Alon Day
Introduction '''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.
Early life Day was born and grew up in Ashdod, Israel, and currently resides in Tel Aviv, Israel, and is Jewish. His father, Avi Day, owns a geological-engineering company involved in mineral drilling, and his mother Maggi originally immigrated to Israel from France. He began his racing career with go-karts at the age of 10.For his bar mitzvah, his father gave him as a present a karting vehicle that cost NIS 20,000.After high school, he performed three years of military service in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). He was recognized by the IDF as an outstanding sportsman, the only Israeli in a Formula sport to be accorded that status. He was accepted into the Israeli Air Force pilots' training course, but gave it up because of his career. If he were not a racing car driver, he would want to be a fighter pilot.
Racing career Day won the Asian Formula Renault Challenge championship in 2009, when he was 17 years old. 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. He was sponsored by the Jewish Racing Drivers Association.In 2015, he made his NASCAR debut in the season opener at Valencia, posting a top-10 finish. He attained his first NASCAR win at Magione in the semifinals. At the Circuit Zolder Finals weekend, he won the Junior "Jerome Sarran" Trophy. He also won the 2015 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series Most Popular Driver Award.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. He also won the 2016 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series Most Popular Driver Award.Day in his Xfinity Series car at Road America in 2016.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. Day was the first driver of NASCAR's European circuit (the Whelen Euro Series) to earn the honor. 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. 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. 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. Day returned at Road America, driving the No. 13 for MBM and finishing 30th 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.Day made his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debut at Sonoma Raceway in 2017In January 2017, Day was recognized by Israel's Ministry Of Culture and Sport as Israel's Athlete Of The Year in the motorsports category. On June 11, Day won the NASCAR Whelen Euro race in England on June 11 at Brands Hatch. 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. After starting 32nd, he finished in the same position. He became the first Israeli to compete in a Cup Series race. 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.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. 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.
Racing record ===Career summary=== Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position 2008 Asian Formula Renault Challenge Asia Racing Team 2 0 0 1 0 0 NC† 2009 Asian Formula Renault Challenge March 3 Racing 6 4 2 3 5 293 '''1st''' Top Speed Racing Team 8 2 2 4 8Formula BMW PacificAsia Racing Team100000NC† 2010 German Formula 3 Championship Performance Racing 18 0 0 0 0 26 9th 2011 German Formula 3 Championship HS Technik Motorsport 18 0 1 2 2 62 4th Formula 3 Euro Series Team HS-Engineering 6 0 0 0 0 0 NC† Austria Formula 3 Cup 2 2 0 0 2 40 8th 2012 Indy Lights Belardi Auto Racing 6 0 0 0 0 147 12th 2013 FIA GT Series HTP Gravity Charouz 12 1 0 1 5 80 5th 2014 ADAC GT Masters BKK Mobil Oil Racing Team Zakspeed 14 0 0 1 2 60 15th Blancpain GT Sprint Series Zakspeed 2 0 0 0 0 1 28th 2015 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series CAAL Racing 12 3 4 3 4 627 '''2nd''' 2016 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series CAAL Racing 12 3 5 3 6 614 '''3rd''' NASCAR Xfinity Series MBM Motorsports 1 0 0 N/A N/A 0† 109th NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Contreras Motorsports 1 0 0 N/A N/A 16 62nd 2017 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series CAAL Racing 12 4 5 4 8 661 '''1st''' Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series BK Racing 1 0 0 N/A N/A 5 44th 2018 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series CAAL Racing 12 7 6 3 9 512 '''1st''' Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series BK Racing 1 0 0 N/A N/A 1 48th 2019 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series CAAL Racing 13 3 2 2 6 473 4th 2020 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series PK Carsport 10 4 5 6 6 431 '''1st''' 2021 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series CAAL Racing 12 3 3 2 5 367 6th 2022 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series PK Carsport 10 5 5 5 7 425 '''1st''' SpeedHouse 2 0 0 0 0 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  Points 2011 HS Engineering Volkswagen LEC1 LEC2 LEC3 HOC1 HOC2 HOC3 ZAN1 ZAN2 ZAN3 RBR1 RBR2 RBR3 NOR1 NOR2 NOR3 NÜR1 NÜR2 NÜR3 SIL1 SIL2 SIL3 VAL1 VAL2 VAL3 HOC1 HOC2 HOC3 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 ALA LBH INDY DET MIL IOW 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 NOGQR NOGCR ZOLQR ZOLCR ''ZANQR'' ZANCR SVKQR SVKCR NAVQR NAVCR BAKQR BAKCR 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  Pts Ref 2017 BK Racing 23 Toyota DAY ATL LVS PHO CAL MAR TEX BRI RCH TAL KAN CLT DOV POC MCH SON32 DAY KEN NHA IND POC GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH CHI NHA DOV CLT TAL KAN MAR TEX PHO HOM 44th 5  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 RCH38 CLT DOV TAL KAN MAR TEX PHO HOM 48th 1 ====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  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 MOH13 BRI 109th 01  13 ROA30 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  Pts Ref 2016 Contreras Motorsports 71 Chevy DAY ATL MAR KAN DOV CLT TEX IOW GTW KEN ELD POC BRI MCH MSP CHI NHA24 LVS TAL MAR TEX PHO HOM26 62nd 16  Season still in progress 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  Pts Ref 2015 CAAL Racing 54 Chevy VAL VAL VEN VEN BRH BRH TOU TOU '''UMB''' UMB '''ZOL''' '''ZOL''' 2nd 627  2016 VAL '''VAL''' VEN VEN BRH '''BRH''' TOU TOU '''ADR''' '''ADR''' '''ZOL''' ZOL 3rd 614  2017 VAL VAL BRH BRH VEN VEN '''HOC''' '''HOC''' FRA FRA '''ZOL''' '''ZOL''' 1st 661  2018 '''VAL''' VAL '''''FRA''''' '''FRA''' 1st 512  Toyota BRH BRH TOU '''TOU''' ''HOC'' '''HOC''' '''''ZOL''''' '''''ZOL''''' 2019 Chevy VAL VAL '''''FRA''''' '''''FRA''''' BRH BRH MOS MOS VEN ''HOC'' '''HOC''' ZOL ZOL 4th   2020 PK Carsport 24 ITA ITA BEL ''BEL'' ''CRO'' '''''CRO''''' '''''ESP1''''' '''''ESP1''''' '''''ESP2''''' '''ESP2''' 1st 431  2021 CAAL Racing 88 ESP ESP '''GBR''' GBR CZE CZE CRO CRO ''BEL'' '''BEL''' '''ITA''' ''ITA'' 6th 367   2022 PK Carsport 24 ESP ESP ''GBR'' '''GBR''' ''ITA'' '''''ITA''''' '''''CZE''''' '''''CZE'''''  '''CRO''' CRO  1st  425  SpeedHouse 40 Ford  BEL BEL
See also *Sports in Israel*List of Israelis*List of Jews in sports
References
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