Alon Day | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nationality | Israel | ||||||
Born | Ashdod, Israel | November 4, 1991||||||
NASCAR Whelen Euro Series career | |||||||
Debut season | 2015 | ||||||
Current team | PK Carsport | ||||||
Racing licence | FIA Silver | ||||||
Car number | 24 | ||||||
Engine | Chevrolet | ||||||
Former teams | CAAL Racing | ||||||
Starts | 95 | ||||||
Wins | 32 | ||||||
Poles | 37 | ||||||
Fastest laps | 33 | ||||||
Best finish | 1st in 2017, 2018, 2020, 2022 | ||||||
Previous series | |||||||
2013–2014 2012 2010–2011 2011 2011 2008–09 2008–09 2007 | FIA GT Series Firestone Indy Lights German Formula Three Austria Formula 3 Cup Formula 3 Euro Series Asian Formula Renault Formula BMW Pacific Hungarian E-2000 | ||||||
Championship titles | |||||||
2017-18, 20 2009 | NASCAR Whelen Euro Series Asian Formula Renault | ||||||
Height | 175 cm (5 ft 9 in)[1] | ||||||
Weight | 66 kg (146 lb)[1] | ||||||
NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
2 races run over 2 years | |||||||
2018 position | 48th | ||||||
Best finish | 44th (2017) | ||||||
First race | 2017 Toyota/Save Mart 350 (Sonoma) | ||||||
Last race | 2018 Federated Auto Parts 400 (Richmond) | ||||||
| |||||||
NASCAR Xfinity Series career | |||||||
2 races run over 1 year | |||||||
2016 position | 109th | ||||||
Best finish | 109th (2016) | ||||||
First race | 2016 Mid-Ohio Challenge (Mid-Ohio) | ||||||
Last race | 2016 Road America 180 (Road America) | ||||||
| |||||||
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career | |||||||
2 races run over 1 year | |||||||
2016 position | 62nd | ||||||
Best finish | 62nd (2016) | ||||||
First race | 2016 UNOH 175 (Loudon) | ||||||
Last race | 2016 Ford EcoBoost 200 (Homestead) | ||||||
| |||||||
Statistics current as of November 18, 2018. |
Alon Day (Hebrew: אלון דאי, born November 4, 1991) is an Israeli professional stock car racing driver. He last competed in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series, driving the No. 24 Chevrolet SS for PK Carsport and is a four-time champion in the series. 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.[2]
Early life
Day was born and grew up in Ashdod, Israel, and currently resides in Tel Aviv, Israel, and is Jewish.[3][4][5][6] His father, Avi Day, owns a geological-engineering company involved in mineral drilling, and his mother Maggi originally immigrated to Israel from France.[7][8] He began his racing career with go-karts at the age of 10.[9] For his bar mitzvah, his father gave him as a present a karting vehicle that cost NIS 20,000.[7]
After high school, he performed three years of military service in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).[4] He was recognized by the IDF as an outstanding sportsman, the only Israeli in a Formula sport to be accorded that status.[7] He was accepted into the Israeli Air Force pilots' training course, but gave it up because of his career.[7] If he were not a racing car driver, he would want to be a fighter pilot.[4]
Racing career
Day won the Asian Formula Renault Challenge championship in 2009, when he was 17 years old.[10][11] 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).
He returned to the series in 2011 driving for HS Engineering. He improved to fourth in points and captured two podium finishes of 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.[12] He was sponsored by the Jewish Racing Drivers Association.[13]
In 2015, he made his NASCAR debut in the season opener at Valencia, posting a top-10 finish.[14] He attained his first NASCAR win at Magione in the semifinals.[14] At the Circuit Zolder Finals weekend, he won the Junior "Jerome Sarran" Trophy.[14] He also won the 2015 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series Most Popular Driver Award.[15]
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.[14] He also won the 2016 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series Most Popular Driver Award.[15]
Also in 2016, Day was named one of the 11 members of the 2016–17 NASCAR Next program, which recognizes young successful drivers from around the world who are seeking to improve.[16][9] Day was the first driver of NASCAR's European circuit (the Whelen Euro Series) to earn the honor.[9] 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.[17] 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.[18][19][6] After qualifying 22nd, Day capitalized on the rainy conditions to enter the top ten, where he ran for most of the race before finishing 13th.[20][21] Day returned at Road America, driving the No. 13 for MBM and finishing 30th[22] 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.[3][23]
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.[24][19] On June 11, Day won the NASCAR Whelen Euro race in England on June 11 at Brands Hatch.[25] 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.[26] After starting 32nd, he finished in the same position.[27] He became the first Israeli to compete in a Cup Series race.[28] 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.[29]
On September 17, 2018, it was announced that Day would return to the NASCAR Cup Series driving the No. 23 Camry for BK Racing at Richmond.
In the 2019 season, Day started his season strongly after he won both races at Franciacorta and the first race at Brands Hatch.[30][31][32] 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 3 wins, 6 podium finishes, and 9 Top-10 finishes.
On October 4, 2020, Day won his first EuroNASCAR contest of the season at Zolder and also assumed the points lead.[33]
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)
Year | Entrant | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | D.C. | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2011 | HS Engineering | Volkswagen | LEC 1 |
LEC 2 |
LEC 3 |
HOC 1 |
HOC 2 |
HOC 3 |
ZAN 1 |
ZAN 2 |
ZAN 3 |
RBR 1 |
RBR 2 |
RBR 3 |
NOR 1 8 |
NOR 2 7 |
NOR 3 12 |
NÜR 1 |
NÜR 2 |
NÜR 3 |
SIL 1 11 |
SIL 2 Ret |
SIL 3 7 |
VAL 1 |
VAL 2 |
VAL 3 |
HOC 1 |
HOC 2 |
HOC 3 |
NC† | 0† |
† As Day was a guest driver, he was ineligible to score points.
Complete Indy Lights results
Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Rank | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2012 | Belardi Auto Racing | STP 12 |
ALA 6 |
LBH 11 |
INDY 8 |
DET 8 |
MIL 7 |
IOW DNS |
TOR | EDM | TRO | BAL | FON | 12th | 147 |
Complete FIA GT Series results
Year | Team | Car | Class | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Pos. | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2013 | HTP Gravity Charouz | Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 | Pro | NOG QR 3 |
NOG CR 3 |
ZOL QR 7 |
ZOL CR Ret |
ZAN QR 2 |
ZAN CR 1 |
SVK QR 10 |
SVK CR Ret |
NAV QR Ret |
NAV CR 7 |
BAK QR 12 |
BAK CR 4 |
5th | 80 |
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
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | MENCC | Pts | Ref | ||
2017 | BK Racing | 23 | Toyota | DAY | ATL | LVS | PHO | CAL | MAR | TEX | BRI | RCH | TAL | KAN | CLT | DOV | POC | MCH | SON 32 |
DAY | KEN | NHA | IND | POC | GLN | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | CHI | NHA | DOV | CLT | TAL | KAN | MAR | TEX | PHO | HOM | 44th | 5 | [34] | ||
2018 | DAY | ATL | LVS | PHO | CAL | MAR | TEX | BRI | RCH | TAL | DOV | KAN | CLT | POC | MCH | SON | CHI | DAY | KEN | NHA | POC | GLN | MCH | BRI | DAR | IND | LVS | RCH 38 |
CLT | DOV | TAL | KAN | MAR | TEX | PHO | HOM | 48th | 1 | [35] |
Xfinity Series
NASCAR Xfinity Series results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | NXSC | Pts | Ref | ||
2016 | MBM Motorsports | 40 | Dodge | DAY | ATL | LVS | PHO | CAL | TEX | BRI | RCH | TAL | DOV | CLT | POC | MCH | IOW | DAY | KEN | NHA | IND | IOW | GLN | MOH 13 |
BRI | 109th | 01 | [36] | |||||||||||||
13 | ROA 30 |
DAR | RCH | CHI | KEN | DOV | CLT | KAN | TEX | PHO | HOM |
Camping World Truck Series
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | NCWTC | Pts | Ref | |||||||||||||||
2016 | Contreras Motorsports | 71 | Chevy | DAY | ATL | MAR | KAN | DOV | CLT | TEX | IOW | GTW | KEN | ELD | POC | BRI | MCH | MSP | CHI | NHA 24 |
LVS | TAL | MAR | TEX | PHO | HOM 26 |
62nd | 16 | [37] |
* 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)
NASCAR Whelen Euro Series – EuroNASCAR PRO results | ||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | NWES | Pts | Ref | |
2015 | CAAL Racing | 54 | Chevy | VAL 9 |
VAL 19 |
VEN 11 |
VEN 9 |
BRH 10 |
BRH 3 |
TOU 4 |
TOU 8 |
UMB 1** |
UMB 16 |
ZOL 1** |
ZOL 1** |
2nd | 627 | [38] | ||
2016 | VAL 6 |
VAL 1** |
VEN 16 |
VEN 13 |
BRH 3 |
BRH 1** |
TOU 16 |
TOU 4 |
ADR 2 |
ADR 1** |
ZOL 7 |
ZOL 3 |
3rd | 614 | [39] | |||||
2017 | VAL 20 |
VAL 3 |
BRH 3 |
BRH 1* |
VEN 3 |
VEN 5 |
HOC 4 |
HOC 2 |
FRA 1* |
FRA 1** |
ZOL 1** |
ZOL 4 |
1st | 661 | [40] | |||||
2018 | VAL 1* |
VAL 1* |
FRA 1* |
FRA 29 |
1st | 512 | [41] | |||||||||||||
Toyota | BRH 21 |
BRH 3 |
TOU 2 |
TOU 1* |
HOC 15 |
HOC 1* |
ZOL 1* |
ZOL 1* |
||||||||||||
2019 | Chevy | VAL 3 |
VAL 4 |
FRA 1* |
FRA 1* |
BRH 1 |
BRH 3 |
MOS 20 |
MOS 22 |
VEN 8 |
HOC 14 |
HOC 26 |
ZOL 6 |
ZOL 2 |
4th | 473 | [42] | |||
2020 | PK Carsport | 24 | ITA 2 |
ITA 4 |
BEL 3 |
BEL 1* |
CRO 5 |
CRO 1* |
ESP1 6 |
ESP1 1 |
ESP2 1* |
ESP2 4 |
1st | 431 | [43] | |||||
2021 | CAAL Racing | 88 | ESP 5 |
ESP 19 |
GBR 1* |
GBR 19 |
CZE 1* |
CZE 17 |
CRO 5 |
CRO 3 |
BEL 17 |
BEL 1* |
ITA 19 |
ITA 3 |
6th | 367 | ||||
2022 | PK Carsport | 24 | ESP 4 |
ESP 1 |
GBR 1 |
GBR 16* |
ITA 1* |
ITA 2 |
CZE 4 |
CZE 1* |
CRO 1* |
CRO 3 |
1st | 425 | ||||||
SpeedHouse | 40 | Ford | BEL 11 |
BEL 27 |
||||||||||||||||
See also
References
- 1 2 "About | Alon Day". Archived from the original on 2017-04-17. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
- ↑ "Belardi signs Israeli driver for Indy Lights campaign". 10 March 2014., Racer, January 20, 2012, Retrieved 2012-01-21
- 1 2 Levin, David (September 21, 2016). "NASCAR's First Israeli Driver to Compete in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series". Florida Waterfront. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
- 1 2 3 "Candy Bowl: Alon Day revving up to be NASCAR's 1st Jewish driver". www.nydailynews.com.
- ↑ "Beyond the Cockpit: Alon Day Looks to Become the First Israeli NASCAR Driver". www.frontstretch.com. 19 April 2016.
- 1 2 "The Drive of Alon Day: Born in Israel, bred on video games, the Jewish pilot tows NASCAR's latest diversity hopes". Sports Illustrated.
- 1 2 3 4 "Israeli race car drivers stuck in neutral". Haaretz.
- ↑ "In the driver's seat,"". The Jerusalem Post.
- 1 2 3 "Israel's first NASCAR driver". Ynet.
- ↑ "Payment | Driver Database".
- ↑ "Reference at www.thejc.com".
- ↑ "Belardi Auto Racing and Alon Day part ways". Archived from the original on 2012-06-28. Retrieved 2012-06-27., IndyCar, June 27, 2012, Retrieved 2012-06-27
- ↑ "Reference at www.thejc.com".
- 1 2 3 4 "Alon Day | NASCAR Home Tracks".
- 1 2 "NASCAR: Six Drivers Earn Touring Series' Most Popular Driver Awards". 2016-11-23. Archived from the original on 2017-04-18. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
- ↑ "FUTURE STARS UNVEILED IN NASCAR NEXT 2016-17 CLASS". NASCAR. May 17, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
- ↑ Knight, Chris (July 23, 2016). "NASCAR Next's Alon Day To Make XFINITY Series Debut At Mid-Ohio". Catchfence. Retrieved July 23, 2016.
- ↑ Gluck, Jeff (August 13, 2016). "Alon Day poised to make NASCAR history as first Israeli driver". USA Today. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
- 1 2 "NASCAR Driver Alon Day, 25, Is Israel's Athlete of the Year". Tablet.
- ↑ "2016 Mid-Ohio Challenge". Retrieved August 17, 2016.
- ↑ Kraft, RJ (August 13, 2016). "NASCAR NEXT'S ALON DAY HAS STRONG SHOWING AT MID-OHIO". NASCAR. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
- ↑ "2016 Road America 180". Racing-Reference. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
- ↑ "2016 UNOH 175". Retrieved March 23, 2017.
- ↑ "Alon Day Receives Israel's Athlete Of The Year Award". automobilsport.com.
- ↑ "Reference at www.nydailynews.com". New York Daily News.
- ↑ Southers, Tim (June 16, 2017). "Alon Day to make NASCAR Cup debut at Sonoma with BK Racing". Motorsport.com. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
- ↑ "2017 Toyota / Save Mart 350". Racing-Reference. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
- ↑ "Israel's Day hoping to build on NASCAR Cup Series debut - Israel News - Jerusalem Post".
- ↑ "Day is the New NWES Champion | NASCAR Home Tracks". Archived from the original on 2017-10-17. Retrieved 2017-10-17.
- ↑ "Alon Day scores first Euro Series win of 2019 at Franciacorta". motorsport.com. 12 May 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
- ↑ "ALON DAY MAKES IT A PERFECT WEEKEND FOR CAAL RACING". euronascar.com. NASCAR Media Group, LLC. 12 May 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
- ↑ "Alon Day Continues Winning Way". speedsport.com. Speed Sport. 1 June 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
- ↑ Wiegold, André; Ercoli, Gianmarco (October 4, 2020). "Alon Day grabs his first win of the season and championship lead at Circuit Zolder". www.euronascar.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
- ↑ "Alon Day – 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
- ↑ "Alon Day – 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
- ↑ "Alon Day – 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
- ↑ "Alon Day – 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
- ↑ "Alon Day – 2015 NASCAR Whelen Euro Elite 1 Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
- ↑ "Alon Day – 2016 NASCAR Whelen Euro Elite 1 Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
- ↑ "Alon Day – 2017 NASCAR Whelen Euro Elite 1 Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
- ↑ "Alon Day – 2018 NASCAR Whelen Euro Elite 1 Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
- ↑ "Alon Day – 2019 NASCAR Whelen Euro Elite 1 Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
- ↑ "Alon Day – 2020 NASCAR Whelen Euro Elite 1 Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
External links
- Media related to Alon Day at Wikimedia Commons
- Official website
- Alon Day driver statistics at Racing-Reference
- Alon Day career summary at DriverDB.com