2025 Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Predictions

The 2025 season gets underway tonight for the Cup Series with the 2025 Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray. After three seasons at the L. A. Coliseum, The Clash moves to the historic Bowman Gray Stadium, a quarter-mile oval that has hosted racing at all levels of the sport since it opened in 1937. This race marks the first trip back to Bowman Gray for the Cup Series since the 1971 Myers Brothers 250.

The keys to winning are pretty straight forward. Track position is king, especially on short tracks. Passes can be made on the outside, but require a lot of patience and frankly, a little luck. That inside groove is where drivers will want to be in order to hold their position tonight. Drivers will need to do anything and everything to gain that coveted track position. With passing being difficult, expect plenty of bump and runs, as well as dump and runs. After 200 laps, there will no doubt be fisticuffs after the race, courtesy of the ol’ chrome horn. Patience will rule the night, and drivers who keep their emotions in check will have the best chance of finding themselves in the hunt late. Based on Practice and the Heat Races, these tires will have greater fall off compared to past editions. Managing your equipment is always important, but even more so on a short tracks. If a driver burns those tires up too early, it will make for a long night of racing for them.

The Cook Out Clash was originally held from 1979 through 2021 at Daytona International Speedway, with the 2021 edition being held on the road course configuration. The clash moved to the L. A. Coliseum from 2022-2024, another quarter-mile layout, before making its long-awaited debut at Bowman Gray Stadium tonight. Many legends of the sport have won this race through the years, with Dale Earnhardt winning this race the most times, finding Victory Lane six times. Denny Hamlin sits in second place, with four Clash victories, while Kevin Harvick, Dale Jarrett and Tony Stewart have won this race three times. Other multiple-time winners of The Clash include Neil Bonnett, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Joey Logano and Ken Schrader.

Last year’s edition was won by Denny Hamlin, who started on the Pole and led 58 laps on the day, including the final 11 laps, to take home his fourth Clash victory. Kyle Busch finished in second place, while Ryan Blaney finished in third place after a 23rd place starting spot. Joey Logano led eight laps on the way to a fourth place finish, while Kyle Larson rounded out the top five. Brad Keselowski finished in eighth place after leading one lap, while Ty Gibbs finished in 18th place after leading a race-high 84 laps.

Coverage of the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray can be seen on FOX, with the Last Chance Qualifier beginning at 6 PM EST, pre-race beginning at 7:30 PM EST and green flag coverage beginning at 8 PM EST.

Driver to Fade:

Todd Gilliland had a career season in 2024, logging four top 10’s and leading 130 laps on the way to a 22nd place finish in the Point Standings. Gilliland takes over the #34 car at Front Row Motorposrqts this season that was previous driven by his former teammate, Michael McDowell. Despite his momentum, the odds are not in Gilliland’s favor tonight. Gilliland has finished in 23rd place in each of the last two editions of The Clash, which were previously held at L. A. Coliseum. Gilliland only logged the 18th fastest lap of Practice and finished in 5th place in his Heat Race after surviving the demolition derby going on around him. As I see it, Gilliland was fast enough to make the show, but not fast enough to roll any farther forward. Gilliland will roll out from 20th place this evening and I predict that he will struggle out back for most of the race on his way to a finish outside the top 15 at Bowman Gray Stadium.

Dark Horse:

2024 was frustrating at times for Ryan Preece, but he did log a career-high five top 10 finishes on his way to a 26th place finish in the Point Standings. 2025 is arguably going to be the make or break season for Preece, as he will pilot the #60 car for Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing in what will be his best equipment to date. Short track racing is Preece’s bread and butter, as he honed his racing chops on many great short tracks around the country driving in the Wheelen Modified Tour, where he won a championship in 2013. Despite his struggles, Preece has had solid showings on short tracks in the Cup Series, bringing home top 15 finishes at both Martinsville and Bristol races last season. Preece finished in 7th at The Clash in 2023, 11th last year and is starting off strong in 2025, laying down the second fastest lap of Practice and picking up three spots during his Heat Race to lock in a 12th place starting spot for tonight’s race. If the planets align, an upset victory is certainly a possibility for Preece. A top 10 finish is more than realistic, though. Lock in Ryan Preece for another top 10 finish in the Cook Out Clash!

Top 10:

The defending winner of the Cook Out Clash, Denny Hamlin once again had a strong campaign in 2024, with three wins, 12 top 5’s, 18 top 10’s and 943 laps led. Hamlin is a short track and tire management stud and he clearly proved that in 2024, winning at L. A. Coliseum, Bristol, Richmond and Dover, as well as picking up top five finishes at North Wilkesboro, Richmond, Bristol and Martinsville. Bowman Gray Stadium is going to greatly reward the driver with both of those traits and Hanlin fits the bill perfectly. Hamlin only logged the 21st fastest lap in Practice, but he went out and won his Heat Race to lock in a third place starting position for tonight’s race. Veteran drivers know how to manage their equipment and when to turn up the aggression on short tracks, which is why I predict that Hamlin will excel tonight and be a threat to win on the way to a top 10 finish in the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray.

Winner:

Oh yeah. I can already hear it. “Those Hendrix cars are cheating.” “Rick Hendricks paid NASCAR off.” And, my personal favorite, “NASCAR is gifting Golden Boy a win.” Welcome to the 2025 season everybody. Chase Elliott came to play. After a rough 2023 season that included missed time for both injury and a suspension, Elliott put together a consistent campaign in 2024, finding Victory Lane in Texas, to go along with 11 top 5’s and 19 top 10’s on his way to a 7th place finish in the Point Standings. 2025 has gotten off to a great start for Elliott so far this weekend. After locking in the 12th fastest lap in Practice, Elliott went out and put on a strong showing in his Heat Race, both winning it and placing himself on the Pole for The Clash tonight. Elliott hasn’t done well in The Clash over the last three years since it switched to a quarter-mile track, with his best finish being 11th at the L. A. Coliseum in 2022, but with this Gen Seven car, starting up front on a short track pays dividends. Each of the last three Clash winners have started in the top five and each of the last two Clash winners started on the front row. Logano won the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro last season from the Pole and led every single lap. Elliott has a fast car and he’s gonna take it anywhere (Sorry, couldn’t resist lol). That anywhere is Victory Lane, as I predict that Chase Elliott will kick off 2025 with a victory at the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray!