Picture driving for three hours at just 20 miles per hour—tedious, right? Yet, during Wednesday’s NASCAR Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, that slow pace was enough for one driver to cover more ground than anyone else under green flag conditions in the same time span.
The Clash proved to be a grueling spectacle. Originally planned to finish within a two-hour TV slot, the exhibition race dragged on for four hours due to continuous crashes and spins. The situation became so chaotic that Fox cut the broadcast after three hours to air “The Masked Singer” an hour later than planned. NASCAR was then shuffled to Fox Sports 2, a lesser-viewed channel, for the remainder.
This disappointing start marks a rough beginning for NASCAR’s Cup Series ahead of the Daytona 500 set for February 15th. Initially scheduled for Sunday, February 1st, the race was delayed to Monday and then to Wednesday due to a severe snowstorm in North Carolina. Despite the postponements, the harsh weather persisted.
Temperatures hovered below freezing with rain and sleet pouring down, forcing officials to pause the race halfway through the 200-lap event. Teams switched to rain tires as NASCAR worked to dry the track, adding to the confusion.
The ongoing chaos highlighted the disadvantage of the crash caution flag rule. Unlike normal races where caution laps count towards the total, here they did not, extending the race much longer than usual—causing frustration among viewers.
Wednesday’s event was the second time the Clash was held at Bowman Gray Stadium, following a recent race at a temporary short track in the Los Angeles Coliseum. Although weather can’t be controlled, the high number of crashes at the tight 0.25-mile track underscored why many fans believe crashes should either be restricted to Daytona or eliminated altogether.
Since its inception in 1979, the Clash moved from Daytona partly because it was costly for teams and, over time, NASCAR’s rules compressed the racing pack, increasing crash frequency. So, while the 17 caution flags set a new record, the chaos wasn’t entirely unexpected.
Sadly, events like this exemplify the current challenges facing NASCAR as a sport. Races frequently become frustratingly difficult to watch. If you stuck with the Clash after its move from Fox to FS2 without distraction, you’re truly a committed NASCAR fan—though you likely didn’t enjoy the experience. Additionally, Fox’s patronizing treatment of viewers through constant emails didn’t help matters, even if broadcast quality has improved.
On the bright side, this incident doesn’t impact any driver’s chance at the 2026 championship, and hopefully, it won’t foreshadow difficulties for the rest of the season. With NASCAR once again reshuffling its championship format, the goal is to win back disillusioned fans. But for those who endured Wednesday’s event, motivation to tune in later this year might be hard to find.
Oh, and Ryan Preece took the win.
Fan Take: This chaotic Clash highlights a broader issue for NASCAR—keeping races thrilling yet watchable is crucial to retaining fans. If NASCAR doesn’t address the frequent crashes and confusing rules, it risks alienating its core audience just as it tries to rebuild excitement for the future.
