Kevin Harvick proposes combining NASCAR All-Star Race, Clash into one event

On the latest episode of *Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour*, Kevin Harvick welcomed NASCAR’s Executive Vice President and Chief Venue & Racing Innovations Officer, Ben Kennedy, to the show.

During the episode, they discussed various topics, with Harvick making an intriguing suggestion to Kennedy. He proposed the idea of combining NASCAR’s All-Star Race and The Clash into a single event, which would provide drivers and their teams with an additional week off during the season.

“When you consider the special event races, like the All-Star Race and The Clash, do you ever see a time where they could be combined?” Harvick asked. “Given the current schedule, it’s tough not just on the drivers, but even more so on the team members. When you think about the logistics of moving from places like Michigan to Mexico City, it’s a lot to manage.

“But when I look at the All-Star Race and The Clash, they’re quite similar. Do you ever consider merging those events to free up another weekend?”

Kennedy acknowledged that it’s a topic of discussion among NASCAR’s decision-makers, though any such change is likely still a few seasons away.

“You know, we’ve talked about it,” Kennedy responded. “The Clash, being two weeks before the Daytona 500, makes sense on many levels as it’s an exhibition race. We’ve always heard from our fans that they want the first points race to be at Daytona, our biggest event of the year. So, with that in mind, The Clash serves as a great opportunity to promote the Daytona 500.

“As for the All-Star Race, it’s undergone several changes over the years—from Charlotte to Bristol, Texas, and now North Wilkesboro. We’ve been in discussions with Speedway Motorsports about the future of the All-Star Race. Some believe every weekend feels like an All-Star Race because we have our top drivers at all these events. It’s a different format but similar to The Clash.

“So, we’ve explored various concepts, such as whether to continue with the exhibition races or consider something new. We still need to determine what that will look like, but there’s potential for a new approach with SM.”

Harvick’s proposal is certainly an intriguing one for Kennedy and NASCAR’s leadership to consider, given the demanding Cup Series schedule. An extra week of rest could significantly benefit drivers and their teams. Whether the idea will ever be implemented remains to be seen.