Five Ways for NASCAR to Improve The Clash

Try Some New Segment Types

If shortening the race is not the solution for The Clash, then maybe mixing up the segments would. Since NASCAR will use stages in each of their current regular season races, there are lots of ways to make non-point events special in terms of their formats.

The All-Star Race is a good example of trying different formats to separate it from the pack. Using field inversions has provided some extra excitement over the years to the mid-May special, and perhaps it could be added to The Clash. Of course, seeing an entire field of twenty cars flipped at Daytona won’t do much, as pack racing is often the great equalizer that allows cars to move quickly through the field.

Some other ideas to shake up the segments in The Clash are more radical. One proposal would be running one of the segments on part or all of the Daytona road course. This would require a “halftime break” in order to put in the proper barriers that are seen in races like the Rolex 24. However, it could provide the unique twist that lures in fans of oval and road course racing.

What other ideas could work at Daytona? A temporary short track around the tri-oval perhaps? Maybe a tandem race like IMSA sports car racing? Knowing NASCAR, they may be willing to try almost anything short of doing figure eights on the backstretch to lure in more fans to The Clash.

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What did you think of this year’s season opener at Daytona? Was The Clash everything you thought it would be? What changes would you make for next year’s race? Comment below with your thoughts on the race and how NASCAR can improve things for 2018.