2026 Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium


The 2026 Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium is an upcoming non-championship exhibition NASCAR Cup Series race that will be held on February 4, 2026, postponed three days from February 1, at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Contested over 200 laps, it will be the first exhibition race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Due to snowfall around the area, the race was postponed multiple times to Wednesday, February 4. This is the first Cup Series race on a Wednesday since the 2020 Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500.

Report

Background

Bowman Gray Stadium is a NASCAR sanctioned asphalt flat oval short track and longstanding football stadium located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It is one of stock car racing's most legendary venues, and is referred to as "NASCAR's longest-running weekly race track". Bowman Gray Stadium is part of the Winston-Salem Sports and Entertainment Complex and is home of the Winston-Salem State University Rams football team. It was also the home of the Wake Forest University football team from 1956 until Groves Stadium opened in 1968.
On August 17, 2024, NASCAR announced that the Clash would be moved to Bowman Gray Stadium, becoming the first NASCAR-sanctioned race at the track since 1971.
Scrutineering will take place at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Post-race inspection will take place in both Winston-Salem and also at NASCAR facilities in Charlotte.
On January 29, 2026, NASCAR announced that practice and qualifying, and the Last Chance Qualifier, would be held on February 1 due to weather and extreme coldness. The four heat races would be canceled. On January 31, it was announced the race would be postponed to February 2. On February 1, 2026, it was announced that the Clash would be postponed to Wednesday, February 4.

Entry list

' denotes rookie driver.
  • ' denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.

Media

Television

Fox will cover the race on the television side. Mike Joy, Clint Bowyer, and three-time Clash winner Kevin Harvick will handle the call in the booth for the race. Jamie Little and Regan Smith will handle the pit road duties, and Larry McReynolds will provide insight on-site during the race.

Radio

MRN will cover the radio call for the race, which will also be simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden and Mike Bagley will call the action from the broadcast booth when the field raced down the front straightaway. Dan Hubbard will call the action for MRN when the field raced down the backstretch. Steve Post, Brienne Pedigo, and Jason Toy will cover the action for MRN on pit lane.