Ryan Preece won the 2026 Busch Clash (the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium).

Quick Scoop

  • Event: 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out Clash (Busch Clash exhibition).
  • Winner: Ryan Preece, driving the No. 60 Ford.
  • Where: Bowman Gray Stadium, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
  • When: February 4, 2026.
  • Top contenders: William Byron finished second, Ryan Blaney third, with Daniel Suárez and Denny Hamlin rounding out the top five.

How the race unfolded

The race turned into a survival test on the tight Bowman Gray bullring, with 17 caution periods breaking up the action. Ryan Preece patiently worked through the field and then took control in the final 15 laps, pulling ahead of William Byron and managing the restarts like a short‑track specialist.

Midway through the event, rain and sleet forced a brief stoppage and NASCAR put the field on wet‑weather tires, adding another layer of chaos to an already wild exhibition. Preece handled the changing grip better than anyone, keeping his car stable on restarts while others slid around or got caught up in incidents.

Key results (top 10)

Pos Driver Car # Manufacturer Laps
1 Ryan Preece 60 Ford 200
2 William Byron 24 Chevrolet 200
3 Ryan Blaney 12 Ford 200
4 Daniel Suárez 7 Chevrolet 200
5 Denny Hamlin 11 Toyota 200
6 Chase Briscoe 19 Toyota 200
7 Austin Dillon 3 Chevrolet 200
8 Chris Buescher 17 Ford 200
9 Ross Chastain 1 Chevrolet 200
10 Alex Bowman 48 Chevrolet 200
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Extra context and “Busch Clash” name

For historical context, Kyle Busch famously won the 2021 Busch Clash at Daytona in a last‑lap shocker when Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney tangled, which is why older highlights and discussions often tie his name to the “Busch Clash” branding. But for the latest edition held in February 2026 at Bowman Gray, the driver who answered “who won the Busch Clash?” is Ryan Preece.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.