Wheatley American Vodka to help kick off Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth on Saturday, Feb. 13, as entitlement partner of the Wheatley Vodka Clash
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 4, 2026) – Back by popular demand, NASCAR’s season-opening exhibition race is returning to its original home. Daytona International Speedway announced today that the Wheatley Vodka Clash will kick off the 2027 edition of Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth on Saturday, Feb. 13, bringing the fan-favorite event back to the World Center of Racing as part of the track’s 2027 NASCAR schedule.
The Clash was last contested in Daytona in 2021 on the road course configuration at the famed motorsports facility, won by the late Kyle Busch. Prior to that, the 2.5-mile high-banked superspeedway hosted The Clash from 1979-2020, with Erik Jones winning the last time it was raced on the oval. In recent years, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (2022-2024) and Bowman Gray Stadium (2025, 2026) hosted the exhibition event.
Simultaneously, NASCAR and Daytona International Speedway announced today a new multi-year partnership with Wheatley American Vodka, naming the premium American-made spirit the Official Vodka of NASCAR®.
As part of the partnership, Wheatley American Vodka will also become the entitlement partner of The Clash, one of NASCAR’s signature annual events that kicks off the season as the first Cup Series exhibition race.
“The pairing of a fan-favorite event like The Clash with a premier vodka brand in Wheatley American Vodka is the perfect way to welcome home one of NASCAR’s most beloved traditions to open Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth for 2027,” said Daytona International Speedway President Frank Kelleher. “The Wheatley Vodka Clash adds another can’t-miss event to an already unforgettable week, creating even more opportunities for our fans to experience the energy and excitement that make Speedweeks so special. It all builds toward the DAYTONA 500—The Great American Race—and the start of another unforgettable NASCAR season at the World Center of Racing.”
The announcement comes as part of the release of the 2027 slate of NASCAR activity scheduled for Daytona International Speedway, with Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth taking place from Saturday, Feb. 13, through the 69th running of The Great American Race on Sunday, Feb. 21. The August weekend, capped off by the Coke Zero Sugar 400, will take place August 27-28.
In addition to the traditional slate of on-track action over the nine-day stretch, Daytona Beach will see the return of Bert Kreischer’s “Full Throttle Festival” to the Ocean Center Convention Center on Saturday, Feb. 20. The pre-race bash on the eve of the DAYTONA 500 will feature a full night of music and comedy with a star-studded lineup curated by Bert. Fans can sign up now at FullThrottleFestival.com to be the first to learn the lineup and when tickets go on sale.
The ARCA Menards Series, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series will also return to the World Center of Racing for their 2027 season openers in February. The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series will also accompany the Cup Series during the August race weekend.
Below are the dates for the 2027 NASCAR season at Daytona International Speedway:
DAYTONA 500 race weekend (Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth):
- Saturday, Feb. 13 – Wheatley Vodka Clash
- Wednesday, Feb. 17 – NASCAR Cup Series DAYTONA 500 Qualifying Presented by Busch Light
- Thursday, Feb. 18 – NASCAR Cup Series Duel at Daytona
- Friday, Feb. 19 – NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race
- Saturday, Feb. 20 – NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and ARCA Menards Series races
- Sunday, Feb. 21 – NASCAR Cup Series DAYTONA 500
Coke Zero Sugar 400 race weekend:
- Friday, Aug. 27 – NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race
- Saturday, Aug. 28 – NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero Sugar 400
There is still plenty of thrilling NASCAR racing to come in 2026 at the World Center of Racing as the Cup Series and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series will contest their regular season finales in late August. The 2026 Coke Zero Sugar 400 race weekend kicks off on Friday night, Aug. 28th, with the Winn-Dixie 250 Powered by Coca-Cola taking the track. Then, on Saturday, Aug. 29th, the stars of the Cup Series battle in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at 7:30 p.m. ET for the final opportunity to earn their spot in The Chase.
Earlier this year, Tyler Reddick captured his first DAYTONA 500 championship, setting off an incredible start to the season that saw him go on to win five of the first nine races. The win was also the first DAYTONA 500 victory for 23XI Racing. While Reddick has already clinched his spot in The Chase for this season, he’s aiming to become only the sixth driver overall and the first since Jimmie Johnson in 2013 to win both the DAYTONA 500 and the Coke Zero Sugar 400 in the same season.
Fans can enjoy a variety of exclusive hospitality experiences for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 and the 2027 DAYTONA 500, including the recently added NASCAR 1948. Blending the heritage of stock car racing with premium amenities, 1948 features behind-the-scenes access, dedicated parking and transportation, elevated dining, and personalized concierge service. Visit nascarexperiences.com/1948 to learn more.
Tickets for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 race weekend, as well as ticket and additional information for 2027 Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth events, can be found at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP. Fans can also purchase an exclusive pre-race ticket package for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 with a reserved seat, admission to the Hard Rock Bet Fanzone, and pre-race access for LOCASH’s pre-race concert.
About Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a state-of-the-art motorsports facility and was awarded the SportsBusiness Journal’s prestigious Sports Business Award for Sports Facility of the Year in 2016. Daytona International Speedway is the home of The Great American Race – the DAYTONA 500. Though the season-opening NASCAR Cup Series event garners most of the attention – as well as the largest audience in motorsports – the approximately 500-acre motorsports complex, also known as the World Center of Racing, boasts the most diverse schedule of racing on the globe. Some of the exciting racing events include January’s Rolex 24 At DAYTONA and Roar Before The Rolex 24, February’s DAYTONA 500 and Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth, March’s Bike Week At DAYTONA Presented By GEICO, featuring DAYTONA Supercross and the DAYTONA 200, the August Coke Zero Sugar 400 weekend, and much more. The Speedway grounds are also used extensively for other events that include concerts (Welcome to Rockville, Heroes Honor Festival, etc.), sporting events (DAYTONA Soccer Fest, CLASH DAYTONA, etc.) civic and social gatherings, car shows, photo shoots, production vehicle testing and police motorcycle training.
About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 14 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Series, NASCAR Canada Series, NASCAR Euro Series, NASCAR Mexico Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in five cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 11 countries and more than 30 U.S. states.
For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X and Facebook.
About Wheatley American Vodka
Wheatley American Vodka is proudly crafted in America’s Heartland at the world’s most award-winning distillery. Distilled ten times and triple filtered for an exceptionally smooth, clean taste, Wheatley is made with American grains and distilled by a true heartlander. Delivering high-quality American vodka that consumers are proud to drink and share, Wheatley American Vodka is easy to enjoy in simple mixed drinks like vodka sodas, vodka lemonades and American mules. Wheatley American Vodka is rooted in moments that bring people together, like backyard BBQs, and celebrates the spirit of American craftsmanship.
