Clash at Bowman Gray Groovy Gauge Presented by Lectric eBikes

Rain, snow, sleet, delays, and chaos, the Clash at Bowman Gray somehow managed to be the most NASCAR way possible to kick off the season. Eric Estepp breaks down a night that felt like two completely different races stitched together, one wildly entertaining short track throwback, the other a grinding endurance test against the elements. Catch Eric’s full breakdown on Out of the Groove, featuring the Groovy Gauge, powered by Lectric eBikes.

Groovy Gauge Score: 50%

• Eric said the first half of the race was “genuinely fantastic”, praising Bowman Gray’s multi-groove racing, increased horsepower, tire falloff, and door-to-door battles that made the opening 100 laps feel like a 90% caliber show, better than anything the Clash produced at the LA Coliseum.
• He contrasted that with a brutal second half, where sleet, ice, and nonstop cautions turned the race into a three-hour grind, with 17 cautions total, nearly all of them late, making the closing stages frustrating and hard to watch.
• Eric highlighted Ryan Preece’s win as the clear bright spot, calling it a validating moment for a driver whose short-track roots and toughness finally shone in top-tier Cup equipment, especially in ever-changing conditions that rewarded adaptability.
• For Eric, this Clash was essentially two races mashed into one, an elite short-track showcase early and a painful slog late, which averaged out to a perfectly even 50% on the Groovy Gauge, a fittingly messy, unforgettable, and very NASCAR start to the season.

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