Daytona will not host UNOH Battle at the Beach

Race debuted in 2013 on temporary oval layout of backstretch

Daytona International Speedway will discontinue the UNOH Battle at the Beach in 2015.

The event, an invitational showcase for NASCAR’s regional touring and weekly series, enjoyed a successful two-year run using a temporary oval layout on the 2.5-mile speedway’s backstretch. This year, a mix of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, Whelen Modified Tour and Whelen All-American Series will focus on near-nightly racing at nearby New Smyrna Speedway.

In a statement, DIS track president Joie Chitwood III said the decision came “after much consideration.”

“It was necessary for us to make this difficult decision given that we will open 40,000 new seats during Budweiser Speedweeks 2015 as part of the Daytona Rising redevelopment project and will remove the backstretch grandstands prior to 2016 racing season,” Chitwood said. “We are pleased to see the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series will remain in Central Florida during Budweiser Speedweeks at New Smyrna Speedway and encourage fans to attend those exciting races.”

Track officials broke ground on the $400 million Daytona Rising project in July 2013. The redevelopment, which will feature a modernized 101,000-seat grandstand as the centerpiece, is scheduled for completion by the season-opening Speedweeks in February 2016.

The Battle at the Beach debuted in 2013 with close-quarters racing and last-lap contact deciding the outcome of all three events in its opening year. The inaugural running was noteworthy not only for Kyle Larson‘s victory in the Whelen All-American Series race, but for Mike Stefanik’s grumpy post-race interview with Ray Dunlap, a video that went viral after Steve Park bumped aside the seven-time modified champion on the final lap.

Daniel Suarez (K&N) and Doug Coby (Modified) prevailed in the Battle at the Beach in 2014.

Chitwood said the track looked forward to continuing its relationship with the University of Northwestern Ohio, which sponsored the event in each year of its existence.

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