The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season got off to a banger of a start, as the sports best took to the famed Bowman Gray Stadium track. The Winston-Salem track ended up being a terrific host for the annual Cook Out Clash. The “Madhouse” certainly lived up to the mantra all weekend long from carnage on the race track to the many fans giving the “No.1” salute. One driver in particular stood out amongst the rest. Hendrick Motorsport’s Chase Elliott was the one who was able to conquer the rest.
I don’t mean to offend the LA Coliseum or the idea of racing there, but Bowman Gray deserved to have this event, and I can confidently say it deserves to host it again. Is it in the cards I don’t but it certainly should be. If you were hoping for action, the fans certainly got it. From Saturday’s heat races to the main event. Everything and anything was on the table, and this event delivered.
From the pool hall to The Madhouse, the si-reen sounds!@chaseelliott wins the #CookOutClash at @BGSRacing! pic.twitter.com/veUhEF8ccH
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 3, 2025
Clash at Bowman Gray Didn’t Disappoint, as Chase Elliott Conquered the Madhouse
Bowman Gray has always had famous run-ins, and that was no different throughout the racing for the Cup drivers. From the drop of the green in Saturday night’s heat races, the intensity was there. Kyle Busch and Justin Haley certainly provided some early sparks in the first heat race. Their disagreement certainly caught the eye of NASCAR.
BOWMAN GRAY BEEF. 🥩
Kyle Busch and Justin Haley aren’t happy.
📺 : NASCAR pic.twitter.com/hTx0Az7ek6
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) February 2, 2025
While those two were roughhousing, Chase Elliott cruised to heat one win, which secured him the pole for the Main Event on Sunday night. The drama was pretty muted throughout the rest of the heat races, until heat race four, when Ryan Preece and John Hunter Nemechek had a pretty physical incident on track. Preece gave Nemechek the bump and he crashed into the wall.
John Hunter Nemechek vs. Ryan Preece. 🫣
📺 : NASCAR pic.twitter.com/TNNqWsvgOC
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) February 2, 2025
Last Chance Qualifier Felt Like a Heavyweight Fight
If the drama of the heat races wasn’t enough, the last-chance qualifier took it to another level. Boy, that race had plenty of drama. It felt like a heavyweight fight, it had to have had everyone on the edge of their seats. Especially since Kyle Larson, had to start from tenth, and only the top two finishers would advance to the 200-lap main event. While his teammates including pole-sitter Chase Elliott, were able to sit comfortably and watch the action, Larson had his work cut out for him.
Bumping and banging was the name of the game in this 75-lap LCQ. Ty Gibbs looked like he was the class of the field as he got to the front of the field quickly, but his night certainly went pretty sour in a hurry, especially once the likes of Larson and Austin Dillon got their way to the front. That’s when the craziness that is Bowman Gray started to heat up.
If you thought Haley and Busch’s feud was hot, Ty Gibbs took it to another level, when he tried to retaliate at Haley. Gibbs looked like he was ready to take flight.
Ty Gibbs goes airborne at Bowman Gray after attempting to retaliate against Justin Haley during the #CookOutClash Last Chance Qualifier😳 https://t.co/yL2eidhCLkpic.twitter.com/alQK5X7RUc
— 5 GOATs (@5GOATs_) February 3, 2025
If that incident wasn’t enough, the crowd got involved much like they are notorious for at the Madhouse, when track legend Burt Myers got crashed by Ricky Stenhouse. During the red flag for Myers’ hard crash, the crowd took it upon themselves to let their feelings known, with plenty of double-birds being thrown around the stands.
Race fans show their displeasure to Ricky Stenhouse Jr. after contact that puts out fan-favorite Burt Meyers. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/f3Arx8zqSK
— Noah Lewis (@Noah_Lewis1) February 3, 2025
When asked about the incident by Fox Sports’ Jamie Little, Myers had a fine answer to what happened.
” I kinda pushed the 47 up, … so I don’t if he was mad about that,” Myers said. ” I’ll have to watch a replay, but I do know that it was an orange car that ran into me so…haha, I’m assuming 47. … His bumper and I’m in the infield, I guess that tells the story.”
Burt Myers talks with Jamie Little. pic.twitter.com/FHTQzUsVgb
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 3, 2025
Damaged vehicles and hurt feelings were the sum of the LCQ and even the cars that advanced Larson’s No. 5 and Josh Berry for the Wood Brothers were heavily damaged entering the main event.
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Chase Elliott Gains Momentum With Clash Victory
After all that excitement it was time to get down to business. Chase Elliott certainly jumped out quickly from the drop of the green flag, as he led the first 90-some laps. While he was keeping the lead at the front, chaos was happening throughout the field. Outside of Chase, HMS didn’t have a very good night at the office. Larson, William Byron, and Alex Bowman all had plenty of incidents with fellow drivers.
Kyle Larson and William Byron both take a spin. pic.twitter.com/UEuAVyp2RJ
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 3, 2025
They might have had the most spins on the night. Saving tires was a huge factor in the race, as Elliott slipped to third right before the mid-race break as Denny Hamlin flexed his muscles a bit. That didn’t hold up during the second half of the race, as more cautions continued to happen. Things certainly went back Chase Elliott’s way in the closing fifty laps.
He gave Hamlin a big bump to get back to the lead, and it ended up being the race-winning move, as Elliott held off a hell of a drive from his buddy Ryan Blaney. Blaney only got into the main event as the points provisional driver. So he had to start dead last on the field. And in the 200 laps, he made an incredible drive up to second. That’s now two years in a row where Ryan started last and drove to a top-three finish.
9️⃣🏁 A view from the Bowman Gray Fieldhouse as Chase Elliott WINS the NASCAR Clash. #HotPass pic.twitter.com/CM5sovsS1v
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 3, 2025
The Clash Needs to Stay at Bowman Gray
Sure there has been plenty of talk about moving the Clash around. However the drive by Chase Elliott leading over 170 laps, while also having a slip-up with tires, only to fight back and win,
Chase Elliott talks with Jamie Little after winning the Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium. pic.twitter.com/wMOZDo4t0r
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 3, 2025
Add in what Blaney was able to do, and this race delivered. The Clash needs to stick around at Bowman Gray. No doubt in my mind. This event lived up to the hype and beyond.
