In the hallowed halls of NASCAR victory celebrations, trophies serve as timeless reminders of triumph against the sport’s fiercest competition. While Daytona’s Harley J. Earl may glisten with prestige and Dover’s Miles the Monster loom with intimidation, a battle of iconic hardware has emerged between two of racing’s most coveted prizes: Bristol Motor Speedway’s medieval Gladiator Sword and Martinsville’s stately Grandfather Clock. The clash between ancient warrior symbolism and timeless craftsmanship represents more than just victory symbols—these artifacts have become the physical embodiment of NASCAR’s most cherished track traditions.

The appeal of NASCAR’s unique trophies extends far beyond mere victory symbols. They become centerpieces in drivers’ homes, conversation starters, and occasionally even functional items that serve purposes their creators never imagined. These distinct prizes have transformed from celebratory artifacts into cherished heirlooms that represent the character of the tracks themselves— Like Bristol Motor Speedway’s colosseum-like intensity and Martinsville’s timeless traditions. As the sport evolves, these iconic trophies maintain connections to NASCAR’s rich heritage while creating new legacies for modern champions.

Clocks vs. Swords as the final showdown

The Bristol Gladiator Sword, introduced in 2014 as part of the track’s “Last Great Colosseum” marketing campaign, features a hand-forged 19-inch blade with a leather scabbard and sheath. “Who doesn’t want to hold a sword?” remarked broadcaster Alexis Perkins Erickson during a recent discussion, capturing the essence of what makes Bristol’s blade a cutting-edge trophy. Though relatively new compared to Martinsville’s clock tradition, the sword has quickly captured drivers’ imaginations. Kyle Larson told The Athletic’s Jeff Gluck he favors Bristol’s classic BMS Cup trophy.

What makes Bristol Motor Speedway’s dual hardware offering particularly compelling is the versatility of the sword itself. Joey Logano, after winning the Bristol dirt race, enthusiastically explained to fellow driver Corey LaJoie, “It kind of feels good, too, just to chop stuff with a sword. I was trimming the hedges. I cut through a Coca-Cola bottle. I was going after it with gusto.” The 2018 Cup champion now owns multiple of these coveted blades, each representing a different triumph at the Tennessee half-mile. Harrison Burton went even further with his practical use, revealing his K&N East race sword once served as his “home defense weapon” kept under his bed, reasoning that “if a robber came in and saw a 16-year-old kid wearing boxers and holding a sword, they’d run away.” Well, different champions used it differently, but no one can deny the feeling of triumph it gives to the racing warrior after they reach the pinnacle of their performance at BMS.

While Bristol Motor Speedway’s sword offers thrilling utility, Martinsville’s seven-foot tall, $10,000 hand-crafted grandfather clock carries unmatched historical significance. Richard Petty owns most of these timekeepers, the most of any driver, creating what Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell describes as “a standing joke through all of the clocks he has in all the various rooms of his house, that it must be pretty noisy over there every 15 minutes.”

Similarly, Bristol’s trophy came from Warner Hodgdon’s desire for something special when he owned the track in 1983. Historian David McGee explained that Hodgdon “wanted the winner to take home a memorable trophy—something that would dominate a trophy case and be something they would keep forever to remind them of the accomplishment of winning Bristol.” The first BMS Cup was awarded to Darrell Waltrip in the year 1983, featuring bronze eagles around its base and an angel with a torch at its pinnacle. The sword’s later addition created a dual prize package that celebrates Bristol’s “Last Great Colosseum” identity. As the sky clears for the next race, the sun is shining bright on a few racers, and most of them belong to one team.

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The sword fight at Bristol has picked favoring gladiators

With the Food City 500 on the line, DraftKings Sportsbook has come up with the list of most favored drivers. And guess who is the favorite pick? A man eyeing a three-peat and his first Cup Series win. None other than the #11 Joe Gibbs Racing phenom, Denny Hamlin, with +400. With this win, he can set two records straight. He will mimic Jimmie Johnson’s 3-peat and match Jeff Gordon for the same amount with wins. It’s like two birds with the same bullet! But the contenders after him are serious threats as well.

With the situations at Darlington giving way to it, Kyle Larson is the 2nd most favored with +450. Yes! Yung Money is a generational talent, and the fact that he DNF-ed out of the race only adds salt to the wounds. He eyes redemption and hopes to secure a win.

The 3rd pick is a tie between Christopher Bell and Ryan Blaney at +650. With his last top-5 finish at Atlanta this season, Blaney must be looking forward to asserting his dominance. And Christopher Bell looked so solid at the beginning of the season! But he lost his momentum, and things are slowly getting very stale for him. What better way to spice things up than a historic gladiator sword?

But whom would you pick? Let us know in the comments.