Why Ty Dillon, not Bubba Wallace, is driving for 23XI in Busch Clash ahead of Daytona 500

Ty Dillon is confirmed to run the Busch Clash, the exhibition race that kicks off Daytona Speedweeks, for 23XI Racing on Feb. 9 at the Daytona road course. 23XI is the new Cup team co-owned by Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan.

Bubba Wallace is the 23XI’s full-time driver, but Wallace isn’t eligible for the team’s first, non-points race.

Dillon is eligible for the Busch Clash because he won a stage in a race last season. He won the first stage in the playoff race at the Charlotte Roval for Germain Racing, which closed its shop at the end of the year and sold its charter to 23XI.

Dillon will also attempt entry into this year’s Daytona 500 as an open car competing for Gaunt Brothers Racing and he is piecing together a 2021 schedule that includes Xfinity races for Joe Gibbs Racing.

“Very important for our team to get reps,” Hamlin tweeted about the Clash. “This will be a crucial race for us to get just that. Special thanks to @tydillon for stepping in!”

Eligibility requirements for the 2021 Busch Clash are:

• 2020 Busch Pole Award winners
• Past Busch Clash winners who competed full-time in 2020
• Daytona 500 champions who competed full-time in 2020
• Former Daytona 500 Busch Pole winners who competed full-time in 2020
• 2020 NASCAR Cup playoff drivers, race winners and stage winners

There are 24 drivers eligible to compete in this year’s Clash, including Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth and Clint Bowyer, who all retired from full-time NASCAR racing at the end of last season and are not scheduled to compete in the event. The Busch Clash is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Feb. 9 on FS1. The Daytona 500 is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 14 on FOX.

2021 Busch Clash Eligible Drivers

1. Aric Almirola
2. Ryan Blaney
3. Alex Bowman
4. Clint Bowyer
5. Chris Buescher
6. Kurt Busch
7. Kyle Busch
8. William Byron
9. Cole Custer
10. Matt DiBenedetto
11. Austin Dillon
12. Ty Dillon
13. Chase Elliott
14. Denny Hamlin
15. Kevin Harvick
16. Jimmie Johnson
17. Erik Jones
18. Matt Kenseth
19. Brad Keselowski
20. Joey Logano
21. Ryan Newman
22. Tyler Reddick
23. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
24. Martin Truex Jr.

This story was originally published February 3, 2021 at 3:09 PM.

Alexandra Andrejev

The Charlotte Observer

NASCAR and Charlotte FC beat reporter Alex Andrejev joined The Observer in January 2020 following an internship at The Washington Post. She is a two-time APSE award winner for her NASCAR beat coverage and National Motorsports Press Association award winner. She is the host of McClatchy’s podcast “Payback” about women’s soccer. Support my work with a digital subscription