The Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray was a spectacle to watch. The “Madhouse” endured snow earlier in the week before being cleared out for Wednesday’s race. No sooner did the drivers hit the track than a snow squall arrived halfway through, forcing them to put on wet tires. Finally, the track partially dried out, and it came to a checkered flag with Ryan Preece as the winner.
Racing they went, but drivers and crew chiefs erred in their complaints throughout. Derrick Finley, crew chief of the No. 60 Ryan Preece Chevrolet, stated his disgust, “The fact that we are even out here driving around, I’ve lost all faith in NASCAR.” He continued, “We are two degrees from freezing.” Preece responded with, “Yeah. This makes (expletive) no sense. My hope is that somebody with common sense is listening outside of this team.”
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On the other hand, Connor Zilisch was just fine with the weather conditions — “We’re professional race car drivers. It’s our job to go figure it out.”
Here are some more driver reactions to the Clash:
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“There’s more respect at a go kart track”, Chase Briscoe said on his radio.
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On another non-weather topic, Shane Van Gisbergen joked about his old teammate, “Is the 7 (Daniel Suarez) beefing with everyone?
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I won’t state what Chase Briscoe’s crew chief, James Small, said, but it was expletive-filled. He was very unhappy that cars were allowed to refuel about 80% into the race.
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Denny Hamlin is a glass-half-full guy, stating, “we’ve got nothing to lose here except for a race car,” and he says he’s just going to try and get better at this (rain racing).”
Weather Takes it to Bowman Gray
Feb 4, 2026; WInston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Track driers try to clear the track after a shower of sleet and rain interrupt the race during the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images© Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
(© Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images)
About halfway through the Cook Out Clash, a snow squall hit the track. This lasted about ten minutes, but the ground became very wet. Subsequently, teams were allowed to put on wet tires. The race would end still with wet tires on.
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In fact, an unconfirmed team nearly got in trouble while attempting to prepare slicks for the car. NASCAR said absolutely not. In total, the race had 15 cautions, most of which were spinouts or competition yellows for tire and fuel issues.
Will NASCAR Return to Bowman Gray?
This is a question worth asking. The weather affected the event, and many fans wonder whether NASCAR should take such risks in colder-weather states.
Bowman Gray was leased to NASCAR by the city of Winston-Salem in 2024. This lease extends through 2050. Once the deal was signed, NASCAR announced it would host the 1st annual Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray in 2025. Last summer, it was agreed that the stadium would undergo renovations, including a new $1 million scoreboard.
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NASCAR signed a 5-year deal with Winston-Salem in 2025. This now obligates NASCAR to host at least one race per year for the duration of the contract. The catch is that — this does not have to be the Cup Series. This could be any series. As NASCAR receives fan input, the O’Reilly Series or the Craftsman Truck Series could be added. Regardless, the weather was challenging and worth reviewing.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Feb 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the Racing section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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