Dale Earnhardt Jr. has never been one to mince words, and his latest take on the future of the Clash race is no exception. The two-time Daytona 500 winner is calling for a dramatic overhaul of NASCAR's preseason exhibition, arguing that the sport has strayed too far from what made the event special.
Speaking on his Dale Jr. Download podcast, the Hall of Famer laid out a vision that would strip the Clash down to its rawest form: a short, intense sprint featuring only the drivers who won the most poles the previous season. No cautions. No pit stops. Just 12 cars, 20 laps, and a green flag that drops the hammer from lap one.
“I want to see those 12 guys run a 20-lap race, no caution, no pit stop, no bullsh*t,” Earnhardt said. “Drop the green flag, give me 12 drivers out there going as hard as they can for 20 laps. It'll be over before you know it, but it's going to be freaking awesome.”
The Clash was relocated from Daytona International Speedway to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 2022, ending a decades-long tradition of kicking off the season at the iconic Florida track. While there have been whispers about a return to Daytona, Earnhardt senses reluctance from NASCAR leadership.
He recounted a conversation with NASCAR chief operating officer Steve O'Donnell, who expressed concern that a poorly received Clash would serve as a “bad commercial” for the Daytona 500. Earnhardt's response was characteristically blunt: “You just make the racing good and it'll be a good commercial for the 500.”
The core of Earnhardt's critique is that NASCAR is overcomplicating both the Clash and the All-Star Race. He believes both events have lost their identity by trying to mimic points races. Earlier this year, drivers grumbled that the All-Star Race felt like a normal points race, echoing Earnhardt's frustration.
“The problem is we're trying to do too much,” Earnhardt said. “We're trying to do too much with the All-Star Race, we're trying to do too much with the Clash. I don't understand why people don't agree with this, but the Clash is an appetizer. It is the table-setter.”
Under his proposal, the Clash would become a Saturday event during Daytona 500 qualifying week, paired with lower-series races to create a full day of on-track action. Fans would get a packed schedule, drivers could head home for a few days, and the hype for the Great American Race would build naturally.
“Hey, it's a full day, all kinds of activity,” Earnhardt said. “You've got cars on the track, fans can enjoy it. And then the drivers, they can go home for a couple days, come back on Tuesday or Wednesday, we'll start doing some media, we'll boil up this Daytona 500 excitement. That's how they need to do it.”
The idea of a pole-winner showcase isn't entirely new — NASCAR once awarded the Coors Light Pole Award to the driver with the most poles in a season. Earnhardt wants to revive that spirit, turning the Clash into a celebration of raw speed rather than a miniature points race.
Whether NASCAR takes his advice remains to be seen, but the timing is interesting. The sport is in a period of flux, with Earnhardt also pushing for changes to the All-Star Race and advocating for a radical multi-class format. The Clash, he argues, should be the simplest event on the calendar — a short, sharp jolt of adrenaline that leaves fans wanting more.
“That's what it was,” Earnhardt said. “That's all it needs to be. It doesn't need to be more than that.”
