By Aaron Bearden, Motorsports Editor
The Daytona 500 won’t be contested until next week, but 17 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers will get an early look at the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway in this weekend’s 39th-annual Advance Auto Parts Clash.
The season-opening exhibition race will kick off at 8 p.m. ET, and will be contested by some of the best drivers on NASCAR’s top tour.
Drivers qualified for the Clash in multiple ways. Every pole-sitter from 2016 is eligible to compete, as are previous Clash winners, past Daytona 500 pole-sitters who competed full-time last season and all 16 playoff participants from 2016.
Previous Clash champions included in Saturday’s race include Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Kurt and Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth and defending race winner Denny Hamlin, who also went on to claim last year’s Daytona 500.
Four eligible drivers won’t be competing.
Fan-favorite Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s racing return will wait until Thurday’s Can-Am Duels as he sits out to allow Phoenix International Raceway pole-sitter Alex Bowman to compete in the No. 88 Chevrolet. Greg Biffle will miss the event because he’s still in search of a ride, and retired stars Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart will no longer compete in NASCAR.
The Clash will consist of 75 laps around the 2.5-mile oval split into two segments – the first lasting 25 laps, followed by a 50-lap shootout. The starting grid and pit selection will be set by a random draw on Friday.
Coverage for the Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona will begin on Feb. 18 at 8 p.m. ET. Coverage can be found on FOX Sports 1, with radio coverage found on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Schedule
Friday, Feb. 17
5:00 – 5:55 p.m.: MENCS Practice
6:30 – 7:25 p.m.: MENCS Final Practice
Saturday, Feb. 18:
8:00 p.m.: Advance Auto Parts Clash
| Entry | Vehicle No. | Driver | Team Penske | Crew Chief | Car | Sponsor |
| 1 | 1 | Jamie McMurray | Chip Ganassi Racing | Matt McCall | 17 Chevrolet | McDonald’s Big Mac |
| 2 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | Paul Wolfe | 17 Ford | SKF |
| 3 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Slugger Labbe | 17 Chevrolet | Dow |
| 4 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Rodney Childers | 17 Ford | Busch Beer Ford Fusion |
| 5 | 10 | Danica Patrick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Billy Scott | 17 Ford | TaxAct Ford Fusion |
| 6 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Michael Wheeler | 17 Toyota | FedEx Express |
| 7 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Adam Stevens | 17 Toyota | M&M’s |
| 8 | 19 | Daniel Suarez | Joe Gibbs Racing | Dave Rogers | 17 Toyota | ARRIS |
| 9 | 20 | Matt Kenseth | Joe Gibbs Racing | Jason Ratcliff | 17 Toyota | Interstate Batteries Camry |
| 10 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Todd Gordon | 17 Ford | Shell Pennzoil Ford |
| 11 | 24 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Alan Gustafson | 17 Chevrolet | NAPA |
| 12 | 37 | Chris Buescher | JTG Daugherty Racing | Trent Owens | 17 Chevrolet | Kroger Click List |
| 13 | 41 | Kurt Busch | Stewart-Haas Racing | Tony Gibson | 17 Ford | Monster Energy/Haas Automation Fusion |
| 14 | 42 | Kyle Larson | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chad Johnston | 17 Chevrolet | Credit One Bank |
| 15 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chad Knaus | 17 Chevrolet | Lowe’s |
| 16 | 78 | Martin Truex Jr | Furniture Row Racing | Cole Pearn | 17 Toyota | 5-hour ENERGY Extra Strength |
| 17 | 88 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Greg Ives | 17 Chevrolet | Nationwide |