NASCAR is set to make its return to Bowman Gray Stadium in 2026 for a preseason exhibition event. The stadium, located at Winston-Salem State University and featuring a quarter-mile track around its football field, has a rich racing history dating back to its construction in 1937. It regularly hosted weekly races from 1958 through 1971. After NASCAR took over truck operations and signed a deal with Winston-Salem in 2024, the organization brought the Cup series back to the venue in February 2025 for the Cookout Crash event, which marked the start of the Fox Sports portion of the Cup schedule.
This event, sponsored by local restaurant chain Cookout, sold out last year and was won by Chase Elliott. According to Joey DeNewicz, NASCAR’s regional managing director, the 2026 race will continue the proud legacy of grassroots motorsports at Bowman Gray, as it was NASCAR’s first weekly race track. While the full 2026 NASCAR schedule has not been officially announced, the news release indicates this race will kick off the season, with the Daytona 500 slated for February 15, just two weeks later.
Bob Pokras, who covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for Fox Sports, brings decades of motorsports experience to this story.
Fan Take: This announcement is a thrilling nod to NASCAR’s roots, reconnecting fans with the sport’s grassroots beginnings. Bringing high-profile races back to iconic short tracks like Bowman Gray Stadium can reinvigorate local fan engagement and remind the racing community of the heritage that shaped NASCAR.
