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NASCAR Postpones Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Due to Heavy Snow
The race has been moved from Sunday to Monday amid winter weather in Winston-Salem.
Jan. 31, 2026 at 6:15pm
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NASCAR has postponed the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, from Sunday, February 1, to Monday, February 2, due to heavy snow and freezing temperatures in the area. The decision was made after consulting with the North Carolina Department of Transportation and the city of Winston-Salem.
Why it matters
The Cook Out Clash is a high-profile NASCAR event that kicks off the racing season, and the postponement due to inclement weather highlights the challenges of hosting motorsports events in urban stadiums versus more open outdoor venues.
The details
NASCAR senior director of marketing services Justin Swilling said the snow was "very light, fluffy and powdery" and that they would be able to remove it quickly once it stopped snowing. However, the urban setting of Bowman Gray Stadium made it more difficult to be flexible with the schedule compared to a larger outdoor venue. Swilling noted that with limited real estate, they had to "prioritize the essential elements of the property" to get the event ready.
- The Cook Out Clash was originally scheduled for Sunday, February 1.
- The event has been postponed to Monday, February 2.
The players
Justin Swilling
NASCAR senior director of marketing services who is spearheading operations for The Clash.
North Carolina Department of Transportation
The state agency that NASCAR consulted with regarding the weather conditions.
City of Winston-Salem
The local government that owns Bowman Gray Stadium, where the Cook Out Clash is held.
What they’re saying
“We have a tremendous amount of equipment here, and we have already started to mobilize that to see how we can best clear the property as soon as the winter weather dissipates, hopefully, later this afternoon or into the evening.”
— Justin Swilling, NASCAR senior director of marketing services
“A lot of people think NASCAR owns Bowman Gray Stadium and we do not. We just sanction NASCAR racing at Bowman Gray Stadium or a lease tenant to a city-owned facility. Any decision we make, the city has to be in lockstep with us. We always have to keep in mind … we've just got a venue to look after. They've got an entire community, and a community that's reeling still in some ways from this past weekend storm and the current storm that we're facing.”
— Justin Swilling, NASCAR senior director of marketing services
What’s next
NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Monday and will be broadcast on FS2. The Last Chance Qualifier race is set for 4:30 p.m. and will be on Fox, followed by the Cook Out Clash at 6 p.m.
The takeaway
The postponement of the Cook Out Clash due to heavy snow highlights the unique challenges of hosting motorsports events in urban stadiums versus more open outdoor venues. NASCAR and the city of Winston-Salem had to work closely together to prioritize the essential elements of the property and get the event ready for Monday.
