NASCAR: Busch Clash starting lineup – Ryan Blaney on pole
By Asher Fair
Ryan Blaney is set to start the Busch Clash from the pole position after a random draw for NASCAR’s season-opening exhibition race.
The random draw to set the starting lineup for the first Busch Clash at the Daytona International Speedway road course took place on Monday evening, and it was Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney who drew the pole position for the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season-opening exhibition race.
Blaney is set to lead the 21-driver field to the green flag for this 35-lap race around the 14-turn, 3.61-mile (5.810-kilometer) road course in Daytona Beach, Florida behind the wheel of his #12 Ford. He is set to start alongside Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman, who drew the second place starting position, behind the wheel of his #48 Chevrolet on the front row.
A total of 24 drivers were eligible to compete in this race, by meeting at least one of the following criteria: 2020 Busch Pole Award winners, past Busch Clash winners, past Daytona 500 winners who competed full-time in 2020, past Daytona 500 polesitters who competed full-time in 2020, 2020 Cup Series playoff drivers, 2020 Cup Series race winners and 2020 Cup Series stage winners.
However, three of them, Clint Bowyer, Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth, have retired and will not be competing.
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Set to share the second row in third and fourth place are Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin and Team Penske’s Brad Keselowski behind the wheels of their #11 Toyota and #2 Ford, respectively.
Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron and Richard Childress Racing’s Tyler Reddick are set to share the third row in fifth and sixth place behind the wheels of their #24 Chevrolet and #8 Chevrolet, respectively.
Set to round out the top 10 are Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott, Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer, Richard Petty Motorsports’ Erik Jones and Team Penske’s Joey Logano in seventh, eighth, ninth and 10th place behind the wheels of their #9 Chevrolet, #41 Ford, #43 Chevrolet and #22 Ford, respectively.
Here is the full starting lineup for the 2021 Busch Clash at the Daytona International Speedway road course.
Starting lineup
1st – Ryan Blaney
2nd – Alex Bowman
3rd – Denny Hamlin
4th – Brad Keselowski
5th – William Byron
6th – Tyler Reddick
7th – Chase Elliott
8th – Cole Custer
9th – Erik Jones
10th – Joey Logano
11th – Ryan Newman
12th – Matt DiBenedetto
13th – Chris Buescher
14th – Ty Dillon
15th – Kurt Busch
16th – Kyle Busch
17th – Kevin Harvick
18th – Martin Truex Jr.
19th – Austin Dillon
20th – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
21st – Aric Almirola
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The Busch Clash is set to be broadcast live from the Daytona International Speedway road course on Fox Sports 1 beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, February 9.