Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott has strong opinions regarding the exhibition-style Clash which has been the unofficial season opener for a few years. As per Dawsonville native, The Clash presents an excellent opportunity to venture into international circuits, given its non-points nature.
Advertisement
However, he mentioned that if it is not helping NASCAR as a sport grow, removing it from the schedule wouldn’t be particularly detrimental. Elliott was recently questioned about potential future venues for the event. He expressed an alignment with Ryan Blaney’s suggestion, stating,
“I kind of like Ryan’s thought of potentially getting outside of the United States… I think the real test would be going overseas and I think this race would be a good opportunity to do something like that… And I almost feel like if we’re not going to do that, I’m not even sure that it’s totally necessary either,” said the #9 Chevrolet driver in an interview ahead of this year’s event at Bowman Gray.
In addition, Elliott suggested that NASCAR could consider hosting The Clash at traditional venues like Daytona or Bowman Gray, or even explore options overseas. He expressed his flexibility on the matter, stating, “If they want to do it in Europe… if they want to not do it at all, I’d be fine with any of the above.”
Besides, he also dismissed the notion that The Clash is essential for getting drivers back in form, given that they raced just two months ago, indicating he would be perfectly content if NASCAR decided to eliminate the event. Yet, he advocated that if The Clash is to continue, NASCAR should seize the opportunity to experiment with new locations.
This year’s Clash at the historic Bowman Gray Stadium is set to be particularly enthralling, as it will be the first Cup Series race held there since 1971.
Kyle Larson’s views on potential future venues for The Clash
When questioned about his preferences for rotating the event — whether to short tracks, international locations, or discontinuing it, Larson also expressed openness to all possibilities. The #5 HMS driver commented,
“I think going to L.A. was great. I think that was huge for our sport… I think coming to Bowman Gray is amazing, as well… I think spending two or three years at a place is great.”
“But I do think the L.A. thing was great because it proved that they could take that model to different venues… But also, going to Rockingham or something like that would be cool. I think seeing the Cup Series back there… I think that would be neat,” opined the 2021 champion.
Having some experience racing at Bowman Gray Stadium during their ARCA Menards days, both Hendrick Motorsports drivers will face a challenge on the track. Regardless of their personal feelings toward the race, they will be looking forward to qualifying for the main event and leading the pack at a track often referred to as ‘The Madhouse’ in NASCAR circles.
