The NASCAR Clash Leaves Bowman Gray and Returns to Daytona

The NASCAR Cup Series Clash will return to Daytona International Speedway in 2027, bringing the exhibition race back to the oval that hosted it for over four decades. The Wheatley Vodka Clash edition, scheduled for Saturday, February 13, closes a six-year cycle away from home during which the event moved to the road course at the same complex, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and Bowman Gray Stadium before returning to its original home.

The return restores the traditional Speedweeks concept, where the Clash served as the opening gun for a week that concludes with the Daytona 500. It also brings the race back to a venue with much more history than it had in recent years. Between 1979 and 2020, the Clash was held uninterrupted on the 2.5-mile oval, with Dale Earnhardt as the all-time winner of the event with six victories. The 2021 edition on the road course, the last before the exodus, went to Kyle Busch, who benefited from contact between Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney on the last lap. The race was born as the Busch Clash in 1979, a 20-lap sprint reserved for the previous season's pole winners, and over the years it has changed names, formats, and sponsors.

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The departure from Daytona in 2022 was part of NASCAR's attempt to bring the event to new audiences, first with a setup at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and then with the return to the historic Bowman Gray Stadium in 2025. The experience in Winston-Salem was especially challenging. The Cook Out Clash 2026 went through multiple delays due to a winter storm that dumped up to 25 centimeters of snow on North Carolina, forcing the race to be postponed to Monday and then to Wednesday, February 4. Once on track, rain appeared again during the red flag at halfway, and the competition ended with rain tires, 17 caution flags, and a controversy over the authorization to refuel without losing position. Ryan Preece won that race, but the memory remained more associated with the meteorological chaos than with the sporting spectacle.

The return to Daytona also comes with a new sponsor. Wheatley American Vodka, which becomes the official vodka of NASCAR, will be the title sponsor of the Wheatley Vodka Clash. The Speedweeks 2027 schedule has been set with the Clash on Saturday, February 13, Daytona 500 qualifying on Wednesday, February 17, the Duels on Thursday, February 18, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series on Friday, February 19, the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series and ARCA on Saturday, February 20, and the 69th edition of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 21. The August weekend, headlined by the Coke Zero Sugar 400, was set for August 27 and 28 with the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series also on the card.

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The confirmation of the Clash's return to Daytona has also revived speculation that has been circulating for months, pointing to a possible connection with the Days of Thunder sequel. Tom Cruise will reprise his role as Cole Trickle and Jerry Bruckheimer will produce again, with Paramount negotiating the direction of the project. Screenwriter Will Staples has been working directly with NASCAR since 2025, attending races such as the Daytona 500 and meeting with drivers and teams to develop a story based on the current championship. The filming schedule places the start in early 2027, right during Speedweeks, and several indicators point to Daytona as one of the main locations. Jeff Gordon explained that current technology makes filming during live events much easier, as cameras are smaller than those used in 1990, and left open the possibility of Hendrick Motorsports participating in the production. There is also a very recent precedent: the movie F1, also produced by Bruckheimer, filmed scenes during the 24 Hours of Daytona with Brad Pitt present at the event. NASCAR has not officially confirmed that filming will take place during the Clash or the 2027 Daytona 500, but the timing coincidence and previous experience with this type of production have led many in the series' environment to see the move with a double meaning.

Before the Clash returns to Daytona in 2027, the NASCAR Cup Series still has to finish the current season. The most immediate race at Daytona International Speedway will be the Coke Zero Sugar 400 on August 29, 2026, the last chance for drivers to secure their spot in the Chase. Tyler Reddick, winner of this year's Daytona 500, will look to become the first driver since Jimmie Johnson in 2013 to win both Daytona races in the same season.