The future of the Clash, a surprisingly good run at Bowman Gray Stadium and more chatter from Sunday's exhibition race.

Chase Elliott claimed NASCAR's first checkered flag of 2025 on Sunday night in Winston-Salem, winning the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium for his first victory in the Cup Series' preseason event.

Bowman Gray, on the other hand, is a traditional NASCAR short track that has featured weekly racing throughout its history. Nevertheless, both the debut event at the Coliseum in 2022 and the return of NASCAR Cup racing to Bowman Gray this past weekend produced electric atmospheres on both sides of the country.

The Clash got a jolt of energy at the North Carolina short track. Will it return in 2026, or will NASCAR look elsewhere?

Pole winner Chase Elliott held off a dramatic charge from Ryan Blaney to win Sunday night’s Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium in front of a teeming, vociferous sellout crowd at the historic

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 NAPA Chevrolet Camaro, took home the win in the first Cup event at Bowman Gray in the modern era. This marks the fourth season the Clash has been held outside Daytona International Speedway, where it was traditionally raced on the famed high banks through the 2020 season.

NASCAR last roared through Bowman Gray Stadium. The post “They Didn’t Embarrass Themselves” – NASCAR Takes a Sigh of Relief After the Clash at Bowman Gray appeared first on EssentiallySports.