NASCAR Cook Out Clash: Live Race Weekend Updates
- Austin Dillon One Spot Shy of Making Cook Out Clash Field: 'It Just Sucks'
- Tim Brown Says NASCAR Cup Debut for Rick Ware 'Means Everything to Me'
- Chase Elliott Secures Cook Out Clash Pole, Buescher to Start Second
- Heat Race Starting Lineups Set
- Practice Results
- Cook Out Clash Viewing Guide
- Cook Out Clash Entry List
The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season is set to kick off this weekend with the annual preseason exhibition event dubbed the Cook Out Clash. This year, the event will run at the legendary 0.250-mile Bowman Gray Stadium short track in Winston-Salem, NC.
The event had run at a makeshift 0.250-mile short track within the LA Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA of the last three seasons.
Within this post, the full weekend's action will update live as things happen. This post will serve as a hub for all things that transpire during the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium.
Austin Dillon One Spot Shy of Making Cook Out Clash Field: 'It Just Sucks'
Austin Dillon was disappointed in coming up one spot shy of advancing to the starting lineup for the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, but the Richard Childress Racing driver was encouraged by his team's performance in a third-place effort in the Last Chance Qualifier Race.
"You know, I felt we were as aggressive as we could be, obviously," Dillon explained. "Put ourselves in a good position, and when [Larson] started running [Berry] down, I felt like that was my only shot. We didn't really have enough forward drive to really be good enough. I managed the tires as [well] as I could, but we needed just a little bit more in our car to finish where we were running, like second there."
Dillon, who lives roughly 15 minutes away from the legendary short track, and whose grandfather competed at the facility prior to his NASCAR Cup Series driving days, really wanted to make it into the Main Event, but it just wasn't to be.
"One spot, yeah, I mean, it's -- I don't know the best analogy, but it sucks. It just sucks," Dillon stated emphatically. "Have to do better in the qualifying races, gotta do better in qualifying and you don't put yourself in that situation."
Tim Brown Says NASCAR Cup Debut for Rick Ware 'Means Everything to Me'
You don't often see 53-year-old debutants in the NASCAR Cup Series. However, with the NASCAR Cup Series making its first trek to Bowman Gray Stadium since the 1971 season, and the legendary 0.250-mile short track being a style of track that NASCAR Cup Series racers aren't super familiar with, it created unique opportunities for a couple of veteran local track legends.
One of the local legends giving it a shot in the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out Clash is Tim Brown, who has followed in the footsteps of his grandfather Eb Clifton as a weekly racing competitor at Bowman Gray Stadium. Brown, who has become the winningest driver in the history of the legendary short track says that the opportunity to compete in his NASCAR Cup Series debut at the track is truly special.
"It means everything to me, right? Not just to me, but to my family, and all of our partners and sponsors that [have] been with me through this journey for many years," Brown said during a media availability at the track on Saturday afternoon. "And just to be at this level, to get to shine, is just outstanding, and can't wait to make the best of it."
Chase Elliott Secures Cook Out Clash Pole, Buescher to Start Second
Chase Elliott will start from the most advantageous position in the field in Sunday's Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium. The Hendrick Motorsports driver of the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet earned the pole position after spanking the field in Saturday night's Heat Race 1.
While the opening Heat Race, of four, was a wild one, Elliott was able to keep his nose clean out front and he led all 25 laps on his march to the Heat victory.
Chris Buescher won Heat Race 2, and will start from the runner-up position, while Denny Hamlin took the Heat Race 3 win and will start from third on Sunday night, and Tyler Reddick took the win in Heat Race 4 to secure the fourth starting spot in Sunday's event.
Heat Race Starting Lineups Set
The starting lineups for the four Cook Out Clash Heat Races, which will be contested on Saturday night, have been set by way of final practice speeds. By turning the fastest lap in final practice, Chase Elliott will start from the pole position in Heat Race 1.
Chris Buescher will roll from the pole in Heat Race 2, while Denny Hamlin and Tyler Reddick will start from the pole position in Heat Races 3 and 4.
Full Heat Race Starting Lineups
Practice Results
All 39 NASCAR Cup Series cars took to the 0.250-mile Bowman Gray Stadium in three separate groups for two separate eight-minute practice sessions on Saturday evening.
Joe Gibbs Racing's Ty Gibbs was the fastest driver in the session as he turned a 14.019 second (64.199 mph) lap time around the iconic short track in Winston-Salem, NC.
Gibbs was 0.114 seconds faster than Ryan Preece, the second-fastest driver in the sessions.
Ty Dillon, Kyle Larson, and Riley Herbst clocked in the third through fifth positions in the practice session.
Next up is final practice, which will set the starting lineups for the four Cook Out Clash Heat Races, which will take place at 8:30 PM ET on Saturday night.
Cook Out Clash Viewing Guide
While the Main Event will take place on Sunday evening, there are a lot of additional on-track sessions, including Heat Races, and a Last Chace Qualifier race that fans can keep track of on Saturday and Sunday. Here is the complete television schedule for this weekend's Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium:
Saturday, February 1
6:00 PM ET: Cook Out Clash Practice (Qualifying for Heat Races) - FS1 / FOX Sports App
8:30 PM ET: Cook Out Clash Heat Races (four 25-lap races) - FS1 / FOX Sports App
Sunday, February 2
6:00 PM ET: Cook Out Clash Last Chance Qualifier Race (75 Laps) - FOX / FOX Sports App
8:00 PM ET: Cook Out Clash Main Event (200 Laps) - FOX / FOX Sports App / Max (NASCAR Driver Cam)
Cook Out Clash Entry List
There are 39 cars on the entry list for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium. Of the 39 entries, 23 will advance to the Main Event on Sunday, February 2 at 8:00 PM ET.
Among the full-time drivers in new rides this season, who will get their first action with their new teams include Noah Gragson (No. 4 Front Row Motorsports Ford), Chase Briscoe (No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota), Josh Berry (No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford), Riley Herbst (No. 35 23XI Racing Toyota), Zane Smith (No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford), Cole Custer (No. 41 Haas Factory Team Ford), Ryan Preece (No. 60 RFK Racing Ford), Michael McDowell (No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet), and Shane van Gisbergen (No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet).
Full Cook Out Clash Entry List
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Joseph Srigley covers NASCAR for TobyChristie.com, Racing America, and OnSI, and is the owner of the #SrigleyStats brand. With a higher education in the subjects of business, mathematics, and data analytics, Joseph is able to fully understand the inner workings of the sport through multiple points of perspective.