Overview
- NASCAR announced Tuesday that the Wheatley Vodka Clash will be held at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2027, as the opening event of Daytona Speedweeks.
- Wheatley American Vodka signed a multi-year partnership to become the Official Vodka of NASCAR and the entitlement partner for the event, with vodka-category marketing rights, a custom 30-second promotional spot, on-site activations, and a planned program for service members and veterans.
- NASCAR confirmed the Daytona Speedweeks calendar but said specific competitive details for the Clash — including race format and who will be eligible to compete — will be released at a later date.
- Team officials and crew chiefs warned that returning the Clash to the 2.5-mile oval creates a compressed early-season run of superspeedway events — four high-speed shows in about 15 days — that could increase crash risk and strain engines, chassis and team budgets.
- The decision restores a traditional Speedweeks sequence after years of venue experiments (LA Coliseum, Bowman Gray) and comes as other 2027 schedule moves continue to be finalized, a development that could affect testing plans, travel logistics and team preparations for the season opener.