who won the clash at bowman gray
Ryan Preece won the most recent NASCAR Cup Series Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, held on February 4, 2026.
Quick Scoop: Who won the Clash at Bowman Gray?
The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Clash at Bowman Gray was an exhibition race that kicked off the Cup season, and Ryan Preece came out on top after a chaotic, caution-filled night in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He drove through sleet, wet-weather tires, and multiple restarts to pull away from William Byron in the closing laps and secure the victory.
Key facts
- Winner: Ryan Preece.
- Event: 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Clash (Cook Out Clash) at Bowman Gray Stadium.
- Date: February 4, 2026.
- Track: Bowman Gray Stadium, a tight quarter-mile oval known for its physical racing.
- Runner-up: William Byron, who finished second to Preece after late-race battles.
- Notable conditions: Sleet and rain led NASCAR to put the field on wet-weather tires after the midway break, contributing to 17 caution periods.
A bit of race story
The Clash at Bowman Gray in 2026 played out like classic “Madhouse” short- track drama: tight quarters, bumping, and frequent yellows that kept the field bunched. After weather rolled in around halfway, officials briefly paused the event and restarted it on rain tires, turning the second half into a test of car control and restart craft.
Preece methodically worked his way forward and then controlled the pace once he reached clean air, repeatedly nailing restarts while others slipped or got caught in traffic. In the final 15 laps he stretched enough of a gap that Byron and the rest of the field couldn’t mount a serious challenge before the checkered flag.
Recent Bowman Gray Clash winners
For context, here’s how the last two years of the Clash at Bowman Gray have gone:
Year| Winner| Notes
---|---|---
2025| Chase Elliott| Led 171 of 200 laps and dominated the Clash at Bowman
Gray. 3610
2026| Ryan Preece| Won a weather-affected, caution-heavy Clash on wet-weather
tires. 14589
Forum / discussion angle
In fan discussions and forums, a lot of the talk centers on how wild Bowman Gray can be for a Cup-style exhibition and whether the Clash should stay there long term. Some praise Preece’s win as a showcase of short-track skill in terrible conditions, while others argue the sheer number of cautions shows the format might need tweaks.
“It felt like a local Saturday-night Bowman Gray show, just with Cup cars and a national TV audience — chaos, cautions, and a guy who knew how to survive it best.”
TL;DR
- Ryan Preece is the driver who won the 2026 Clash at Bowman Gray.
- He beat William Byron late in the race after navigating sleet, rain tires, and 17 cautions on the tight Bowman Gray quarter-mile.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.