Alon Day

Alon Day (Hebrew: אלון דאי; born 4 November 1991) is an Israeli professional stock car racing driver. Day is a record four-time European Champion in the NASCAR Euro Series. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, competing in the No. 24 Toyota GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing, and part-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 25 Toyota Camry for Venturini Motorsports, and part-time in the ARCA Menards Series West, driving the same car for the same team. Day is the first Israeli driver to compete in an IndyCar-sanctioned series and is also the first Israeli to compete in one of NASCAR's top three touring series.^[3]

Early life

Day was born and grew up in Ashdod, Israel, and currently resides in Tel Aviv, Israel, and is Jewish.^[4][5][6][7] His father, Avi Day, owns a geological-engineering company involved in mineral drilling, and his mother Maggi originally immigrated to Israel from France.^[8][9] He began his racing career with go-karts at the age of 10.^[10] For his bar mitzvah, his father gave him as a present a karting vehicle that cost NIS 20,000.^[8]

After high school, Day performed three years of military service in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).^[5] He was recognized by the IDF as an outstanding sportsman, the only Israeli in a Formula sport to be accorded that status.^[8] He was accepted into the Israeli Air Force pilots' training course, but gave it up because of his career.^[8] If he were not a racing car driver, he would want to be a fighter pilot.^[5]

Racing career

Day won the Asian Formula Renault Challenge championship in 2009, when he was seventeen years old.^[11][12] He then drove in the German Formula Three Championship in 2010, racing with the Performance Racing team. He finished ninth in points, with a best finish of fourth (twice).

Day returned to the series in 2011 driving for HS Engineering. He improved to fourth in points and captured two podium finishes in third place. He also won the pole for the second race at Sachsenring. He made six starts in Formula 3 Euro Series (two race meets – Norisring and Silverstone Circuit) and drove in two races in Austria Formula 3 Cup, good enough for eighth in that championship.

In 2012, Day's career transitioned to North America, where he signed to drive in the Firestone Indy Lights series with Belardi Auto Racing. Day made six starts for the team before they amicably parted ways in June after qualifying at the Iowa Speedway.^[13] He was sponsored by the Jewish Racing Drivers Association.^[14]

In 2015, Day made his NASCAR debut in the season opener at Valencia, posting a top-ten finish.^[15] He attained his first NASCAR win at Magione in the semifinals.^[15] At the Circuit Zolder Finals weekend, he won the Junior "Jerome Sarran" Trophy.^[15] He also won the 2015 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series Most Popular Driver Award.^[16]

In 2016, Day won his fourth career NASCAR race in the opening weekend in Valencia, won the second race of the season at Brands Hatch, and at Zolder, he won the Junior Trophy classification.^[15] He also won the 2016 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series Most Popular Driver Award.^[16]

Also in 2016, Day was named one of the eleven members of the 2016–17 NASCAR Next program, which recognizes young, successful drivers from around the world who are seeking to improve.^[17][10] Day was the first driver of NASCAR's European circuit (the Whelen Euro Series) to earn the honor.^[10] In August, he joined MBM Motorsports for his Xfinity Series debut at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, making Day the first Israeli to compete in a major NASCAR touring series.^[18] The effort was supported by Jewish Sarasota, Florida, environmental/waterfront property lawyer David Levin, who provided Day with $60,000 from his retirement account to fund the car.^[19][20][7] After qualifying 22nd, Day capitalized on the rainy conditions to enter the top-ten, where he ran for most of the race before finishing thirteenth.^[21][22] Day returned at Road America, driving the No. 13 for MBM and finishing 30th^[23] after he was forced off course late in the race. In September, Contreras Motorsports hired Day to make his Camping World Truck Series debut at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, in which he finished 24th.^[4][24]

In January 2017, Day was recognized by Israel's Ministry Of Culture and Sport as Israel's Athlete Of The Year in the motorsports category.^[25][20] On 11 June, Day won the NASCAR Whelen Euro race in England on 11 June at Brands Hatch.^[26] Later in June, Day joined BK Racing for his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debut in Sonoma Raceway's Toyota/Save Mart 350, driving the No. 23 Toyota Camry.^[27] After starting 32nd, he finished in the same position.^[28] He became the first Israeli to compete in a Cup Series race.^[29] In mid-October, following a fourth-place finish at the second final of the NASCAR Whelen Euro race at Circuit Zolder, he became the first Israeli driver to win a NASCAR championship, clinching the 2017 championship title after only completing just the first lap, finishing the final standings 53 points ahead of defending and two-time series champion Anthony Kumpen.^[30]

On 17 September 2018, it was announced that Day would return to the NASCAR Cup Series driving the No. 23 Camry for BK Racing at Richmond.^[31]

In the 2019 season, Day started his season strongly after he won both races at Franciacorta and the first race at Brands Hatch.^[32][33][34] However, he would retire from both races at Most after he collided with Jacques Villeneuve in the first race and was involved in a first corner incident in the second race. Another troublesome week at Hockenheim would follow, where Day received a post-race time penalty for colliding with Stienes Longin in the first race before retiring from the lead in the second race. Day would eventually finish the season in fourth place with three wins, six podium finishes, and nine top-ten finishes.

On 4 October 2020, Day won his first EuroNASCAR contest of the season at Zolder and also assumed the points lead.^[35]

Racing record

Career summary

^† Guest driver - Ineligible to score points.

Complete Formula 3 Euro Series results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

† As Day was a guest driver, he was ineligible to score points.

Complete Indy Lights results

Complete FIA GT Series results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led. ** – All laps led.)

Monster Energy Cup Series

Xfinity Series

Camping World Truck Series

^* Season still in progress
¹ Ineligible for series points

Whelen Euro Series – EuroNASCAR PRO

(key) (Bold – Pole position. Italics – Fastest lap. * – Most laps led. ^ – Most positions gained)

ARCA Menards Series

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

ARCA Menards Series West

See also

• Sports in Israel
• List of Israelis
• List of Jews in sports

References

1. ^ "About | Alon Day". Archived from the original on 17 April 2017. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
2. ^ "2014 GT3 Driver Categorisation". fia.com. Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 16 October 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
3. ^ "Belardi signs Israeli driver for Indy Lights campaign". 10 March 2014., Racer, 20 January 2012, Retrieved 21 January 2012
4. ^ Levin, David (21 September 2016). "NASCAR's First Israeli Driver to Compete in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series". Florida Waterfront. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
5. ^ "Candy Bowl: Alon Day revving up to be NASCAR's 1st Jewish driver". www.nydailynews.com
6. ^ "Beyond the Cockpit: Alon Day Looks to Become the First Israeli NASCAR Driver". www.frontstretch.com. 19 April 2016.
7. ^ "The Drive of Alon Day: Born in Israel, bred on video games, the Jewish pilot tows NASCAR's latest diversity hopes". Sports Illustrated
8. ^ "Israeli race car drivers stuck in neutral". Haaretz. Archived from the original on May 17, 2016.
9. ^ "In the driver's seat,"". The Jerusalem Post
10. ^ "Israel's first NASCAR driver". Ynet
11. ^ "Payment | Driver Database"
12. ^ "Reference at www.thejc.com"
13. ^ "Belardi Auto Racing and Alon Day part ways". Archived from the original on 28 June 2012. Retrieved 27 June 2012., IndyCar, 27 June 2012, Retrieved 27 June 2012
14. ^ "Reference at www.thejc.com"
15. ^ "Alon Day | NASCAR Home Tracks"
16. ^ "NASCAR: Six Drivers Earn Touring Series' Most Popular Driver Awards". 23 November 2016. Archived from the original on 18 April 2017. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
17. ^ "FUTURE STARS UNVEILED IN NASCAR NEXT 2016-17 CLASS". NASCAR. 17 May 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
18. ^ Knight, Chris (23 July 2016). "NASCAR Next's Alon Day To Make XFINITY Series Debut At Mid-Ohio". Catchfence. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
19. ^ Gluck, Jeff (13 August 2016). "Alon Day poised to make NASCAR history as first Israeli driver". USA Today. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
20. ^ "NASCAR Driver Alon Day, 25, Is Israel's Athlete of the Year". Tablet
21. ^ "2016 Mid-Ohio Challenge". Retrieved 17 August 2016.
22. ^ Kraft, RJ (13 August 2016). "NASCAR NEXT'S ALON DAY HAS STRONG SHOWING AT MID-OHIO". NASCAR. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
23. ^ "2016 Road America 180". Racing-Reference. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
24. ^ "2016 UNOH 175". Retrieved 23 March 2017.
25. ^ "Alon Day Receives Israel's Athlete Of The Year Award". automobilsport.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2017.
26. ^ "Reference at www.nydailynews.com". New York Daily News
27. ^ Southers, Tim (16 June 2017). "Alon Day to make NASCAR Cup debut at Sonoma with BK Racing". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
28. ^ "2017 Toyota / Save Mart 350". Racing-Reference. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
29. ^ "Israel's Day hoping to build on NASCAR Cup Series debut - Israel News - Jerusalem Post"
30. ^ "Day is the New NWES Champion | NASCAR Home Tracks". Archived from the original on 17 October 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
31. ^ "Alon Day to make 2018 Monster Energy Series debut at Richmond". NASCAR. 21 September 2018. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
32. ^ "Alon Day scores first Euro Series win of 2019 at Franciacorta". motorsport.com. 12 May 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
33. ^ "ALON DAY MAKES IT A PERFECT WEEKEND FOR CAAL RACING". euronascar.com. NASCAR Media Group, LLC. 12 May 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
34. ^ "Alon Day Continues Winning Way". speedsport.com. Speed Sport. 1 June 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
35. ^ Wiegold, André & Ercoli, Gianmarco (4 October 2020). "Alon Day grabs his first win of the season and championship lead at Circuit Zolder". www.euronascar.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
36. ^ "Alon Day". Driver Database. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
37. ^ "Alon Day Results". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
38. ^ "Alon Day". Motor Sport. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
39. ^ "Alon Day – 2012 Firestone Indy Lights Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
40. ^ "FIA GT Series – Season 2013: Results". Speedsport Magazine. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
41. ^ "Alon Day – 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
42. ^ "Alon Day – 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
43. ^ "Alon Day – 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
44. ^ "Alon Day – 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
45. ^ "Alon Day – 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
46. ^ "Alon Day – 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
47. ^ "Alon Day – 2015 NASCAR Whelen Euro Elite 1 Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
48. ^ "Alon Day – 2016 NASCAR Whelen Euro Elite 1 Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
49. ^ "Alon Day – 2017 NASCAR Whelen Euro Elite 1 Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
50. ^ "Alon Day – 2018 NASCAR Whelen Euro Elite 1 Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
51. ^ "Alon Day – 2019 NASCAR Whelen Euro Elite 1 Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
52. ^ "Alon Day – 2020 NASCAR Whelen Euro Elite 1 Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
53. ^ "Alon Day – 2025 ARCA Menards Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
54. ^ "Alon Day – 2025 ARCA Menards Series West Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 11 July 2025.

External links

• Official website