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Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona: starting grid, lineup

By Nick Tylwalk

Feb 17, 2017; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin (11) during practice for the Advance Auto Parts Clash At Daytona at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 17, 2017; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin (11) during practice for the Advance Auto Parts Clash At Daytona at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /
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Here’s how the 17 drivers in the Advance Auto Parts Clash will line up at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday night.

Hear that? it’s the sound of Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series cars returning to action, and if you’re a race fan, it’s glorious. The Advance Auto Parts Clash will usher in the 2017 slate with drivers competing for cash and bragging rights without having to worry about points at Daytona.

This year’s field includes 2016 Cup Series pole winners, previous Clash winners, 2016 Chase participants and a former Daytona 500 pole winner (Danica Patrick) who didn’t meet the other criteria. Though 20 drivers were eligible, only 17 will take the green flag thanks to a pair of retirements (Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards) and the sport’s most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr., choosing to wait for the Daytona 500 as he returns from his 2016 injury woes.

There is no qualifying for the Clash, as the grid is set via random draw. Defending race winner Denny Hamlin still ended up on the outside of Row 1 beside Brad Keselowski.

Here’s how the field will line up on Saturday night:

  1. No. 2 SKF Ford – Brad Keselowski
  2. No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota – Denny Hamlin
  3. No. 1 McDonald’s Big Mac Chevy – Jamie McMurray
  4. No. 3 Dow Chevy – Austin Dillon
  5. No. 78 5-Hour Energy Extra Strength Toyota – Martin Truex Jr.
  6. No. 48 Lowe’s Chevy – Jimmie Johnson
  7. No. 4 Busch Beer Ford – Kevin Harvick
  8. No. 88 Nationwide Chevy – Alex Bowman (in Earnhardt’s car, though Bowman was eligible on his own)
  9. No. 22 Shell/Penzoil Ford – Joey Logano
  10. No. 41 Monster Energy/Haas Automation Ford – Kurt Busch
  11. No. 42 CreditOne Chevy – Kyle Larson
  12. No. 10 TaxAct Ford – Danica Patrick
  13. No. 18 M&M’s Toyota – Kyle Busch
  14. No. 24 NAPA Chevy – Chase Elliott
  15. No. 20 Interstate Batteries Toyota – Matt Kenseth
  16. No. 19 ARRIS Toyota – Daniel Suarez (allowed by NASCAR due to Edwards’ late retirement)
  17. No 37 Kroger Click List Chevy – Chris Buescher

Next: What is the 2017 Advance Auto Parts Clash format?

The Advance Auto Parts Clash is expected to start in earnest around 8:25 p.m. tonight from Daytona. Coverage begins at 8:00 p.m. on Fox Sports 1.

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