If there’s one thing we’ve learned in NASCAR, it’s that nothing stays the same for long. Just look at “The Clash”—it kicked off at Daytona International Speedway back in 1979, then shifted to the Daytona road course in 2021, followed by three years at the Coliseum. And now? It’s headed to Bowman Gray Stadium. NASCAR has hyped it up big time, even releasing a whole documentary to keep the buzz going. But not everyone is buying into the hype.

While we understand that the Cup Series is returning here for the first time since 1971, the track is iconic—it’s the MADHOUSE! But is it the same as when the Clash first started back in 1979? The walls have become safer, the lighting has been improved and multiple other changes have been made to better the overall fan experience. However, Denny Hamlin doesn’t seem to be a fan, and he’s already shown his interest in a new venue…

The Clash was started as a kick-off event of the Speedweeks. A series of events that included the Clash, the Twin 125s, the Dash race, an ARCA race, a Trucks race, and a Busch race (now called the Xfinity Series). These events led up to the Daytona 500, and what fans loved the most was that they were all at Daytona. But as things have evidently changed, so have drivers’ opinions…

Before the 2025 Cook Out Clash opened shop at the Bowman Gray Stadium, a reporter asked Hamlin during a pre-race conference, “Where would you like to see the Clash go in the future?”

To this, Hamlin responded, “I’m personally in the boat that I liked it at Daytona. It was just a really good warm up for the 500. I thought it provided tons of storylines for the 500, but it is a little bit different now-a-days,” before adding, “The racing on superspeedways is different. You used to, back then, if you saw someone that was really dominate in the Clash, it was like they have a great handling car – they are going to be tough to beat – doesn’t matter where they start. Now that it is such a track position race, I don’t know that you will get the direct correlation, but it could certainly bring back some hype to the 500.”

“I’m probably in that boat or really anywhere that helps grow and get some excitement going for the season. I don’t really have a bucket list place where I would want to put it,” he concluded.

To this, a media person again asked, “What would your thoughts be on going internationally?”

Hamlin: “Internationally – maybe just from the standpoint that there is probably more time to prepare for the race teams. It’s not in the middle of the season, and then you have the gap after that for Super Bowl for you to get back and get reset and go for the 500. Perhaps.”

Looks like Daytona was a good practice session to then finally race in the Great American Race for Hamlin. NASCAR Journalist Peter Stratta also shared Hamlin’s comments on X later: “I liked the @nascarclash at @DAYTONA, it was a good warmup for the 500.”

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Yes, it has not lived up to the hype, All events prior to the 500 should be at Daytona with...more

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While we don’t know the exact reasoning, it could be Denny Hamlin and his displeasure with the short-track package. After finishing P11 in the 2024 spring edition of the Martinsville race, he said, “We can’t just continue to ignore the short tracks.” His rant was about how passing has become so hard on short tracks, and Bowman Gray is probably one of the toughest tracks to consistently pass on. Moving “The Clash” from a Superspeedway to short tracks is something Hamlin probably doesn’t like.

And while he’s won the event four times, it was only once on a short track at the Coliseum last year. His other three wins (2006, 2014, 2016) came on the Superspeedway. So naturally, he likes that better. Despite that, we know Hamlin is in contention for the BGS one too.

But probably the #11 Joe Gibbs Racing driver is also a fan of the simpler times when it was all in Daytona! And speaking of simpler times, The Clash, when it started, was only a 20-lap race featuring the fastest qualifiers from the previous year. Essentially, all the pole winners from the previous Cup Season. And for qualifying, they used to draw numbers from a bowl. Over time, time things kept getting complicated. 2o laps became 25 in 1998 to 75 in 2009 to finally becoming a 200-lapper.

And since 2022, when the Superbowl moved by a week. The whole purpose of “The Clash” seemed defeated. The build-up to the 500 now has a gap of a week with no racing. Ryan Blaney had perfectly put it back in 2022, “It’ll be a little weird racing, then watching the Super Bowl, then going down to the 500.” While the Superbowl dates can’t be changed, maybe the venue could change back to its iconic track. The oval or road course doesn’t matter as long as it is in Daytona.

Also, Denny Hamlin is not the lone veteran in this rant! Dale Earnhardt Jr. wants to go back in the past too.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. reminisces on the G(olden) days

Dale Jr. is a strong believer that “The Clash” has lost its value. He said, “Back when The Clash was running at Daytona, and they continued to expand the field, the idea was that there were partners, brands and sponsors going, ‘Why isn’t my car in this race? I want my car in this race.’ And then there were moments when like me or a big-name person wasn’t in The Clash. And so, the rules of eligibility were continuously massaged and twisted to basically just kind of include any team.”

According to Junior, it had become a running joke in the garages that anyone with a valid driver’s license could drive in the clash. What he basically meant was that a prestigious event over time has lost its meaning. If it was up to Dale Jr., he’d like to go back to the time when it was all about the best drivers going against each other in a fun race.

“The Clash, as I’ve mentioned a million times, was about pole winners. … You would even hear drivers mention it in their interviews as they won the pole. Drivers no longer go, ‘Hell yeah, I’m in The Clash.’ When you lost that, what have you done? You’ve made a mistake. I guess what I’m saying is this feeling like it’s necessary to make sure everybody’s always a part of it takes away the challenge of achieving,” he added. Until recently, the Clash had a lot of eligibility parameters that have been completely disregarded today.

The criteria back in 2021 included any full-time 2020 Cup driver who had won the Busch clash in the past or a Busch pole award from one of the five races it was present in during the 2020 season. As well as full-time drivers who won the Daytona 500 in 2020 or the pole for the same. Aside from this, any driver who made the playoffs won a race, or won a stage in 2020, was welcome to participate. Even this is a tremendous change from what Jr. is talking about, and now? All chartered teams can attempt to race at the Clash.

What do you think about this? Would you also like for ‘The Clash’ to go back to Daytona and probably to its old format? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.