DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Back by popular demand, NASCAR’s season-opening exhibition race is returning to its original home.
Daytona International Speedway announced that the Wheatley Vodka Clash will kick off the 2027 edition of Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth on Saturday, Feb. 13, bringing the fan-favorite event back to the World Center of Racing.
The Clash was last contested in Daytona in 2021 on the road course configuration at the famed motorsports facility, won by the late Kyle Busch.
Prior to that, the 2.5-mile high-banked superspeedway hosted The Clash from 1979-2020, with Erik Jones winning the last time it was raced on the oval. In recent years, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (2022-2024) and Bowman Gray Stadium (2025, 2026) hosted the exhibition event.
Simultaneously, NASCAR and Daytona International Speedway announced today a new multi-year partnership with Wheatley American Vodka, naming the premium American-made spirit the Official Vodka of NASCAR®.
As part of the partnership, Wheatley American Vodka will also become the entitlement partner of The Clash, one of NASCAR’s signature annual events that kicks off the season as the first Cup Series exhibition race.
“The pairing of a fan-favorite event like The Clash with a premier vodka brand in Wheatley American Vodka is the perfect way to welcome home one of NASCAR’s most beloved traditions to open Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth for 2027,” said Daytona International Speedway President Frank Kelleher. “The Wheatley Vodka Clash adds another can’t-miss event to an already unforgettable week, creating even more opportunities for our fans to experience the energy and excitement that make Speedweeks so special. It all builds toward the DAYTONA 500—The Great American Race—and the start of another unforgettable NASCAR season at the World Center of Racing.”
The announcement comes as part of the release of the 2027 slate of NASCAR activity scheduled for Daytona International Speedway, with Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth taking place from Saturday, Feb. 13, through the 69th running of The Great American Race on Sunday, Feb. 21. The August weekend, capped off by the Coke Zero Sugar 400, will take place August 27-28.
