NASCAR returning to Bowman Gray Stadium for 2026 Clash exhibition

NASCAR is coming back to “The Madhouse.” The sanctioning body announced Wednesday that the 2026 Cook Out Clash exhibition will return to Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C, on Sunday, Feb. 1.

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The @nascarclash returns to The Madhouse in 2026! pic.twitter.com/AmV20IxdMA

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) July 9, 2025

Bowman Gray, the 0.25-mile oval, hosted this year’s season-opening exhibition. It marked NASCAR’s return to the short track for the first time since 1971. NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver Chase Elliott took the checkered flag, leading 171-of-200 laps.

NASCAR previously held The Clash at Daytona International Speedway from its inception in 1979 up until 2021. The 2022-24 events were held at the purpose-built short track inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Last spring, NASCAR acquired the rights to promote races at Bowman Gray. In August, NASCAR announced it would be shifting The Clash to Bowman Gray in 2025. Several improvements, including new lighting and energy-reducing barriers, were made to the facility, which opened in 1937 and hosts Winston-Salem State football games.

NASCAR bringing Clash back to Bowman Gray after exploring international options

NASCAR explored taking The Clash outside the United States in 2026. It brought the first points race of the modern era outside the U.S. with last month’s race in Mexico City. Brazil was seen as a possible option to host The Clash. Some drivers were open to the idea of taking The Clash abroad.

“I know we’re kind of testing the waters a little bit with the Mexico City race this year, but I think the real test would be going overseas, and I think this race would be a good opportunity to do something like that where it wouldn’t be committing to a points race somewhere that’s a long ways away,” Elliott said before his win at Bowman Gray. “I like the idea of using it as a potential stepping stone to help grow the sport.”

But with NASCAR’s highly anticipated return to Bowman Gray receiving as much fanfare as it did, a return made sense. Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic reported that NASCAR and the city of Winston-Salem are closing in on a new agreement to hold a race at Bowman Gray once annually over a five-year period.

The deal includes further improvements, including a new scoreboard. Future races at Bowman Gray have not been announced.