Corey Day, who pilots the No. 17 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series, found himself at the center of a brewing controversy during the opening stages of qualifying for the 2026 O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200 at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina.
The Qualifying Clash
As the cars jostled for position, a collision involving Kyle Sawalich sent his vehicle into a spin, prompting an angry exchange. Witnesses reported that Sawalich, after the incident, shouted the profanity‑laden rebuke “Go F–k Myself” directly at Day, a remark that quickly escalated the tension between the two competitors.
The altercation unfolded against the backdrop of a high‑stakes event that draws prominent sponsors such as O'Reilly Auto Parts and the VFW Help a Hero, underscoring the commercial significance of the race while highlighting the personal friction that can arise in the sport.
Day, maintaining his composure, later addressed the incident, emphasizing that the rivalry has been simmering for months and that the verbal outburst was a symptom of deeper competitive pressures rather than a spontaneous outburst.