In a thrilling and challenging race marked by adverse weather conditions, Ryan Preece emerged victorious in the Cook Out Clash held at Bowman Gray Stadium. This Wednesday night event was notably impacted by winter weather, creating an atmosphere of unpredictability and excitement.
Preece, driving his No. 60 RFK Racing Ford, took control of the race for the final time at Lap 156, despite facing difficulties earlier when he was involved in multiple incidents. The talented driver from Connecticut ultimately led the pack for 46 out of the total 200 laps during a race that saw significant contact among competitors. The event also set a record for cautions in a Clash, with a staggering 17 stoppages as 23 of NASCAR’s finest drivers battled the tricky conditions on the historic quarter-mile track.
At the halfway break, which occurred at Lap 100, Ty Gibbs was in the lead. However, this pause was extended due to an unusual bout of winter weather in North Carolina that brought sleet to the racetrack. This unexpected precipitation followed a record-setting snowfall that had previously postponed the event from its original Sunday schedule to Wednesday, leading to the necessity for Goodyear to supply wet-weather tires for the participants.
As the race resumed at Lap 101, Chase Briscoe quickly overtook Gibbs on the outside. But the initial restart proved dangerous, with Denny Hamlin losing control on the slick surface and colliding with polesitter Kyle Larson. This incident sent Larson spinning backward into the Turn 4 SAFER barrier, while Preece found himself spinning behind them as well.
The challenges continued as drivers struggled to maintain traction on the notoriously difficult track. Josh Berry, who qualified for The Clash by winning the Last Chance Qualifier, crashed into the outside SAFER barrier at Lap 119, resulting in damage to his right-front wheel and bringing out another caution. Just two laps after the restart, Austin Cindric, another driver who advanced from the LCQ, encountered trouble of his own, sliding sideways and causing a blockade on the track in front of his Team Penske teammate Ryan Blaney and Larson.
The chaos didn’t end there; Denny Hamlin spun at Lap 139 while trying to pass Alex Bowman, leading to Austin Dillon also spinning off Hamlin's bumper shortly after on the following restart at Lap 140.
Amidst all the drama, Carson Hocevar showcased impressive skill in the wet conditions, leading for 18 laps. However, his luck turned when Ty Gibbs spun out in Turn 1 at Lap 144, directly obstructing Hocevar, which resulted in significant damage to the front end of Hocevar’s Chevrolet, forcing him to the back of the field.
Hocevar's troubles continued as he spun again at Lap 181 after contact with Bubba Wallace, sending him down the frontstretch and into Turn 1 after a series of close encounters between the two.
Shane van Gisbergen, known for his prowess on road courses, also made his mark by advancing through the wet conditions and leading for a total of 15 laps. However, late in the race, contact from Chase Briscoe caused him to spin in Turn 3, which also caught his rookie teammate Connor Zilisch in the ensuing chaos.
The first caution of the race occurred earlier, at Lap 54 when Wallace was involved in a chain reaction that sent him spinning in Turn 3. Blaney, who was close behind Wallace, attempted to fall back but was bumped into by Ross Chastain, who in turn was pushed by Joey Logano. Unfortunately, Wallace bore the brunt of the incident, heading to the pits and losing valuable positions.
Stay tuned for updates on this story as it develops!
