The Clash at Daytona
| Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona | |||
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| Venue | Daytona International Speedway | ||
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| Location | Daytona Beach, Florida | ||
| Sponsor | Advance Auto Parts | ||
| First race | 1979 | ||
| Distance | 187.5 miles (301.8 km) | ||
| Laps | 75 | ||
| Previous names |
Busch Clash (1979–1997) Bud Shootout (1998–2000) Budweiser Shootout (2001–2012) Sprint Unlimited (2013–2016) Advance Auto Parts Clash (2017–present) |
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The Advance Auto Parts Clash is an annual invitation-only Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series exhibition event held at Daytona International Speedway in February, the weekend before the Daytona 500. It is the first competitive event of the season and serves as a kickoff event for the NASCAR portion of Speedweeks.
The event was originally known as the Busch Clash, and consisted of a 20-lap/50-mile, "all-out sprint" for the previous season's pole position winners (considered the de facto "fastest drivers on the circuit"). In its current format it is made up of two segments, a 25 lap start that then culminates in a 50 lap final segment.
Like the All-Star Race held at Charlotte, the race awards no championship points but instead offers a large cash purse – circumstances which are supposed to encourage an all-out driving style not seen in regular-season races.
The 2017 Clash at Daytona will not be a predetermined number of cars; rather, the field is limited to drivers who meet more exclusive criteria. Only drivers who were 2016 Pole Award winners, former Clash race winners, former Daytona 500 pole winners who competed full-time in 2016, and drivers who qualified for the 2016 Chase are eligible.
The defending winner of the Clash at Daytona is Joey Logano after winning in 2017.
The event was first known as the Busch Clash and was the brain child of Monty Roberts. Roberts was the brand manager of the newly formed Busch Beer (which had formerly been Busch Bavarian Beer). And the race was seen as a way to promote the new brand. Roberts had been successful introducing Mercury into racing while working at Ford, and had also been a part of Ontario Motor Speedway. His experiences led him to believe that racing fans were loyal brand followers. The initial format was set up as a 50-mile sprint race, with no pit stops, with a field consisting of the previous season's pole position winners. Inviting the fastest drivers from the previous season, headlined the event as the "fastest race" of the season. The race established an incentive for drivers to earn pole positions during the NASCAR season, which up to that time, still offered relatively tiny cash prizes. Likewise, at no time have pole winners earned bonus championship points.
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