Rumor Mill: Bowman Gray Getting a New NASCAR Race in 2027?

What’s Happening?

With the announcement that NASCAR is returning its pre-season Clash to Daytona International Speedway in 2027, Bowman Gray Stadium may be left to fend for itself, though that may not be the case at all.

NASCAR announced the major shift in plans Tuesday morning, returning the race to the track’s 2.5-mile oval for the 43rd time and the first time since 2020.

When NASCAR first moved the race away from Daytona, following a 2021 running on the infield road course, fans were concerned that it could end up in an untraditional market for the long haul.

That stretch only lasted three seasons, as after the third and final running of the race at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, NASCAR then moved the race to Bowman Gray for 2025.

This swap was an important moment in NASCAR history, as one of its most historic venues would host the Cup Series for the first time since 1971.

Alongside that, NASCAR, which had recently taken over the lease at the track, brought in a newly refreshed look and amenities to the track.

But now that it is losing its Cup Series date, fans are worried that the track will no longer hold National Series status, though rumors making their way across the online NASCAR Community suggest otherwise.

What’s the Rumor?

Shortly after NASCAR’s announcement on Tuesday, a rumor that the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will take on the venue in 2027 started making the rounds.

Even insiders like Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports threw his hat into the ring, saying in a post on X that “at least trucks could race Bowman Gray next year.”

I think there is potential to move the Clash around … also believe, especially with Rockingham ownership questions, that at least trucks could possibly race Bowman Gray next year. Not sure if that happens but that seems to be the pulse. https://t.co/lSfpGnWBsK

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) August 4, 2026

When this could be, or what race it could replace on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series schedule, is still up in the air, as NASCAR has yet to announce the Series schedule or any NASCAR National Series schedule as of press time.

The Truck Series does, however, have its first three race weekends of 2027 already lined out.

• Friday, February 19, 2027: Daytona International Speedway
• Saturday, February 27, 2027: EchoPark Speedway
• Saturday, March 6, 2027: Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg

Does This Rumor Make Any Sense?

Since last season, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series schedule has stayed set at 25 races, still down from the series high of 27 in 1998.

While NASCAR is less likely to expand its schedule nowadays, it may not have to worry about that, as Pockrass, alongside many fans online, pointed out that there is uncertainty surrounding Rockingham Speedway’s spot on the schedule.

The International Hot Rod Association, which owns Rockingham, is having some financial issues, and a report last week from Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic indicated that the track’s uncertainty could be enough to boot it from the schedule.

Furthermore, reports from last year claimed that NASCAR was nearing a deal to bring a National Series race to Bowman Gray through 2030; if that deal did come through, a Truck Series race would fill the void left by the Cup Series.

There are still some challenges this would present, as during the Cup Series races over the past two years, NASCAR did not have more than 29 cars on track at a time, meaning that the Truck Series may not be able to field a full 36-truck field on the 0.250-mile oval.

A solution to this could be similar to the former Truck race that the sport held at Eldora Speedway from 2013 to 2019, which featured a special preliminary race qualifying format that, in 2013, brought the 37 entrants down to just 30.

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