NASCAR on TV this week

Thinkin’ Out Loud at the Clash: Is Bowman Gray Here to Stay? It Better Be

What Happened?

Chase Elliott held off a determined Ryan Blaney to win the first NASCAR Cup Series race at Bowman Gray Stadium since 1971 on Sunday night (Feb. 2). Rounding out the top five for the exhibition event was Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano and Bubba Wallace.

This is Elliott’s first Cup Series victory at a short track since Martinsville Speedway’s fall race in 2020. It’s also the first victory for Chevrolet at the Clash since Jimmie Johnson‘s rain-shortened victory at Daytona International Speedway in 2019.

See also
Chase Elliott Dominates the Clash at Bowman Gray

What Really Happened?

The Clash has been treated as an experimental event in recent years as it has hopped from venue to venue, but it seems like it’s finally found a home at Bowman Gray.

For the last four years, NASCAR has been trying to find a home for the Clash that fans can latch onto. After trying the bizarre Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum events from 2022 to 2024, NASCAR overlords doubled down on the stadium racing genre by combining it with some of its own short track roots.

And the results speak for themselves.

It’s a smash hit.

The 200-lap main event wasn’t an absolute barn burner nor a demolition derby like many predicted, but the event was still beloved by fans, media and even the drivers themselves alike. All of them together? That feels like a first.

Indeed, Bowman Gray’s hosting of the Clash appeared to be a genius idea by NASCAR, and it feels like the first one in a while.

So, why would we move it?

There is some talk around social media about whether or not the Clash should be a rotating race much like it has been in recent years. Some even suggesting it should move to international markets and stadiums.

But NASCAR has already added an international event with Mexico on the calendar later this year. Does it really need a second one?

Instead, with how well the Bowman Gray edition of the exhibition race has been received, perhaps NASCAR should refocus on keeping the event at local short tracks from now on. Or, better yet, perhaps it should just keep it at Bowman Gray Stadium for the foreseeable future.

After all, unlike every Clash event in recent memory, the Madhouse sells out its tickets.

The historic short track vibe combined with the exciting stadium atmosphere Bowman Gray brings seems like a perfect fit for the Clash that NASCAR — and the rest of us — want out of it. It celebrates NASCAR and stock car racing history and fulfills the exciting short track vibe the fans have begged for in recent years.

It’s the perfect fit for the Clash, and it should be its new home.

Who Stood Out?

There were two very different driver stories that highlighted Sunday night’s events.

On one hand, you had a driver that absolutely dominated the weekend and was up front for almost the entire two days. On the other, there was a driver that had to survive a demolition derby of a Last Chance Qualifying race and then claw his way through the Clash field.

Both of them swept the top two spots.

The former, Elliott, put on a clinic that has not likely been seen by anyone in the Clash since the inception of the exhibition event in 1979. After qualifying the fastest lap on Saturday night, the Georgia native led every lap of his heat race and won the overall pole for the main event.

From there, the No. 9 Chevrolet led 171 of the 200 laps run to win the historic event in North Carolina.

Finishing second, however, was the No. 12 of Blaney who, at the end of Saturday night, was off to a rough start.

Blaney qualified with the ninth fastest time which put him third in the first heat. From there, the Team Penske driver finished dead last which forced him to have to make the field through the LCQ early on Sunday afternoon. Thankfully for the 2023 Cup champion, he was able to advance into the main event by the skin of his teeth when he earned the points finish provisional.

He started last in the 200-lap main feature, yet Blaney was undeterred.

The No. 12 Ford grinded its way through the field. By the final 30 laps, the Ohio native reached the back bumper of the Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet of Elliott and stayed there to finish his weekend second overall. It was an astounding recovery from what had started as an abysmal weekend.

Who Fell Flat?

Blaney wasn’t the only former champion fighting to advance into the main event through the Last Chance Qualifying race, but he was the only one that earned a good finish from it.

Kyle Larson started the weekend in a rough spot as well when he failed to advance through his heat race and had to start the LCQ in 10th. The 2021 Cup champion had to make his way through a destructive 75-lap event to the front and win his way into the feature.

But it didn’t come without its share of bruises.

Yet, from Larson, a victory was expected. A solid Clash performance was as well.

However, his misfortune resumed only an hour later during the main event. Larson was running in the second half of the pack when he was caught up in an incident with teammate William Byron shortly after the halftime break.

The Californian never recovered. He finished the night 17th and one lap down.

See also
Trackhouse Teammates Ross Chastain, Shane van Gisbergen Score Top 10s with Full Bowman Gray Experience

Paint Scheme of the Race

Sunday night was the first time NASCAR Cup Series cars have taken to the quarter-mile stadium track in 54 years. It’s only fitting that the one team racing today that existed back then returned with a throwback paint scheme.

In terms of design, no, Josh Berry‘s Wood Brothers Racing No. 21 wasn’t the most complex or vivid in color.

In terms of history? There’s no other livery that did the historic short track as much justice on Sunday night.

What’s Next?

The Great American Race. The Daytona 500.

Qualifying for the biggest race in all of stock car racing will be on Wednesday night (Feb. 12) and will be live on FOX Sports 1 at 8:15 p.m. ET.

The Qualifying Duels will be live the next day on Thursday night (Feb. 13) on FOX Sports 1 at 7 p.m. ET.

Finally, the 200-lap main event will be live on Sunday afternoon (Feb. 16) on FOX at 2:30 p.m. ET.

Dalton Hopkins began writing for Frontstretch in April 2021. Currently, he is the lead writer for the weekly Thinkin' Out Loudcolumn, co-host of the Happy Hour podcast, and one of our lead reporters. Beforehand, he wrote for IMSA shortly after graduating from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 2019. Simultaneously, he also serves as a Captain in the US Army.

Follow Dalton on Twitter @PitLaneCPT

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Don starrett

It is just a useless exhibition race. There is already an all star exhibition race. No other motorsport racing leagues waste resources on non points races.

CCColorado

Whatever!! Take your crabby attitude and go home!
It was a great “event”, liked by millions, me included, and I’m a hard fan to impress.
Bring it back next year , at the same track, PLEASE… no Brazil, no overseas, etc.
Chase said if perfectly.. those fans DESERVE this race.
The Fox special by Tom Rinaldi was superb, as well.
A Super weekend for us real race fans!

Dingo

If its so good why did they leave in the first place.

Echo

Chase is NOT my favorite driver, but I have nothing against him at all. I just like a good race. Beats a race in a city any day. Lots of action everywhere.

sb

I think the sellouts at Bowman-Grey and N. Wilkesboro prove that having races in the heart of Nascar country brings out the fans.

Mr Yeppers

I think its great to watch a race and I don’t have to hear the work “Points” said a hundred times

ArkyBass

Great not to hear ‘points’ a hundred times! -Thanks Mr Yeppers.
But I understand why NASCAR left the track,its to tight. Not sure these cars ever should be on a 1/4 mile track.

Kevin in SoCal

I’m not sure we would be talking about what a great race it was if the fan favorite didn’t lead 171 laps and win it. I bet if Hamlin won, we’d be talking about a stinker and the lack of leader passing.
And its not difficult for a 17k stadium to sell out, either.
But I fully support the two exhibition races being run in the SouthEast area so the teams don’t have to travel far and can stay local.

Tony

I agree. A lot of the positive press and comments came from everyone’s favorite driver on the right team winning. Let a short track guy or villain win it and there’d be lots of clamoring for a Daytona return.

CCColorado

Please name another local track getting 17k every week, other than , let’s say Eldora, maybe one in New Hampshire, but otherwise I’m thinking no.
I’ll agree with the drivers, it was a cool couple nights.

Kevin in SoCal

I meant its not difficult for a Cup race to get 17k fans in the stands.

Yes it was a cool race.

janice

They’ve been talking about sellout crowd. Well nascar went back to their roots and didn’t try to pull “new” fans into the sport. I’d like to know if Ty Gibbs had a talking to from his grandfather about literally running over competitors.

I still fell asleep before it was over with. Booth needs to tighten up before the 500.

DoninAjax

Imagine 500 laps there! Did anyone miss the TV time outs except for the network?

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