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The NASCAR Cup series is back in 2025 with the Cook Out Clash, as qualifying took place on Saturday at Bowman Gray Stadium.
Chase Elliott secured pole position for Sunday night’s 200-lap race by winning Heat 1, overcoming a physical start to emerge victorious. It was an impressive day for Elliott, as he previously earned the top spot in the first heat by clocking the fastest lap of the timed practice session.
Denny Hamlin, the defending Cook Out Clash winner, will start Sunday’s race at No. 3 after winning Heat 3.
- Chase Elliott
- Chris Buescher
- Denny Hamlin
- Tyler Reddick
- Brad Keselowski
- Chase Briscoe
- Joey Logano
- Christopher Bell
- Noah Gragson
- Shane van Gisbergen
- William Byron
- Ryan Preece
- Kyle Busch
- Bubba Wallace
- Carson Hocevar
- Austin Cindric
- Ross Chastain
- Daniel Suárez
- Alex Bowman
- Todd Gilliland
Elliott took Heat 1 and Hamlin emerged victorious in Heat 3, while Buescher earned the No. 2 spot in Sunday’s race by winning Heat 2.
Reddick also clinched a top-four start in the Cook Out Clash by winning Heat 4.
There weren’t many surprises in each of the 25-lap heat races, as all four drivers started their respective races in pole position before securing their wins.
Elliott, the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion, acknowledged his pole position on social media.
Ryan Preece was able to clinch a spot in Sunday’s lineup despite starting Heat 4 in the No. 6 spot. Preece and John Hunter Nemechek battled throughout the race before the No. 60 car made an aggressive move to jump in front.
Preece finished the Heat race at No. 3, securing his Cook Out Clash spot.
There was some more aggression in Heat 4, as AJ Allmendinger squeezed Cole Custer into the wall and sent Custer’s car spinning while the two battled for a transfer spot. Allmendinger and Custer finished No. 7 and No. 9 in their heat, respectively.
For drivers that missed the initial cut such as Allmendinger and Custer, they’ll still have a chance to earn a spot in Sunday’s race by finishing with one of the top two spots in the Last Chance Qualifier.
There’s also an available spot that will be rewarded to the driver ranked highest in the 2024 standings who wasn’t able to transfer.
Ryan Blaney, who will compete in the Last Chance Qualifier, has the most 2024 points of the 19 drivers vying for a Cook Out Clash spot.
Action continues on Sunday, with the Last Chance Qualifier kicking things off at 6 p.m. ET.
The 200-lap race is then set to commence at 8 p.m. ET.
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