Back on Aug. 17, NASCAR announced the Busch Light Clash would be headed Bowman Gray Stadium in 2025.
The move takes the Clash from a quarter-mile temporary racetrack inside the L.A. Coliseum, to another quarter-mile track inside an old football stadium. But this one is a beloved facility known as ‘The Madhouse’ that’s in operation year-round.
With the move back in to the heart of race country in North Carolina, that got us thinking.
What would a zMAX CARS Tour race be like at Bowman Gray?
It’s an interesting concept – one not outside the realm of possibility. The series is based mostly in the Carolinas and Virginia. Bowman Gray sits right in the heart of that region.
We see the series go to flat racetracks like Langley Speedway. It already visits another quarter-mile bullring, Wake County Speedway, where the series just competed this past Saturday (Aug. 24).
But rather than just sitting here speculating, we went and got some reactions to that very question, asking the drivers themselves how they would feel about a series race at Bowman Gray.
There were a few drivers on the no side, claiming there would be too much carnage and torn-up racecars.
“I’d rather come to Wake twice before we went to Bowman Gray,” Landon Huffman told Frontstretch. “Because I like going to Bowman Gray and drinking beer, sitting in the stands. But I for damn sure don’t want to run a CARS Tour race there. … Most of the time you go to Bowman Gray, you go to watch a fight and a race breaks out.”
“I’d be a lot more nervous I think,” Caden Kvapil admitted. “Just because of how Bowman Gray is normally ran. I feel like you kind of know you’re going to get wrecked there. I don’t know, it’s just entertainment over there.”
Others were on the yes side, claiming to be all for a CARS race at Bowman Gray, whether it be for points or a big payday.
“I think that would be so fun,” Brent Crews said. “People are going to talk about tearing stuff up but I think everybody tears enough stuff up as it is so I don’t know what we’d be scared of. … An exhibition race for sure. Probably like $20,000 to win and I think everybody and their mother would be there.”
“I think it would be awesome,” Connor Hall added.” I think it would definitely be interesting, but I think it would be really cool. I think a lot of these guys haven’t been able to turn laps there. It would definitely be a barnburner.”
There mixed feelings from the CARS Tour drivers. But at the end of the day, if it’s on the schedule, most all of them are going to show up – even if Huffman just shows up to party.
If the series chose to have a race at Bowman Gray, there are plenty of ways to go about it. With it being smack in the center of their region, the tour could theoretically hold a points race at The Madhouse at any time.
That’s not the only option, of course. If carnage is a concern, why not make it an exhibition race? Put a lot of money up for the winner. Police the race in the same manner as any other so drivers running for points don’t have to worry as much.
Bowman Gray has often been known for the extracurricular activities that go on aside from the racing. Some frown upon this, while others see it as part of the show and the entertainment value it adds.
A CARS Tour race would obviously be ran a bit different. The series isn’t going to tolerate the fighting and intentional wrecks that Bowman Gray sees on occasion. But the on-track product is still fun to watch and there’s no reason the series can’t replicate that.
In fact, why not take the series to Bowman Gray the weekend NASCAR is in town? It would provide another golden opportunity to expose grassroots short track racing to a larger audience than your typical Saturday night show.
Whether or not the series ends up at Bowman Gray one day down the road remains to be seen. But with NASCAR now coming to town, the door has been opened.
About the author
Chase began working with Frontstretch in the spring of 2023 as a news writer, while also helping fill in for other columns as needed. Chase is now the main writer and reporter for Frontstretch.com's CARS Tour coverage, a role which began late in 2023. Aside from racing, some of Chase's other hobbies include time in the outdoors hunting and fishing, and keeping up with all things Philadelphia sports related.
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