Insiders debate how NASCAR should approach Cup Series Clash future

NASCAR is continuing to evaluate the long-term future of the Cup Series Clash. With that in mind, two of the sport’s most plugged-in voices see the exhibition heading in very different directions.

On the latest episode of The Teardown podcast, Jordan Bianchi and Jeff Gluck laid out competing visions for what the Clash should be. Regardless, they’re both wondering whether it still serves a meaningful purpose in the modern NASCAR calendar.

First off, Bianchi believes the solution is rooted in the past. He argued that NASCAR should consider bringing the Clash back to Daytona International Speedway, leaning into a shorter, simpler format reminiscent of the old Busch Clash.

“I loved the 20-lap pole-sitters-only race,” Bianchi said. “It was an hour-long deal. You’d flip it on, the race was over, and it was like, ‘Oh man, these guys are back.’”

Bianchi believes a reduced field and shorter race would curb the chaos critics associate with superspeedway racing while also reducing costs for teams. He also emphasized the importance of weather certainty, noting the risks NASCAR has faced staging the event in colder climates.

“When you look around, it’s literally snowing right now,” Bianchi added. “I don’t want to be back here in a year or two fighting Mother Nature again.”

His proposal is to bring the Clash back to Daytona temporarily and use it as a bridge. Then, we can reassess the future of the event after 2027.

However, Gluck pushed back strongly against that idea. He argued that the Clash at Daytona had already run its course long before NASCAR moved the event to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and then subsequently Bowman Gray Stadium.

“There were so many times I’d be in the press box at Daytona looking out and thinking, ‘There’s nobody here,’” Gluck said. “It didn’t feel like the season was starting. There was no hype.”

For Gluck, the move unlocked the true potential of the event: “When they moved it to LA, I thought, ‘Now I see what this event could be,’” he explained. “That felt like NASCAR’s version of a Stadium Series.”

While Gluck acknowledged that the novelty has worn off and weather issues hurt the event this year, he believes the answer isn’t going backward: “I think this has to be a one-year, move-it-every-year kind of event,” Gluck said. “If you’re not using this to promote the Daytona 500, then don’t just do it to check the box.”

Above all, Gluck questioned whether NASCAR even needs exhibition races at all unless they serve a clear promotional purpose. If they remain on the schedule, he argued, they must be bold and meaningful. 

“Either make them points races or do something totally wild and unique,” he said. “Stadiums, street-course mentality. Something that makes people say, ‘Hey, NASCAR’s back.’”

All told, the passionate debate underscores NASCAR’s challenge. They’re trying to balance tradition, innovation and fan interest. Whether the Clash returns to Daytona, continues to rotate, or undergoes a radical facelift, one thing is clear, and that’s the fact that the identity of the race is still very much being determined.