If there’s one thing that’s constant in NASCAR, it’s change. And no event has changed more than The Clash. From its origins at Daytona International Speedway in 1979, to a brief detour on the Daytona road course in 2021, then a three-year stint at the LA Coliseum, and now, for 2025, it’s landing at the legendary Bowman Gray Stadium.
NASCAR has been hyping this return to “The Madhouse”, even dropping a documentary to sell the spectacle. But not everyone is buying into the hype—especially four-time Clash winner Denny Hamlin, who’s made it clear: he preferred it at Daytona.
Hamlin: “It Was a Good Warm-Up for the 500”
The Clash was always about kicking off Speedweeks, serving as a prelude to the Daytona 500, with fans getting a packed schedule leading into NASCAR’s biggest race. It was an event for pole winners from the previous season, a pure shootout that lasted just 20 laps. But now? It’s become a 200-lap slugfest on short tracks, and Hamlin isn’t convinced it’s the right move.
“I liked the Clash at Daytona, it was a good warm-up for the 500,” Hamlin told NASCAR journalist Peter Stratta.
For Hamlin, Daytona wasn’t just tradition—it was preparation. The Clash served as a test session for the big race, helping teams fine-tune their superspeedway setups. Now, with the event shifting to short tracks, its original purpose has been lost.
Short-Track Struggles: Is This Hamlin’s Real Issue?
There’s another reason why Hamlin might not be thrilled about The Clash moving to Bowman Gray: he doesn’t love NASCAR’s current short-track package.
After a frustrating P11 finish at Martinsville last season, Hamlin didn’t hold back:
“We can’t just continue to ignore the short tracks.”
His main gripe? Passing has become nearly impossible, and Bowman Gray is one of the toughest tracks to overtake on. NASCAR’s push to move The Clash from a superspeedway to a short track might not sit well with Hamlin, considering his best results in the event came at Daytona.
| Denny Hamlin’s Clash Wins | Venue |
|---|---|
| 2006 | Daytona Superspeedway |
| 2014 | Daytona Superspeedway |
| 2016 | Daytona Superspeedway |
| 2024 | LA Coliseum (Short Track) |
While he did win at the Coliseum last year, his history suggests he prefers superspeedway racing.
Has The Clash Lost Its Identity?
Hamlin isn’t the only one questioning the evolution of The Clash. Ryan Blaney pointed out back in 2022 that moving The Clash away from Daytona broke its connection to the 500.
“It’ll be a little weird racing, then watching the Super Bowl, then going down to the 500,” Blaney admitted.
The Super Bowl’s schedule change in 2022 meant NASCAR lost its continuous buildup to the 500. Now, with The Clash at Bowman Gray, there’s a one-week gap with no racing before the Daytona 500.
And it’s not just the venue that has changed—the format has drastically evolved.
- Original Clash (1979-1997): A 20-lap, no-nonsense sprint for pole winners from the previous season.
- Later Changes: The race was extended to 25 laps (1998), then 75 (2009), and eventually became a 200-lap grind.
- Now? It’s an all-star exhibition that feels completely different from its original roots.
Should The Clash Return to Daytona?
While NASCAR’s experiment with different venues has kept things fresh, the question remains: Has The Clash lost its identity by moving away from Daytona?
For Hamlin, The Clash was meant to be part of Speedweeks—a Daytona warm-up, not just a random preseason brawl. If the goal is to prepare for the 500, should it return to the Superspeedway?
Perhaps NASCAR could compromise, bringing The Clash back to Daytona but keeping the road course option open for variety. Whatever the decision, one thing is clear: drivers like Hamlin still see Daytona as The Clash’s true home.
