The 2025 NASCAR season kicks off February 2 with the annual Clash race – Cook Out Clash – at the icon short track at Bowman-Gray Stadium. The non-points race is the unofficial kick-off of the season.
There hasn’t always been a Busch Clash to unofficially start the season but since that first Clash race in 1979, just five drivers have opened the season with a Clash win and went on to win the championship at the end of the season…and one driver did it FOUR TIMES!!!!
In 1981, Mr. Boogity, Boogity, Boogity himself Darrell Waltrip earned his only Clash race and after winning 12 races in that season, took home the championship trophy as well.
In 1997, Jeff Gordon took his number 24 car across the finish line first to win his second Clash and at the end of the season, he had earned his second championship on the tails of a 10 wins season.
Smoke won The Clash in 2002 and went on to win his first of three championships in just his fourth season with NASCAR.
Last year Joey Logano earned his third championship; but in 2022, Logano lead the field to win The Clash in its first year at The Coliseum in Los Angeles and went on to win his second championship.
But one driver won seven championships during his 20 plus year career in NASCAR, with four of them coming after starting the season by winning The Clash races…and just about everything else at Daytona!
Dale Earnhardt Sr is one of just three drivers to win seven championships in NASCAR; he won his first of four Clash races in 1980, and repeated the accomplishments in 1986, 1991, and 1994. Earnhardt has a total of six Clash wins – the most of any driver.