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Corey Day made an impressive debut at the 2024 Turkey Night Grand Prix, claiming victory in his first start and making history as the youngest driver ever to win the prestigious race. The 19 year old, who celebrated his birthday just two days before the event, took the lead late in the race, securing the win after starting from the eighth position. Day's victory marked a milestone in the race's history, as he became the fifth consecutive California native to take the Turkey Night Grand Prix crown.
Corey Day's Historic Win
Day’s victory came after a dramatic 98lap race, where he led the final 17 laps. He took the lead from pole sitter Jacob Denney and never looked back, holding off the competition to finish first and earn a $15,000 prize.
In a postrace interview, Day expressed his excitement about the win, saying, “This was my last race of the year, and I’ve never ended the year with a win in all my years racing. To do that feels really, really good.” He also spoke about his approach to the race, noting that he found the event to be a less pressured environment compared to his usual competitions. "It’s not as high pressure as the normal stuff I’m doing and I’m just really glad Willie [Kahne] and I could get a couple wins down here,” Day said.
Day's victory continued a trend of California dominance in the Turkey Night Grand Prix. He joined a list of recent California winners, including Kyle Larson (2019), Logan Seavey (2021), and Justin Grant (2022). This makes it the fifth consecutive year a driver from California has taken the top spot.
Kyle Larson Faces Disappointment
For NASCAR Cup Series regular Kyle Larson, the race was a disappointment. Despite starting from 10th position, Larson worked his way up to 5th by Lap 44. However, just a few laps later, he was spun out by Day and relegated to the back of the field. Larson made a brief recovery to reach 20th but ultimately retired from the race with 21 laps remaining, marking his first time finishing outside the top five in 12 Turkey Night Grand Prix editions.
Tough Night for Kyle Busch and Ty Gibbs
The night proved even more difficult for NASCAR drivers Kyle Busch and Ty Gibbs. Busch, after finishing outside the transfer position in his first qualification race, advanced to the Last Chance Qualifier where he was running outside the top 10 before becoming the second driver to retire from the 15lap race.
Meanwhile, Ty Gibbs faced an early exit after finishing 11th in his qualification race, resulting in his disqualification from the main event. Former NASCAR driver JJ Yeley also struggled, failing to qualify for the main event after finishing outside the top 10 in his own qualification race.
Podium Finishers
While Corey Day made history with his win, the podium was rounded out by Michael “Buddy” Kofoid in second place and Daison Pursley in third. Kofoid had a strong run, leading the race for a portion of the middle laps before eventually finishing behind Day.
Full Feature Results
The 2024 Turkey Night Grand Prix concluded with a thrilling finish, with Corey Day coming out on top. Here are the complete feature results from the 98lap race:
1. Corey Day (8)
2. Buddy Kofoid (3)
3. Daison Pursley (2)
4. Jacob Denney (1)
5. Logan Seavey (13)
6. Gavin Miller (9)
7. Justin Grant (15)
8. Kale Drake (7)
9. Jake Swanson (14)
10. Tanner Carrick (19)
11. Zach Wigal (11)
12. Cannon McIntosh (6)
13. Tyler Courtney (12)
14. Tanner Thorson (4)
15. Zach Daum (21)
16. Cade Lewis (23)
17. CJ Leary (20)
18. Dalten Gabbard (17)
19. Broedy Graham (25)
20. Kyle Larson (10)
21. Emerson Axsom (26)
22. Kevin Thomas Jr. (5)
23. Ronnie Gardner (24)
24. Chase McDermand (22)
25. Kaylee Bryson (18)
26. Ryan Timms (16)
Corey Day’s victory at the 2024 Turkey Night Grand Prix will surely go down as a defining moment in his career, and the race itself delivered plenty of drama, with NASCAR stars facing unexpected challenges and a new California native joining the ranks of Turkey Night Grand Prix champions.
