NASCAR Clash Will Crush Dreams Before the Season Even Starts
February 1, 2025
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NASCAR fans can look forward to an action-packed beginning to the 2025 Cup Series season with the Cook Out Clash set to take place at Bowman Gray Stadium this Sunday night.
This exhibition race, although it doesn’t contribute any points towards the season standings, promises to be an adrenaline-filled affair. It’s taking place at a new location, making Bowman Gray Stadium the fourth different venue to host the Clash in just six years.
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The event introduces a heat racing format. Practice is structured around the 2024 owner standings, dividing the drivers into three groups. Each group is then split into two subgroups for qualifying in group sessions. These sessions will determine the lineup for four separate 25-lap heat races, setting the stage for a battle to qualify for the 200-lap race.
The stakes are high, as only the top five drivers from each heat race will progress directly to the main event. Those who fail to secure their spot will have one more shot during a 75-lap Last Chance Qualifier. Here, the top two will secure their place in the race. If needed, the highest-ranked non-qualifying driver from last year will also be given a spot, but overall, 16 drivers will not make the cut through these rigorous qualifying processes.
A pile up in turn three tosses sends D.J. Shaw #37 and Andrew Smith #62 stuck up on bumpers during the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Race at the Bowman Gray Stadium on June 4,… A pile up in turn three tosses sends D.J. Shaw #37 and Andrew Smith #62 stuck up on bumpers during the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Race at the Bowman Gray Stadium on June 4, 2011 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Matt DiBenedetto won the race edging out Corey LaJoie #7.
Sara D. Davis/Getty Images for NASCAR
Among the first set of drivers, Carson Hocevar and Riley Herbst are set to compete in Group 1, while William Byron and Kyle Larson will battle it out in Group 2, alongside other stars from Hendrick Motorsports. In the second practice group, Kyle Busch and Todd Gilliland will race in Group 3, facing strong contenders like Ryan Blaney and Denny Hamlin from Joe Gibbs Racing in Group 4. The third practice group boasts of participants like Ross Chastain and A.J. Allmendinger in Group 5, and heavyweights Joey Logano and Chase Elliott in Group 6.
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For those keen on catching all the action, Fox Sports 1 will broadcast the heat races live at 8:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 1. The Last Chance Qualifier will air the following day, February 2, at 6:40 p.m. ET on Fox, leading up to the main event which kicks off at 8:20 p.m. ET. Viewers can also enjoy FuboTV’s free trial to watch the races live.
NASCAR’s decision to bring the Clash to Bowman Gray Stadium was first announced in August 2024, aiming to reinvigorate its connection to the historical venue. The last Cup Series race here in 1971 was a victory for Bobby Allison, and since then, the venue has stood as a cornerstone of grassroots racing.
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The weekend is not just about the Cup Series clash; on Saturday, the Cook Out Madhouse Classic will feature practice, qualifying, and the main race for local divisions. Weather forecasts predict partly cloudy skies with mid-40s Fahrenheit temperatures.
For the latest NASCAR news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
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