After everything that went down at Bowman Gray last week, the ‘Clash’ debate is officially on the table again. We saw it all: a snowstorm that pushed the race back, frozen tracks that forced teams to run rain tires, and many, many, yellow flags.
It’s left everyone asking the same question: is the gamble on these experimental venues still worth it, or is it time for NASCAR to just go back to Daytona?
The Case for Returning to Daytona
Veteran voices, most notably Dale Earnhardt Jr., are making a strong case for a return to the ‘World Center of Racing’. Between the logistical headaches and the need for a consistent technical baseline, he believes the sport needs to stop overcomplicating things.
“I always believed that it should stay at Daytona,” Dale Jr. said on his Dale Jr. Download podcast.
“Look, man, the Clash was never meant to be, I mean, you know, things progress, things move, things get more important, things prosper, whatever. But the Clash was just a teaser. That’s all it was. And I’m fine if it’s this little icebreaker that sets the table for a Speedweeks at Daytona.”
Daytona simply offers a level of infrastructure and broadcasting power that these smaller tracks can’t match, not to mention far more reliable weather than winter-prone spots like Bowman Gray or LA. The 2026 Clash proved this the hard way.
“If you go back and look at the pre-race for the Clash in the ’80s,” Dale Jr. continued, “They’re all kind of using the Clash to get a little information about how Daytona’s gonna be that year… I liked that Clash.”
Returning to Daytona also respects the “Speedweeks” tradition, ensures teams can use their superspeedway Next Gen car setups without engine supply issues, and maintains NASCAR’s brand identity, avoiding the chaotic, caution-heavy races like the 17-stop 2026 Bowman Gray event.
The Case for Rotating/Alternative Venues
On the flip side, legends like Mark Martin and this year’s winner Ryan Preece are all for the move to experimental tracks. They believe that for NASCAR to stay relevant and keep growing, variety is essential. For them, these unconventional venues bring a fresh energy that the sport desperately needs to reach new fans.
“I just wanna remind people that there were a lot of fans who complained about the race at Daytona,” Martin said. He’s calling on fans to have a more positive reaction to “the good things” in NASCAR.
Those in favor of rotating the Clash point to the upside of hitting new markets. Smaller, unconventional venues like Bowman Gray help tap into local fan bases and breathe new life into historic tracks that might otherwise be forgotten.
It also breaks the monotony. So instead of the usual pack racing at Daytona, fans get a stadium-style show.
The consensus among many fans this year is that the 2026 Bowman Gray madness actually surpassed the LA Coliseum in terms of pure entertainment. Variety might be what the sport needs to stay relevant.
Fuel Strategy and Next Gen Cars Add Another Layer
Aside from the debate over where to race, the 2026 Clash turned the spotlight on a deeper issue: the rise of fuel-saving tactics and how the Next Gen car is actually behaving on big tracks.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. was quick to point out that the recent trend of cars slowing down isn’t because of NASCAR’s rulebook but it’s down to team strategy. He argues that drivers are being forced to cruise just to manage their fuel windows.
“The fuel-saving era is not NASCAR’s fault. It’s just that the teams have found a way to like a strategy to like, you know, give them an advantage late in the race, and they’ve got to minimize that. That’s what created this.”
“They save as much as they can. And they have to put less in the car, spend less time on pit road, and they’re trying to put themselves in position late in the race with track position to go out there and maybe have a shot at winning.”
He added: “And it’s frustrating to watch them ride around. But I feel like if they don’t change anything, people will have to set themselves apart”.
The frustration from the fans sends the signal that the ‘racing product’ itself is under the microscope.
Related: Fans Spot Kevin Harvick “Hypocrisy” During Weather-hit 2026 Clash Broadcast
