By The Associated Press’s Jenna Fryer
Winston-Salem, North Carolina.With Chase Elliott’s victory in The Clash on Sunday night and a fight-free preseason exhibition at Bowman Gray Stadium, NASCAR made a triumphant comeback to its origins.
On the quarter-mile track where NASCAR’s Cup Series last competed in 1971, Elliott won his heat on Saturday night to start from the pole position and basically dominate.
For the first time in his career, NASCAR’s most popular driver took home The Clash, joining his father, Bill, as the unofficial season-opener champion. After winning The Clash in 1987, Bill Elliott used that triumph to win the Daytona 500 a week later.
When NASCAR’s season officially begins on February 16 at Daytona International Speedway, Chase Elliott will have the opportunity to emulate his father’s domination.
“What a fantastic start to the season, and I’m so excited to visit Daytona,” Elliott said.
From 1979 until 2021, Daytona International Speedway hosted the non-points Clash, which served as the Daytona 500’s warm-up race. By moving it across the nation to Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 2022 and converting it into a temporary short track for three seasons, NASCAR took a bold decision.
In a nod to grassroots racing, NASCAR relocated it to Bowman Gray this year. From 1958 to 1971, Bowman Gray hosted the Cup Series. Today, the stadium serves as Winston-Salem State University’s football field and hosts weekly local races.
Despite its reputation for fighting and irascible tempers, the track managed to go two racing days without a single altercation.
In front of 17,000 devoted spectators, Elliott won the race by leading 172 of the 200 laps in his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.
On Sunday, February 2, 2025, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, drivers compete through Turn 4 in a qualifying heat for a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Bowman Gray Stadium. (Photo by Matt Kelley/AP)
“Thank you to everyone who came out,” Elliott said to the audience. For us, it created a really fantastic atmosphere. Since we don’t race in stadiums like this, I think this is awesome and I’m grateful that you made it special for my team and me. I hope you enjoyed the show.
Earlier on Sunday night, Kyle Larson and Josh Berry dominated the last-chance qualifying, finishing 1-2, and Ryan Blaney secured a position based on his points from the previous season, rounding out the 23-driver field.
The Cup Series made its debut at the Mecca of Madhouse this year, but it didn’t result in the off-track outbursts that Bowman Gray fans are accustomed to witnessing during weekly grassroots racing.
The occasion was still unique, though.
The Hall of Fame club owner, Richard Childress, grew up selling peanuts in the grandstands and is only fifteen minutes away. Before the race started, he dropped by the Fox Sports studio to bring popcorn and peanuts to the broadcast crew while he was in the grandstand on Sunday night.
On Sunday, February 2, 2025, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Kyle Larson grinned before a qualifying heat for a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Bowman Gray Stadium. (Photo by Matt Kelley/AP)
I used to hang around with all the race drivers when we crossed the fence as kids to sell popcorn and peanuts, and we had a great time, Childress recalled. Even though they’re having a great time, I have to be a race driver, I remarked. A race would start after we came over here for a battle.
Denny Hamlin, driving a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, came after Blaney, who finished second in a Ford for Team Penske.
http://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing is the AP auto racing website.
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