The Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium faces unusual winter challenges this weekend and Christopher Bell sees one problematic factor. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver said that the biggest issue could be getting the cars ready in freezing conditions early on but should be fine for most of the race.
NASCAR Cup Series’ preseason exhibition race was originally set to begin with a full slate of Saturday activities, including practice and qualifying. But weather forecasts calling for heavy snow forced NASCAR to cancel the heat races and move to a one-day schedule for Sunday’s race. Temperatures at the track may stay well under freezing, and snow has already piled up around the facility.
With possible highs near the upper 20s F on race day and lows dipping into the teens at night, it could make the 2026 Clash one of the coldest NASCAR races ever at Winston-Salem’s quarter-mile short track. Bell also shared his take on how cold weather could affect the race during an interview with Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass.
“You’ll want to make sure that you get temperature in them slowly, and that can be really problematic even whenever we go to a normal temperature short track. You have to be careful of just hammering the brakes right whenever you get out there. So that’s certainly going to be a factor, at least whenever we first get on track,” Christopher Bell said.
“I think once the race gets rolling, it’s not going to be really any different at all from, the on-track side of things,” he added.
Last year, Bell finished 12th in the Cook Out Clash, which Chase Elliott dominated.
“We’re Treating it Like Rain Delay” – Christopher Bell ‘Good’ With Racing the Clash Next Week Ahead of Daytona 500
NASCAR insider Bozi Tatarevic shared pictures of the Bowman Gray Stadium and nearby intersection covered in snow on Saturday morning. And Christopher Bell and his No. 20 Cup team is up for racing the non-points race next week.
When asked about how late in the week he would be comfortable racing before moving on to Daytona preparations, the 31-year-old said they are ready whenever NASCAR can safely run the event, be it Monday, Tuesday or further into next week.
“NASCAR told us that basically we’re going to race it as soon as we can. We’re treating it like rain delay. And so I’m good with that,” Christopher Bell told Pockrass (1:41).
For now, the practice and qualifying are slated from 2 to 4 p.m. ET. The Last Chance Qualifier is set for 6 p.m. followed by NASCAR Race Day at 7:30 p.m., and the Cook Out Clash main event at 8 p.m.
Meanwhile, the Cup Series season opener, Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway is set for mid-February.
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