The Clash is back! The exhibition race for NASCAR’s premier series started off as the Clash at Daytona in 1979. Over the years it has been called the Budweiser Shootout and Sprint Unlimited. NASCAR decided to go back to its roots and bring back the “Clash” for the 2017 season. After focusing on the younger fans during the offseason, NASCAR decided to give the long-time fans something to make them happy.
Event Schedule (The Clash at Daytona)
Practice 1: Friday, February 17, 5:00 pm ET, TV- Fox Sports 1
Practice 2: Friday, February 17, 6:30 pm ET, TV- Fox Sports 1
* There will be no qualifying for the race. Crew Chiefs will draw for starting positions.
Race: Saturday, February 18, 8:00 pm ET, TV: Fox Sports 1
Race Format
75-Laps (187.5-miles)
There will be Two Segments: 25 Laps in Segment 1 followed by a 50 Lap race to the finish
Drivers in the Race
Drivers make the race by winning a pole in 2016, making the Chase in 2016, past Daytona 500 pole winners and past winners of The Clash. There are 17 drivers in the field this year. Here are the drivers entered in the race…
#2 Brad Keselowski (Team Penske) (Ford)
#22 Joey Logano (Team Penske) (Ford)
#4 Kevin Harvick (Stewart-Haas Racing) (Ford)
#10 Danica Patrick (Stewart-Haas Racing) (Ford)
#41 Kurt Busch (Stewart-Haas Racing) (Ford)
#11 Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing) (Toyota)
#18 Kyle Busch (Joe Gibbs Racing) (Toyota)
#19 Daniel Suarez (Joe Gibbs Racing) *Subbing for Carl Edwards (Toyota)
#20 Matt Kenseth (Joe Gibbs Racing) (Toyota)
#78 Martin Truex Jr. (Furniture Row Racing) (Toyota)
#48 Jimmie Johnson (Hendrick Motorsports) (Chevy)
#24 Chase Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports) (Chevy)
#88 Alex Bowman (Hendrick Motorsports) *Subbing for Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Chevy)
#3 Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing) (Chevy)
#1 Jamie McMurray (Chip Ganassi Racing) (Chevy)
#42 Kyle Larson (Chip Ganassi Racing) (Chevy)
#37 Chris Buescher (JTG Daugherty Racing) (Chevy)
Chevy: 7 Cars Ford: 5 Cars Toyota: 5 Cars
Pick to Win
Denny Hamlin: He has won this race three times (2006, 2014 and 2016) and Hamlin is the defending Daytona 500 Champion. Joe Gibbs Racing has won the exhibition race a series-high eight times. Everything sets up nicely for the No. 11 car Saturday night.
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