Chase Elliott Dominant in Victory over Blaney in Clash at Bowman Gray

Jacy Norgaard, HHP for Chevy Racing

If you just glance at the final boxscore from Sunday night's NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, you would probably assume the race was a snoozefest. Chase Elliott dominated the event by leading 171 of the 200 laps on his path to the race win, and he did so from the pole position.

RELATED: 2025 Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Race Results

Sure, the boxscore may look boring, but boxscores can be deceiving as Sunday's race at The Madhouse was anything but.

The 200-lap exhibition event, the first NASCAR Cup Series event at Bowman Gray since the 1971 season, featured eight cautions: seven for multi-car incidents and one for the halftime competition break.

While the field bumped and banged behind him, Elliott led the opening 96 laps out of the gate without interruption. But the driver of the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet had to deal with Denny Hamlin, who started the race from the third position, and began to mount a challenge to Elliott as the race zeroed in on Lap 100.

Hamlin would take over the lead on Lap 97, as Elliott's car faded slightly on the long run. Hamlin would lead 27 of the next 28 laps of the race. However, Elliott would eventually nudge his way past Hamlin on Lap 126 to reassume the lead, where he would stay over the final 75 laps of the race.

It's getting physical for the lead! 💥 pic.twitter.com/8syreEujTA

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 3, 2025

Elliott said the decision to move Hamlin from the lead was what he felt would be needed in order for him to regain control of the race.

"When we were able to get back to second, I felt like I needed to take my shot and try to get the lead. And if it worked out, great. You know, and if Denny got me back, then, so be it," Elliott explained. "But I just felt my best chance to win was to get control of the race in that moment. Took that opportunity and was fortunate enough to have the race play out in our favor."

The changes that Alan Gustafson and the No. 9 team made under the halftime break coupled with Elliott learning how much tire to save in the second half of the race, allowed him to hold off a hard-charging Ryan Blaney for the race win.

"I felt like at the end of the first 100 [laps], Denny and Tyler had gotten better than us, and we needed to be a good bit improved to track those guys back down. I was kind of afraid that if we lost control, it was going to be hard to get it back, but Alan made some good adjustments there at the break."

For Elliott, the win on Sunday night at Bowman Gray helped him finish some unfinished business, as the driver competed in two NASCAR K&N Pro East Series (now known as the ARCA Menards Series East) events at the track in 2011 and 2012, where he achieved a best finish of sixth at the track. Elliott says when he competed at the facility over a decade ago, he didn't fully understand the importance of winning at Bowman Gray. He understands now.

"At that point in time, it was like it was just I wasn't as excited about it I think, because I was ready to go race on bigger racetracks, and I don't think I appreciated it as much as I should have during those years that I did it.," Elliott said. "But now, having some more experience, and understanding more about the track and the history here, and what the crowd is like, and all of those things -- I think it makes it more special, for sure. I think some of that comes with just experience and having a greater appreciation for places like this that have had a very deep history in our sport."

Blaney, incredibly, rallied from the final starting position (23rd) in the starting lineup to have a chance to press Elliott for the lead and win in the closing laps. In the end, Blaney would come up just short of catching Elliott for the win as the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion crossed the finish line 1.333 seconds behind the 2020 champion.

Despite finishing in the position that most drivers never want to finish, second, Blaney was all smiles considering the roller coaster that was his weekend at Bowman Gray.

"Yeah, that was fun. That was a blast," Blaney said after the race. "The car was really good, especially the first half and the second half. Being able to get to 2nd, then race hard with Chase there, who's going to save more tire. I just didn't quite have enough right rear at the end to make a move on him."

Hamlin would hold on to finish third, defending series champion Joey Logano would come home in fourth, and Bubba Wallace would nab a top-five finish in fifth.

Ross Chastain, Austin Cindric, Tyler Reddick, Rookie of the Year contender Shane van Gisbergen, and Chris Buescher rounded out the top-10 finishers in the event.

The Clash race weekend at Bowman Gray Stadium will be regarded as an overwhelming success as a sold out crowd watched as the Next Gen car put on potentially one if, if not the best short track race that it's ever had since it was adapted by the NASCAR Cup Series in 2022.

Elliott says winning the race in front of the ultra-passionate fans in attendance made things even more special.

"It was super fun. I'm sure [the fans] would have been excited, regardless, but I'm a little biased in the situation just for myself. It was an extremely special moment, and I think the people here in the crowd made it that," Elliott said. "So, I'm thankful for that. It was a moment I will never forget, for sure. It's not every day you not only race in an environment like that, but to have the opportunity to win and to share that moment with the crowd was really cool."

While Elliott dominated the race, fans had plenty of heated on-track action to keep an eye on while waiting for the late-race battle between Elliott and Blaney to develop.

Noah Gragson sent Kyle Busch spinning out in Turn 3 on Lap 20, which led to Busch losing a couple of laps.

Kyle Busch goes around. pic.twitter.com/2awOfLOGJ3

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 3, 2025

Busch would receive two free passes to get back onto the lead lap, but would finish the race 15th, one lap off the pace.

On Lap 79, William Byron was involved in his first incident of the evening as he was sent spinning into the outside wall after contact with Todd Gilliland on the frontstretch.

The first crash of the second half of the event occurred when Austin Cindric made contact with Kyle Larson in Turn 1 on Lap 102. The contact sent Larson spinning. Shane van Gisbergen and Chase Briscoe would also be involved in the caution.

Carson Hocevar would take part in each of the next two cautions, which took place on Lap 108 and 115. The first incident, Hocevar was shipped into the outside wall by Christopher Bell, after Bell received contact from Joey Logano in Turn 3.

The next incident, Hocevar triggered a three-car caution with Hendrick Motorsports teammates Larson and Byron in Turn 4.

Kyle Larson and William Byron both take a spin. pic.twitter.com/UEuAVyp2RJ

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 3, 2025

Brad Keselowski would go for a spin in Turn 1 on Lap 121 after contact from Bubba Wallace, and the final incident of the race involved Todd Gilliland, Larson, Hocevar, and Alex Bowman, who had an incident in Turn 1.