Efforts are underway to ready Bowman Gray Stadium for the upcoming race scheduled for Wednesday, weather permitting. The preseason event, called the “Cookout Clash,” has faced several delays due to historic snowfall in North Carolina. While the track itself has been cleared, work continues on the bleachers and nearby areas as daytime temperatures finally drop below freezing.
Among those helping with the snow removal are two active NASCAR Cup Series drivers. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., a former Daytona 500 winner driving the No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet, and Todd Gilliland, who races the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford, both traveled to Winston-Salem to assist with clearing the snow. Stenhouse had publicly committed to shoveling snow from the grandstands surrounding the iconic 400-meter short track and followed through on Monday, arriving with a shovel in hand.
Although NASCAR could have opted to hold the race before Wednesday, doing so would likely mean fewer fans in attendance. Justin Swilling, project manager for NASCAR’s The Clash, shared via a recent video call that the organizers want to avoid running the event without spectators present. “We’ve looked at every possibility, but ultimately, this event is for our fans, and we want our efforts to genuinely benefit them,” Swilling said. “When people come to the Madhouse for a race, it’s the fans, not just the drivers, who make it special. We wanted to allow enough time for the community to recover and prepare following the recent storm.”
Last year, Todd Gilliland secured the fifth and final transfer spot in his heat race, allowing him to participate in the feature race, where he climbed from 20th to 14th place in the 200-lap main event. Stenhouse had a tougher experience in 2025. He collided with local favorite Bart Myers during the heat race and crashed his modified Legend car into the wall during the last-chance qualifier, missing out on the main event and becoming somewhat of a villain to fans. Since then, Stenhouse and Myers have teamed up to create promotional videos and foster a friendly rivalry heading into the 2026 race.
Fan Take: This story highlights NASCAR’s deep connection with its fans and community, emphasizing the importance of the live experience at historic tracks like Bowman Gray Stadium. The commitment of drivers like Stenhouse and Gilliland to supporting and engaging with fans shows the sport’s dedication to preserving its grassroots appeal, a crucial factor for NASCAR’s continued growth and relevance.
