NASCAR’s 2026 Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium Race Weekend Weather Forecast
What’s Happening? One thing stands between race fans and the start of a new NASCAR season, though, that’s no problem at…
Gifts for NASCAR Fans
Despite the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season scheduled to kick off this weekend at Bowman Gray Stadium, a growing storm could force a change in plans.
This past week, a large portion of the South has dealt with heavy winter weather, including North Carolina.
In preparation for these storms that rolled on through the past weekend, NASCAR track officials brine-treated Bowman Gray Stadium’s racing surface.
This move was crucial, as NASCAR is set to kick off its 2026 season with the Cup Series annual Clash exhibition race on Sunday at BGS.
But, despite NASCAR’s best efforts, Mother Nature had other plans, and, per a picture shared to social media by Short Track Scene, the 0.250-mile oval is caked in heavy snow and ice as of Monday morning.
Now, per the National Weather Service, it will get above freezing each day this week, giving the track a chance to cut down on the coverage, in time for the race. However, those freezing temperatures are set to return this weekend.
This weather may be at its worst on Saturday, when teams are set to have their practice/qualifying session and four separate Heat Races to set the field for Sunday’s Last Chance Qualifier and Feature race.
Saturday’s at Track Schedule
Per the NWS, the temperature will not rise above freezing throughout the day, and there is a slight chance of snowfall from 7 AM to 6 PM. Things may clear up by Sunday, with temps reportedly set to reach above freezing from 1 PM to 5 PM, with the LCQ race scheduled to start at 6:00 PM.
Sunday’s at Track Schedule
NASCAR officials, like Ben Kennedy, have stated that NASCAR is monitoring the situation, though, for race fans, this week looks like it will be a true wait-and-see as the weekend nears.
If NASCAR is forced to change, reschedule, or tweak the clash, it would be far from the first time the 46-year-old race’s life span.
In fact, in the races’ final season of competition at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 2024, fans entered the weekend asking the same questions they are now, as a major rain storm was set to hit the LA County that weekend.
Ultimately, NASCAR was forced to make an abrupt change Saturday, pushing the race to that evening and canceling all Sunday activities.
This decision paid off for NASCAR, as the storm rolled in shortly after Denny Hamlin took the final checkered flag at the LA Coliseum, flooding the area.
Things could be different this time around, as the Clash is scheduled to race at a local venue in Winston-Salem, NC. Teams and broadcast crews won’t be too far, should the race need to be moved, and there are still two weeks until the Daytona 500, giving NASCAR some amount of wiggle room if the event needs rescheduling.
What’s Happening? One thing stands between race fans and the start of a new NASCAR season, though, that’s no problem at…
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