Following NASCAR’s confirmation that The Clash will return home to Daytona International Speedway’s 2.5-mile oval in 2027, the future of two short tracks, Bowman Gray Stadium and Rockingham Speedway, has been thrown into the air.
While the shift back to Florida ends a brief two-year Cup Series run at Winston-Salem’s historic quarter-mile oval, recent garage chatter and insider reports suggest Bowman Gray could remain on the national stage, potentially at the expense of Rockingham’s NASCAR revival.
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Reacting to the Daytona announcement, FOX Sports journalist Bob Pockrass hinted on X (formerly Twitter) that the short track remains a strong candidate for lower-tier national series action. He said:
“I think there is potential to move the Clash around … also believe, especially with Rockingham ownership questions, that at least trucks could possibly race Bowman Gray next year. Not sure if that happens but that seems to be the pulse.”
The potential lifeline for Bowman Gray comes at a difficult moment for Rockingham Speedway. According to a report by The Athletic’s Jordan Bianchi, “The Rock” is in danger of losing its spots on both the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series schedules for 2027.
Moreover, NASCAR leadership reportedly wants to see long-term stability in Rockingham’s ownership before committing to future race dates, making a track swap between Rockingham and Bowman Gray an increasingly plausible option for the 2027 season.
NASCAR’s Clash returns home to Daytona
NASCAR is officially bringing one of its most cherished preseason traditions back home. The sanctioning body confirmed that The Clash will return to Daytona International Speedway’s iconic 2.5-mile high-banked oval on Saturday night, February 13, 2027, kicking off Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth.
The return comes alongside a multi-year entitlement partnership with Wheatley American Vodka, establishing the official name of the event as the Wheatley Vodka Clash and naming Wheatley the Official Vodka of NASCAR.
The Clash called the Daytona superspeedway oval home from its inception in 1979 through 2020. After running on the Daytona road course in 2021, NASCAR spent five seasons experimenting with unique short-track venues
While short-track racing provided plenty of grassroots drama, the 2026 event at Bowman Gray was heavily disrupted by freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall. Ryan Preece captured the victory in North Carolina, but strong fan demand to return the exhibition to its high-speed roots ultimately won out.
Edited by Sashwat Deo