The Clash appears to be heading back to where it all began.
According to a report from The Athletic, NASCAR plans to return its annual preseason exhibition race to the Daytona International Speedway oval in 2027 after a six-year absence. NASCAR has not officially announced the move, but multiple industry sources told the outlet an announcement could come in the coming weeks once negotiations surrounding a new event sponsor are finalized.
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If confirmed, the move would bring the Clash back to one of the sport’s most recognizable venues while restoring its traditional role as the unofficial kickoff to Speedweeks.
The Clash has traveled far from its Daytona roots
The Clash debuted in 1979 as a made-for-television exhibition race featuring a select field of drivers from the previous season. For decades, it served as NASCAR’s curtain raiser at Daytona International Speedway, giving fans an early glimpse of the new season one week before the Daytona 500.
The event remained on Daytona’s 2.5-mile oval through the 2020 season before NASCAR began experimenting with new concepts.
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In 2021, the Clash moved to Daytona’s road course because of scheduling changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. The following three years saw the exhibition race relocate to the temporary quarter-mile inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, where NASCAR hoped to introduce the sport to a new audience in a major media market.
Most recently, the Clash shifted to Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, another historic venue but one that offered a much different atmosphere than Daytona’s superspeedway.
Now, according to Friday’s report, NASCAR is preparing to bring the event back to its longtime home.
Daytona return would restore a familiar start to the season
The reported schedule would place the Clash on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2027, the day before Super Bowl LXI and one week ahead of the Daytona 500 on Feb. 21.
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A return to Daytona has long been popular among many fans, who view the superspeedway as the natural home for NASCAR’s preseason showcase.
Legacy Motor Club driver Erik Jones, who won the Clash in 2020, welcomed the possibility when asked about the reported move.
“I enjoyed being there and spending the week down at Daytona,” Jones said. “I wasn’t a big fan of the quarter-mile stuff. … I just don’t like to beat-and-bang that much. But, yeah, I’d love going back to Daytona. I thought that was a good way to kick the year off.”
The Athletic also reported that teams have already begun preparing for the possibility of returning to Daytona, since superspeedway racing requires specialized race cars that differ from those used at short tracks.
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Although NASCAR has yet to officially confirm the venue or release its complete 2027 schedule, bringing the Clash back to Daytona would mark another significant shift for the exhibition event after several years of experimentation.
For many longtime NASCAR fans, it would also represent a return to tradition, restoring the season-opening showcase to the track where it became one of the sport’s signature preseason events.
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