Five Ways for NASCAR to Improve The Clash

Many fans are happy to see NASCAR bring back “The Clash” name. But how else can the series improve the non-points season opener going forward?

The checkered flag has fallen once again on another opening to Speedweeks, with The Clash taking center stage again. The 2017 edition of the event, won by Joey Logano, saved much of the drama for the end, despite the rain delay from Saturday night to Sunday. However, some will argue that this year’s non-points opener left much to be desired.

Unfortunately, the challenge of creating a compelling restrictor plate race has increased in recent years. With plenty of rule changes over the last few years, sadly in some cases the racing has suffered. That argument could be made today, as two drivers were in control of the field for most of the day and there was very little one could do to break through the bubble of air the leader has separating them from the pack.

Short of another overhaul to the superspeedway package, there are some changes that can be made to make The Clash more fan friendly. Part of this speaks to the difference between non-points events, which should be more entertaining and spectacular, versus points races, which should have a consistent format that does not change over the course of an event. This differentiation can go a long way to help both of NASCAR’s exhibition showcases, The Clash and the All-Star Race.

With “The Clash” name having made a comeback in 2017, perhaps series officials will be more willing now to shift around with some new ideas for the race. NASCAR certainly is on a streak of somewhat radical changes, so it would likely surprise no one to see any of these new ideas come to light in the coming years.