NASCAR: Two surprise drivers primed for upset Clash victory?
Over the past four decades, NASCAR’s opening event, the Clash, which has been held at the Daytona International Speedway oval, has moved to its fourth distinct track in just six years.
From 2021 onwards, the location of the race underwent several changes: firstly, it shifted from Daytona’s oval track to its infield road course; secondly, it was transferred even further westward to the iconic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, where it stayed for a period of three consecutive years.
The NASCAR Cup Series is headed to Bowman Gray Stadium, a historic quarter-mile oval track located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, which has been a hub for grassroots racing for many decades. Notably, this will mark the first time that NASCAR races at this track since more than half a century ago!
In 2021, Dale Earnhardt Jr. went for a spin around Bowman Gray Stadium in the Next Gen car. Now, this historic track is gearing up to stage its initial NASCAR Cup Series race after a hiatus of 54 years.
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) January 28, 2025
The original event, traditionally reserved for NASCAR’s top drivers and teams to generate excitement leading up to the Daytona 500, has evolved into an inclusive, entertaining spectacle to initiate the season’s celebrations. Despite its race format being a heat race with a knockout structure and a rule set that only counts green flag laps, the sport’s elite have continued to outshine.
Following Erik Jones’ victory at the 2020 wreckfest race on the Daytona oval, which was its final edition, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, Martin Truex Jr., and Denny Hamlin (second all-time with four Clash victories) have emerged as winners in subsequent races.
While the cream always rises to the top at the Clash, this year’s race has a major chance of an upset.
Historically, the Clash has resembled an All-Star game, and as such, it’s uncommon to see unexpected victors.
Insert Tim Brown and Burt Myers, and now there’s a serious chance.
It seems you might be wondering about the identities of the two individuals I mentioned. After all, Brown and Myers have only started together a total of two times across NASCAR’s primary three national series, with those starts occurring exclusively in the Truck Series.
In his racing career, Brown has achieved significant victories in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Series, boasting seven wins, 53 top-five finishes, and 75 top-10 finishes, with an average position of 6.2 in 94 races. On the other hand, Myers might not have matched Brown’s achievements in the NASCAR series, but he has excelled in the Southern Modified Tour, earning 19 wins, 77 top-five finishes, and 117 top-10 finishes, with an average position of 6.1 in 139 races.
What’s crucial to note is their exceptional record at Bowman Gray Stadium across multiple competition levels. Brown and Myers are the all-time champions at this track, amassing a combined total of 198 victories here. Brown boasts an impressive tally of 101 wins, while Myers has secured 97. Furthermore, they’ve dominated the last 25 championships, with Brown leading the way with 12 titles (a track record), and Myers following closely behind with 11, including the one from last year.
For the upcoming Clash event this weekend, Brown and Myers will be operating somewhat suboptimal vehicles. Specifically, Brown will pilot the No. 15 Ford of Rick Ware Racing, while Myers will handle the No. 50 Chevrolet from Team AmeriVet.
Not only do they lack any prior experience in the NASCAR Cup Series, but also a considerable number of the 39 entries won’t make it to the final race. On the surface, their prospects seem quite limited.
Home field advantage and experience with this style of racing will play to their strengths.
For many years when the Clash races were held on the Daytona oval, it typically followed a predictable pattern. However, when the race shifted to the Daytona road course in 2021, there were no seasoned “road course specialists” competing, and the absence of the heat racing format meant that the starting grid remained relatively stable without the potential for upsets even for well-known racers.
Although it boasted a notable characteristic at the Coliseum, it was just a temporary track, one that none had encountered before. Therefore, there were no inherent benefits or disadvantages to speak of.
For the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium in 2025, conditions could align to create a challenging scenario for both Brown and Myers. Despite their extensive experience with countless laps around this tight track, multiple wins, and championships under their belts, many other drivers on the grid are yet to race here, or not for a significant period of time. This could potentially give an edge to those less familiar with the track.
Hamlin has competed frequently in Winston-Salem, but it’s been five years since his last race there (in 2016). Chase Elliott, William Byron, Justin Haley, and more recently Alex Bowman and Daniel Suarez have also skipped the Winston-Salem races since 2015. Ryan Preece’s latest appearance was in 2013, while Kyle Larson and Bubba Wallace haven’t raced there at all since 2012.
From 2011 to 2015, the East Series held races at Bowman Gray, which means some Cup drivers have previous racing experience there. However, Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman, and Daniel Suarez believe this past experience won’t make a significant difference for the Clash race. In their words:
Chase Elliott: “Bowman Gray is not quite like Daytona, so I don’t think our previous experience there will have much impact.”
Alex Bowman: “I agree with Chase. The track layouts are different, and the Clash is a unique event. We’ll focus on adapting to Daytona for this race.”
Daniel Suarez: “I also think our past experiences won’t be too useful in the Clash. It’s a different challenge at Daytona, so we need to approach it fresh and strategize accordingly.
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) January 28, 2025
With many competitors in the field having little recent familiarity with this particular challenging track, the extensive experience of Brown and Myers in high-speed racing, competitive maneuvers, and navigating unpredictable race conditions appears to give them a significant advantage as seasoned racers on the track.
Over the past couple of seasons, I’ve noticed a trend in the Cup Series – quite a few underdogs have snatched wins, which isn’t unusual for the history of this series, but it’s become more prevalent lately with the arrival of the Next Gen car. Some might even say that there’s been too much equality among racers recently, making the competition fiercer than ever.
At FanDuel Sportsbook, the odds for Brown are set at 5500:1, while those for Myers stand at 7500:1. You can find the complete odds by clicking here.
For this competition, no points are at stake, but there’s a massive amount of honor and boasting rights on the line. If either Brown or Myers manage to claim victory against this tough group of racers with the home fans cheering them on, it would be an unprecedented upset and one of the most heartwarming tales in NASCAR racing lore.
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2025-01-30 17:02