- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
NASCAR's 2026 Season Opener Postponed Again Due to Winter Storm
The highly anticipated Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium will now take place on Monday, February 2.
Jan. 31, 2026 at 12:31pm
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
NASCAR's 2026 season opener, the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, has been postponed once again due to a winter storm that dumped several inches of snow on the track. The race, already rescheduled once, will now take place on Monday, February 2 with a revised format and timeline.
Why it matters
The Cook Out Clash is NASCAR's most anticipated season opener, drawing a passionate fanbase to the historic quarter-mile Bowman Gray Stadium. This postponement marks another challenge for NASCAR as it attempts to launch its 2026 season amidst unpredictable winter weather conditions.
The details
The decision to move the event to Monday was made after careful consideration of weather patterns and safety concerns. NASCAR officials worked closely with local authorities to prioritize the well-being of everyone involved. The revised schedule includes practice and qualifying sessions airing on FOX Sports 2 at 11am ET, a last-chance qualifier on FOX at 4:30pm ET, and the main event going green at 6pm ET on FOX.
- The Cook Out Clash was originally scheduled for Sunday, January 31.
- The race was postponed to Monday, February 2 due to the winter storm.
The players
Bowman Gray Stadium
A historic quarter-mile race track in Winston-Salem, North Carolina that is known for its tight racing and passionate NASCAR fanbase.
Bob Pockrass
A motorsports reporter for Fox Sports who posted updates about the Cook Out Clash postponement on social media.
What’s next
The revised schedule has the practice and qualifying sessions airing on FOX Sports 2 at 11am ET on Monday, February 2, followed by the last-chance qualifier on FOX at 4:30pm ET and the main Cook Out Clash event going green at 6pm ET on FOX.
The takeaway
This postponement highlights the challenges NASCAR faces in launching its 2026 season, as unpredictable winter weather conditions force schedule changes and format adjustments for the highly anticipated season opener at the historic Bowman Gray Stadium.
