistake and bump someone, he’s kind of allowed to bump you, too. In Europe, no way. I had to get used to that.”
Day, a member of the 2016 NASCAR Next class, would love to become even more accustomed to the stateside style of racing.
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Saturday’s Richmond event is the rookie’s next step in NASCAR’s approval process to compete on larger speedways as he aims to beef up his driving duties. He will pilot the BK Racing No. 23 Toyota in Saturday’s 400-lap event, with backing from Best Bully Sticks, a Richmond-based pet treat business. Day has also offered up his road-racing services for teams competing next weekend at the Charlotte Motor Speedway oval/road course and hopes to add Phoenix and Homestead to his 2018 schedule.
That’s all happening as Day is entrenched in a battle for his second straight Euro Series title. He’s won four of the eight rounds this season and stands as the division’s winningest active driver. “I’ll try to do my best and win another championship, but right now I’m only thinking about driving here in Richmond.”
His performance in four seasons in the Euro Series has helped his name recognition, especially in his home country, where auto racing has only recently gathered a following. He was honored by Israel’s Ministry of Culture and Sports in January 2017 as the country’s Athlete of the Year in the motorsports category.
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That profile boost came on the heels of his inclusion in the NASCAR Next initiative, which helped identify him as a potential rising talent in the stock-car racing pipeline. Two starts in each the Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series followed, with his Monster Energy Series opportunities along later.
“Without NASCAR Next, I don’t think people would recognize my name, I wouldn’t get the Xfinity ride, Trucks ride, anything,” Day says. “So I have to thank NASCAR Next for putting me there and making my name bigger. I’m here because of them.”
