RELATED: Official news release
NASCAR and Daytona International Speedway jointly announced Wednesday that the annual exhibition race to kick off 2017 Speedweeks will have a familiar format, a smaller field and a nostalgic name — The Clash.
The season-opening non-points event — scheduled Saturday, Feb. 18 (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) — will take a page from its earliest roots, when it began as the Busch Clash in 1979. The race, which has frequently served as an invitational for the previous season’s pole winners, has also been known as the Bud Shootout and Sprint Unlimited in its history at the 2.5-mile track.
“We’re bringing back The Clash at Daytona,” Daytona International Speedway president Chip Wile said in the news release. “The Clash was a race name that has always been popular among both the competitors and race fans. We’re looking forward to bringing it back and building on the rich history of this thrilling and always unpredictable event that kicks off the NASCAR season.”
NASCAR and the speedway indicated that the race format would remain unchanged from last year — 75 laps with a competition caution period scheduled for Lap 25. The method for assembling eligible drivers, however, carries some slight tweaks from 2016’s edition.
Drivers invited include last year’s Coors Light Pole Award winners in NASCAR Sprint Cup competition (14 total), former Clash winners (2), former Daytona 500 pole winners who raced full-time last year (1) and drivers not otherwise eligible who qualified for the Chase postseason (3).
Last season, the field reached its 25-car limit by inviting the remaining highest-finishing drivers in the previous year’s standings to fill the starting grid. That criteria has been dropped for 2017, leaving 20 drivers eligible to compete.
One of those positions is held by three-time champion Tony Stewart, who announced that he would end his full-time driving career last season. Stewart indicated in an appearance Tuesday on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that he is far from retired, planning to compete in sprint cars and even entertaining an offer to drive sports cars at Le Mans.
Another starting berth is also held by Greg Biffle, who parted ways with his longtime team at Roush Fenway Racing last week and has no announced plans in place for 2017. Biffle won the Coors Light Pole at Daytona in July to secure a starting spot.
The list of eligible drivers:
2016 Coors Light Pole Awards winners: Greg Biffle, Alex Bowman, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Austin Dillon, Carl Edwards, Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Martin Truex Jr.
Former Clash Race Winners: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart
Former Daytona 500 Coors Light Pole Award winners: Danica Patrick
Remaining 2016 Chase drivers: Chris Buescher, Kyle Larson, Jamie McMurray
The race’s length and field size have grown steadily from its first running in 1979, which was exclusively reserved for the previous year’s pole winners. In an era with far less parity, it meant a nine-car field vying for a $50,000 payday in a 20-lap (50-mile) shootout.
Buddy Baker was the inaugural winner, leading 18 of the 20 laps in Harry Ranier’s “Gray Ghost” No. 28 Oldsmobile.
Dale Earnhardt Jr., who helped bring the “Gray Ghost” scheme back to life, threw his support behind The Clash.
This is a great move to restore the identity of a historic event. Pole award winners and @NASCAR fans can rejoice! #TheClashIsBack https://t.co/hb5mYiU8Gj
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr)
November 30, 2016