This weekend marks the first time the NASCAR Cup Series will be on track in 2025, after the offseason began early last November. This will also be the first time since 1971 that a Cup Series event of any form will take place on the 0.25-mile oval, located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. While teams have loaded up and arrived at Bowman Gray this Friday morning, they’ve been through inspection and are ready to Clash in a non-points shootout. Here’s what we can expect, coming into this weekend.
A stacked Entry List
There are 39 cars on the entry list, including all 36 chartered entries and three open entries, with several drivers attempting their first NASCAR Cup Series race. A few attention grabbers stand out on this list, which include two track regulars on the list.
Tim Brown, a 53-year-old suspension and drivetrain specialist for Rick Ware Racing, will pilot the #15 Ford Mustang Dark Horse, after winning 100 races at Bowman Gray in the Modified division. Brown will be accompanied by Burt Myers, who’s won 12 Modified Tour Championships at the famed track, and will pilot Team AmeriVet’s #50 Chevrolet. Tony Eury Jr. will be the crew chief, and Myers looks to race into the main field Sunday, with his impressive résumé.
The Format
This weekend’s races will include Practice and Qualifying, which will respectively determine the lineups for the Heat Races and Last Chance Qualifiers. There will be three practice groups, which will be based on the previous year’s Owners Points and each group will get two eight-minute sessions to practice. The final session for each group will be split into two groups and will have six to seven cars, and each group will have four minutes to set a fast lap. After each car goes back into the pits, their qualifying session is complete.
The Heat Races, which take place Saturday, February 1 at 8:30PM EST on FOX, will lock positions 1-20 into the main event, as there are 23 spots available. The Last Chance Qualifier, which will see the Green Flag on Sunday, February 2 at 6:00PM EST on FOX, will be the remaining 19 drivers’ last chance to race their way into the main event. The drivers who finish first and second in the LCQ will start 21st and 22nd in the Clash, while the last car on the grid will be granted to the driver with the most Owner’s Points from last season who’s not locked into the main event.
The Clash at Bowman Gray will take place immediately after the LCQ races at 8:00PM EST on FOX, will 23 gladiators go head-to-head for 200 laps. Only Green Flag Laps count toward the event and the race must finish under green. There will be a halftime break on Lap 100, which will allow drivers and teams to strategize and catch their breath in the midst of chaos.
Ones to watch
Denny Hamlin is the defending winner of the Clash, despite the location of the event taking place at a different location this year. Just like the L.A. Memorial Coliseum, Bowman Gray Stadium is 0.25-miles, so we can expect to see Hamlin up front once again, if he races his way in.
Kyle Busch, who’s coming off a winless season in 2024, is one of the best short-track races NASCAR has ever seen. He’s hungry and looking to build some momentum before the series heads down to Daytona Beach, as is Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson. Larson runs up front on a weekly basis and it’ll be disappointing if Larson does not show speed this weekend and contends for victory.
In the underdog category, pay attention to Ryan Preece, who spent the early stages of his career winning NASCAR Modified Series races and shows a lot of speed at short tracks. With his brand new team, RFK Racing, Preece’s best opportunity of his career kicks off this weekend and he looks to take his #60 Ford Mustang to Victory Lane.
Sunday’s 200 lapper will be a classic, as the Series has been absent from Bowman Gray Stadium for 54 years. You won’t want to miss this one, which will see bent fenders, hurt feelings, and bruised egos. Catch all the action this weekend on FOX, and keep up with NASCAR’s socials for updates, if you can’t tune in from the couch.
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