‘Wasn’t what it should be’

The NASCAR Clash is meant to serve as an appetizer to the Daytona 500, which typically takes place two weeks after the 200-lap exhibition. Furthermore, it’s a way to remind casual or non-race fans that NASCAR is back, potentially getting them to check out more.

Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic believes that Wednesday’s Clash accomplished none of that. Rather, he felt it left fans going, “what’s going on here?”

“This is supposed to be a celebration into the new season, new beginning, excitement,” Bianchi said on The Teardown. “I think we all agree Bowman Gray’s a cool venue, deserves to be in the rotation for these kinds of events. All these great things and instead, it’s weather-impacted, the race finally happens and then it’s caution after caution after caution, there’s a lot of delays, stoppages. It goes so long, it got booted off of network television to a third-tier cable channel.

“This is supposed to be a showcase for what NASCAR is and a preview to the Daytona 500, be that appetizer and get people who really aren’t NASCAR fans to go, ‘Oh, NASCAR’s back. This is kind of cool, I’m gonna check this out.’ I don’t think it accomplished any of those goals tonight, and I think it just left people going, ‘What is going on here? What is this? Where’s my Masked Singer?’”

NASCAR Clash received mixed reviews from fans

The race, initially set for Saturday night, was rescheduled to Wednesday night due to the winter storm across the southeast region. Once it got underway, it became clear it was going to be a grind for the teams — and fans watching at home.

There was a delay for sleet. The second half of the race was completed with wet-weather tires. Cautions piled up. The pace slowed down and NASCAR went past its allotted time on FOX, forcing the network to put the remaining 35 laps of the Clash on FS2 and multiple streaming networks.

It was a lot; Bianchi just isn’t sure if any of it did enough to drum up excitement for the Daytona 500.

“The sport is going through a reset. It’s a recalibration to kind of getting back to the essence of what it’s supposed to be, and Bowman Gray should be part of that,” Bianchi said. “I think it’s frustrating that it wasn’t what it should be. This is supposed to be a launch, and it wasn’t a launch. It was kind of a rocket that just kind of peters out.”