NASCAR Moves Clash to Monday at Bowman Gray Stadium

Decision made due to winter weather and travel conditions in North Carolina

Jan. 31, 2026 at 10:31am

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NASCAR has rescheduled the Clash exhibition race to Monday, February 2nd at 6 p.m. ET due to difficult weekend travel conditions and an abundance of caution for fans, the Winston-Salem community, and the North Carolina region. Practice and qualifying will take place earlier that day at 11 a.m. ET, with the Last Chance Qualifier airing at 4:30 p.m. on FOX before the main event.

Why it matters

The Clash is an annual exhibition race that kicks off the NASCAR season, so rescheduling it due to winter weather is an important logistical decision that impacts fans, teams, and the local community hosting the event.

The details

NASCAR initially planned to hold practice and qualifying on Saturday, but revised the schedule to Sunday due to the forecast. With 3-5 inches of snow expected on Saturday and cold temperatures throughout the weekend, NASCAR and the city of Winston-Salem decided to move the entire event to Monday when the weather is expected to be more favorable.

  • The Clash exhibition race is now scheduled for Monday, February 2nd at 6 p.m. ET.
  • Practice and qualifying will take place on Monday at 11 a.m. ET.
  • The Last Chance Qualifier will air on FOX at 4:30 p.m. on Monday.

The players

NASCAR

The sanctioning body that oversees professional stock car racing in the United States.

Bowman Gray Stadium

The short track in Winston-Salem, North Carolina that is hosting the Clash exhibition race.

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What’s next

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The takeaway

This decision by NASCAR highlights the importance of being flexible and prioritizing safety when severe winter weather threatens a major motorsports event, even if it means rescheduling at the last minute.