NASCAR makes major changes to Speedweeks; Busch Clash moved to road course

NASCAR has altered the annual Busch Clash, moving it from Sunday afternoon to Tuesday night and from the oval to the road course at Daytona International Speedway. Additionally, front row qualifying for the Daytona 500 has been moved to Wednesday.

The Busch Clash invitation-only exhibition race at Daytona International Speedway has served as the first competitive event of the NASCAR Cup Series season since 1979. The 2020 race was the first with Busch as the title sponsor since 1997, as the race’s first 19 years were contested with the name Busch Clash.

But starting next year, the Busch Clash will no longer be contested on the Sunday prior to the Daytona 500, and it will no longer even be contested on the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) high-banked oval in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Beginning in 2021, as a part of a major overhaul to Speedweeks, the Busch Clash is scheduled to be held on the Tuesday before the Daytona 500, and it is set to be contested on the track’s road course as opposed to the oval.

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The 12-turn, 3.56-mile (5.729-kilometer) road course, which still includes roughly three-quarters of the oval, currently hosts the annual Rolex 24 at Daytona, but it has never hosted a Cup Series race.

In about 11 months, that is set to change.

“The famed road course at Daytona has a long and storied history with sports cars and motorcycles, and now we can write a new chapter on it with stock cars,” stated NASCAR Vice President of Racing Development Ben Kennedy in a press release. “Fans coming to the track will get to see six consecutive days of exciting NASCAR action, with no two days being the same.”

“Busch Beer is excited to play an integral role in this historic shift for NASCAR and its fans,” said Nick Kelly, vice president partnerships, beer category and community, Anheuser-Busch. “Moving the Busch Clash to Daytona’s road course will differentiate the event from every other race during DAYTONA Speedweeks and drive even more attention to the first NASCAR Cup Series race of 2021.”

NASCAR Hall of Famer and current Fox NASCAR analyst Jeff Gordon is looking forward to the change.

“Having driven on the road course at Daytona in the Rolex 24, I know how difficult the circuit can be,” Gordon stated. “It will present a real challenge to the drivers and teams, and I’m looking forward to calling what I believe will be a lot of action from the booth.”

This change was made in a response to fans’ increased interest in road course races, according to Daytona International Speedway president Chip Wile.

“NASCAR fans have asked for more road-course competition and the industry is listening,” Wile said. “With the talent level the Busch Clash brings to the table, the race will now clearly have its own look and feel during DAYTONA Speedweeks Presented By AdventHealth in 2021 and beyond.”

But this is not the only change to Speedweeks. Front row qualifying for the Daytona 500, which had traditionally been held on the Sunday before the race a few hours before the Busch Clash, has been moved to Wednesday, one day after the Busch Clash.

The Bluegreen Vacations Duels qualifying races will remain on Thursday night ahead of three consecutive days of season openers (Truck Series, Xfinity Series and Cup Series, respectively), so there will effectively be six consecutive days of competitive action from the Busch Clash up until the Daytona 500.

“The new placement on the Speedweeks schedule also adds to the anticipation,” Wile continued. “That switch will make for a fuller Speedweeks calendar. Fans also will have the opportunity to engage in a festive infield atmosphere, similar to the Rolex 24 At DAYTONA, with many prime viewing opportunities.”

Brad Zager, FOX Sports Executive Producer, EVP/Head of Production & Operations, echoed Wile’s claim about fans wanting change, pointing not only to their increased interest in road course races but their increased interest in mid-week races as well.

“We know how passionate our viewers are about both Daytona International Speedway and road course racing,” said Zager. “Additionally, fans have been craving mid-week races. These changes to the 2021 opening slate of races will provide new and unique storytelling opportunities when we kick off the season on FOX Sports.”

The 2021 Busch Clash is scheduled to open up a six-day span of on-track NASCAR activity at Daytona International Speedway on Tuesday, February 9 prior to Daytona 500 front row qualifying on Wednesday, February 10.

The Bluegreen Vacations Duels are scheduled to take place on Thursday, February 11, and the 2021 Truck Series, Xfinity Series and Cup Series seasons are scheduled to officially get underway on Friday, February 12, Saturday, February 13 and Sunday, February 14 with the NextEra Energy 250, the NASCAR Racing Experience 300 and the 63rd annual Daytona 500, respectively.