Ryan Preece braved the freezing temperatures, relentless cautions, and a wild mix of wet and dry conditions to claim victory at the 2026 NASCAR Clash at Bowman Gray.
This triumph marked Preece’s first career win at the NASCAR Cup Series level, even if it doesn’t count toward official points standings, delivering a massive morale boost to RFK Racing’s No. 60 Ford team as they head into the Daytona 500.
Starting from the 18th position on the grid, Preece showcased veteran savvy and raw determination, leading 46 of the scheduled 200 laps on the tight, quarter-mile bullring known for its bump-and-run racing style, ultimately crossing the finish line 1.7522s ahead of William Byron.
The 2026 edition of the Cook Out Clash, relocated to historic Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for the first time, promised high drama from the outset due to winter weather disruptions that forced NASCAR to condense the weekend schedule into a single-day sprint on Wednesday.
Qualifying saw Kyle Larson secure the pole with a blistering lap time of 14.137s in the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet alongside William Byron in the No. 24.
As green flag conditions finally prevailed under the lights, the field of 23 cars—featuring a mix of full-time Cup regulars, rookies, and select invitees—thundered into Turn 1, immediately testing drivers’ mettle on the unforgiving concrete surface prone to multi-car tangles.
Early laps unfolded with Larson asserting dominance from the pole, fending off Byron’s pressure while Ty Gibbs in the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota lurked close in third.
However, the race’s character shifted dramatically by Lap 20 when the first of 17 caution periods flew for a minor spin involving Bubba Wallace in the No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota, bunching the field and shuffling strategies.
Wallace recovered but lost momentum, foreshadowing his challenging night that culminated in a 23rd-place finish after running as high as seventh early on.
Byron emerged as the early benchmark for consistency, inheriting the lead post-Larson pit stops and stretching his advantage through the first 50 laps with precise throttle control on the slippery surface.
Meanwhile, Larson struggled with handling after the first cycle, dropping to 16th by Lap 75 after a tire vibration forced an unscheduled stop, though he regrouped to salvage a 16th-place result.
Chaos reigned supreme around the halfway point, as Lap 100 brought a deluge of rain and sleet that halted proceedings for a midway break, prompting NASCAR officials to mandate wet-weather tires for the resumption—a first for a Cup Series event at this venue.
Preece’s ascent truly ignited post-Lap 130, as he navigated a string of cautions—including a massive 11-car melee in Turn 3 reminiscent of past Clash pileups—that red-flagged the event for over seven minutes.
Collected in earlier incidents but undeterred, Preece pitted for fresh wets under yellow and snatched the lead on Lap 156 all the way to win the 2026 NASCAR Clash at Bowman Gray.
“It feels pretty damn good,” Preece told Racetrackmasters in victory lane about being called a race winner after 223 starts in the NASCAR Cup Series. “The ones that know, the ones that I grinded it with for a long time, it’s just… I don’t even know how to explain it.
“Yeah, it’s a non-points race. It doesn’t matter, though. Winning is winning, and all these things that you go through to accomplish that goal and execute a race. So, I’m proud. I’m excited about it.”
Ryan Preece win places him alongside Jeff Gordon and Denny Hamlin as drivers who have won a Clash event before their first points-paying race.
William Byron settled for second after door-slamming Ryan Blaney‘s ferocious charge in the final 50 laps, the Penske Ford rounding out the podium in third.
Daniel Suarez in the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet thrived in the wet, surging from 20th to ultimately secure fourth place ahead of Hamlin. Chase Briscoe, Austin Dillon, Chris Buescher, Ross Chastain and Alex Bowman rounded out the top ten.
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