Mark Day (racing driver)

Mark Day (born September 21, 1961) is an American former professional stock car racing driver, racing for a number of years in NASCAR's Busch and Southeast Series, as well as the ARCA Re/Max Series. In addition, his family used to own Day Enterprise Racing, which fielded entries in the Busch Series and ARCA Re/Max Series from 1989 to 2011.

Mark Day
Born (1961-09-21) September 21, 1961 (age 63)
Clarksville, Tennessee
Achievements2006 Music City Motorplex Track Champion 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 Southern Superstars Series Champion
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
13 races run over 6 years
Best finish31st (1997)
First race1997 Coca-Cola 300 (Texas)
Last race2009 Ford 300 (Homestead)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career
1 race run over 1 year
Best finish31st (1996)
First race1996 Federated Auto Parts 250 (Nashville)
Last race1996 Federated Auto Parts 250 (Nashville)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
Statistics current as of November 2, 2013.

Racing career

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Craftsman Truck Series

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Day only made one career start in NASCAR's Truck Series, which came at Nashville Speedway USA (now known as the Nashville Fairgounds Speedway) in the No. 50 R&Z Motorsports[citation needed] truck. He started 23rd, but only managed 31st in the 34-car field after mechanical issues.

Busch Series

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Day made his debut in 1997, running five races for his family's 31-W Insulation team. He made his debut in the inaugural race at Texas, starting 37th. A mid-race wreck claimed his car and gave him a finish of 36th. It did not get much better for Day. He best finish on the year would end up being 31st at Talladega and had only a best start of 36th at Bristol. Simply put, it was not Day's dream season.

Day would scale down to one race for 1998 and for the rest of the years of his career, for that matter. He started 40th and finished 36th at Pikes Peak. He only competed fifty laps due to engine failure.

Day's one start in 1999 turned out to be just as poor. After starting 34th in the August Bristol race, Day managed 41st after a crash early in the event.

Another crash sideline Day in his 2000 start. He started 24th at Nashville, and this would turn out to be his best career start. He only finished 40th, however, due to a major late-race crash.

Day closed out his Busch career in 2001, finishing it with two consecutive starts. He did not finish either, but ironically, Day had his best career finish in that. After a 36th finish at Texas, Day was crashed out early of the inaugural event at Nashville Superspeedway. However, it turned up to be a 31st-place finish and his best career showing.

After an 8-year hiatus from NASCAR's second-tier division, Day returned to the now-NASCAR Nationwide Series for a one-race deal in October 2009 at Memphis Motorsports Park for the Kroger On Track For The Cure 250. This was the final NASCAR Nationwide race for the Memphis Motorsports Park after announcing that the track will cease operations at the end of the year. Driving for Wayne Day in the #05 31-W Insulation Chevy on a two-race deal. Day ended the 1st Practice Session 30th out of 50 cars entered. By the Final Practice Session Day was 19th out of the 48 cars left. Day easily made the show qualifying the #05 31-W Insulation Chevy solidly in the top 10 with a career high 9th place starting position. However the race did not end so high for Day. After 86 laps, Day pulled the #05 31-W Insulation Chevy into the garage due to overheating issues and he finished 33rd, but this could have been a start and park effort.

Late model racing

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Day won the 2006 Late Model Championship, and several races in the Late Model Division at Music City Motorplex in Nashville, Tennessee. In conjunction with the Music City Motorplex (Fairgrounds Speedway) and its sponsor, Dollar General started Operation Big Chance during the 2006 race season for a chance to race in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race in Martinsville, Virginia, in the #2 Kevin Harvick Incorporated (KHI) Chevy Silverado in the 2007 season. Day was the Dollar General Operation Big Chance winner after being the track champion with the most points at the end of the year between all late model and super truck series drivers. After being announced the Operation Big Chance winner, KHI offered Day a chance to qualify at Martinsville Truck Series race in 2007, but Day declined due to prior engagements with his late model series team. The next in line for the chance was second place Willie Allen but Allen had just signed to drive the #13 Chevy Silverado for ThorSport for the full 2007 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season. MCM and Dollar General finally announced Daniel Pope the Dollar General Operation Big Chance winner and made his debut at Mansfield Motorsports Park. Day has since been a part of a Souther Superstar Series which travels around to a handful of tracks around the Southern United States. He has won 4 of the 5 championships that he has been eligible to win, and lost the 2014 Title because of a wreck he was involved in with 2 laps to go in a race where he would have clinched the Championship.

Controversy

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In 2002, Day had a friend enter a car in a NASCAR-sanctioned late model race at Nashville Speedway USA for the sole purpose of finishing behind rival Deborah Renshaw so that he could file a protest (per NASCAR rules). Track promoter Dennis Glau had contacted NASCAR, who instructed him to disallow the protest. Her father and team owner Dan Renshaw, however, felt there was nothing to lose and allowed officials to search the engine. Unfortunately, a minor violation was found and her car was declared illegal. The protest was not only for Renshaw, but her male teammate Chevy White.[1]

Motorsports career results

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NASCAR

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

Nationwide Series

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NASCAR Nationwide 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 NNSC Pts Ref
1995 Day Enterprise Racing 16 Chevy DAY CAR RCH ATL NSV DAR BRI
DNQ
HCY NHA NZH CLT DOV MYB GLN MLW TAL SBO IRP MCH BRI
DNQ
DAR RCH DOV CLT CAR HOM N/A 0 [2]
1996 DAY CAR RCH ATL NSV DAR BRI HCY NZH CLT DOV SBO MYB GLN MLW NHA TAL IRP
DNQ
MCH BRI DAR RCH
DNQ
DOV CLT
DNQ
CAR HOM N/A 0 [3]
1997 Pontiac DAY
DNQ
CAR RCH ATL LVS DAR HCY TAL
31
NHA NZH CLT
DNQ
DOV SBO GLN MLW
38
MYB GTY
DNQ
IRP
DNQ
MCH
DNQ
BRI
35
DAR RCH DOV CLT
DNQ
CAL CAR HOM 71st 281 [4]
Chevy TEX
36
BRI NSV
38
1998 Pontiac DAY
DNQ
CAR LVS NSV
DNQ
DAR BRI TEX
DNQ
HCY TAL
DNQ
NHA NZH CLT DOV RCH PPR
36
GLN MLW MYB CAL SBO IRP
DNQ
MCH BRI
DNQ
DAR RCH DOV CLT GTY CAR
DNQ
ATL HOM 114th 55 [5]
1999 DAY
DNQ
CAR LVS ATL
DNQ
DAR TEX
DNQ
NSV
DNQ
BRI TAL CAL NHA RCH NZH CLT DOV SBO GLN MLW MYB PPR GTY IRP MCH BRI
41
DAR RCH DOV CLT CAR MEM PHO HOM 131st 40 [6]
2000 DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR BRI
DNQ
TEX NSV
40
TAL CAL RCH NHA CLT DOV SBO MYB GLN MLW NZH PPR GTY IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT CAR MEM PHO HOM 113th 43 [7]
2001 Chevy DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR BRI TEX
36
98th 125 [8]
Pontiac NSH
31
TAL CAL RCH NHA NZH CLT DOV KEN MLW GLN CHI GTY PPR IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM PHO CAR HOM
2003 Day Enterprise Racing 81 Pontiac DAY
DNQ
CAR LVS DAR BRI TEX TAL NSH CAL RCH GTY NZH CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI NHA PPR IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM ATL PHO CAR HOM N/A 0 [9]
2009 Day Enterprise Racing 05 Chevy DAY CAL LVS BRI TEX NSH PHO TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP IOW GLN MCH BRI CGV ATL RCH DOV KAN CAL CLT MEM
33
TEX
38
PHO HOM
39
110th 159 [10]

Craftsman Truck Series

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NASCAR Craftsman 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 24 NCTC Pts Ref
1996 Charles Zahn 50 Chevy HOM PHO POR EVG TUS CNS HPT BRI NZH MLW LVL I70 IRP FLM GLN NSV
31
RCH NHA MAR NWS SON MMR PHO LVS 120th 70 [11]

References

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  1. ^ Walker, Teresa M. (July 26, 2002). "Foes say protest proved Renshaw was rule-breaker". The Free Lance–Star. Fredericksburg, VA. p. B6. Retrieved 2014-03-08.
  2. ^ "Mark Day – 1995 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  3. ^ "Mark Day – 1996 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  4. ^ "Mark Day – 1997 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  5. ^ "Mark Day – 1998 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  6. ^ "Mark Day – 1999 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  7. ^ "Mark Day – 2000 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  8. ^ "Mark Day – 2001 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  9. ^ "Mark Day – 2003 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  10. ^ "Mark Day – 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  11. ^ "Mark Day – 1996 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
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  • Mark Day driver statistics at Racing-Reference