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2026 NASCAR Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium
Ryan Preece Triumphs in the 2026 NASCAR Clash
The 2026 NASCAR season kicked off with the Cook Out Clash at historic Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston‑Salem, North Carolina. The event was scheduled for Sunday February 1 but was moved to the following Wednesday night due to an unexpected snowstorm that dropped around eleven inches of snow on the track. Ryan Preece started in the 18th position and battled his way to the front to claim his first career Clash victory. Not only did he have to deal with a strong field of competitors, but also the frigid temperatures, wet‑weather tires and 17 cautions to secure his first Cup exhibition win. The victory places him in the company of Jeff Gordon and Denny Hamlin as the only drivers to win the Clash before earning a Cup Series points win.
The qualifying session set the top twenty positions for the main event and Alex Bowman qualified for the Clash based on being the highest points finisher in the 2025 season that did not make the field on qualifying time. Positions 21 and 22 were awarded to the first and second place finishers in the Last Chance Qualifier. Josh Berry dominated the LCQ race, leading 64 of the 75 laps with Austin Cindric securing the final transfer spot after a fierce multi‑lap duel with his RFK Racing teammate Corey LaJoie. LaJoie was filling in for Brad Keselowski who is recovering from a shoulder injury.
The 2025 Cup champion, Kyle Larson, started on the pole for the main event while his Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron was beside him. Larson led a race high 67 laps to start but was caught up in an accident and never recovered, finishing in 16th place. Byron would end the race in the same position he started, second place. Ryan Blaney came home in third place in his Team Penske Ford. It was an emotional win for Preece who said after the race “I don’t even know what to say. It’s been a long road… years and years of grinding. I’m just super thankful for Brad Keselowski, all our partners, Jack Roush. Two years ago, I didn’t think I was going to have a job. I thought I was going back to Connecticut. Man, I’m just super, super emotional”. Preece led 46 of the 200 green flag laps. Next up is the Daytona 500 on February 15.
Ryan Preece