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In a race that will be etched into NASCAR lore for its sheer unpredictability and dramatic conclusion, Ryan Preece piloted his No. 60 RFK Racing Ford to a hard-fought victory in the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium. The emotional triumph saw Preece overcome a race marred by a record 17 caution periods and a surreal mid-race transition from dry to wet-weather racing conditions due to sleet. The victory marked a significant career milestone for Preece, who expressed profound gratitude and relief in the immediate aftermath, his voice thick with emotion and punctuated by a celebratory expletive that underscored the magnitude of his achievement.
The event, already postponed several days by unseasonal snow, lived up to its "Madhouse" moniker. As the field navigated the tight confines of Bowman Gray, the race quickly descended into a chaotic ballet of near misses, spins, and fender-bending incidents. The most striking element, however, was the sudden arrival of sleet around lap 100, forcing NASCAR officials to halt the action and mandate the use of wet-weather tires for all competitors. This unprecedented shift transformed the already demanding short track into a treacherous proving ground, testing the adaptability and skill of every driver on the grid.
Preece’s maiden Clash victory came after a grueling battle, fending off strong challenges from William Byron, who finished second, and Ryan Blaney, who secured the third position. The top ten finishers were rounded out by Daniel Suarez, Denny Hamlin, Chase Briscoe, Austin Dillon, Chris Buescher, Ross Chastain, and Alex Bowman, highlighting the depth of talent that contended in this unique event.
In the winner’s circle, a visibly emotional Preece struggled to contain his elation. "I don’t know even know what to say. To be honest with you, it’s been a f** long road," Preece stated, his voice cracking with emotion as he fought back tears. "It’s the Clash, but man, it’s just been years and years of grinding. I’m super thankful for Brad Keselowski, Kroger, Coca Cola, all our partners… Two years ago, I didn’t think I was going to have a job. I thought I was going back home to Connecticut. I’m just super, super emotional." This victory places Preece in an elite group of drivers, joining Jeff Gordon and Denny Hamlin as the only competitors to have won the prestigious Clash event prior to securing their first official Cup Series race win.
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The race began under the control of polesitter Kyle Larson and William Byron, who established an early dominance. Larson led the opening laps, showcasing strong pace in the initial segment. However, the first caution flag waved on Lap 41 due to "weepers" – water seeping from beneath the SAFER Barrier and onto the racing surface, a stark reminder of the lingering effects of the earlier snow.
Following the restart, Chase Briscoe emerged as a contender, breaking up a potential Hendrick Motorsports 1-2 by overtaking Byron for second. The field’s intensity quickly escalated, leading to a chain-reaction incident involving Joey Logano, Ross Chastain, Ryan Blaney, and Bubba Wallace, which sent Wallace’s No. 23 spinning. Briscoe maintained his strong track position on the restart, briefly holding the lead before settling into third. The first lead change of the race occurred on Lap 71 when Byron surged past Larson, with Briscoe following suit. Larson’s early dominance began to wane, and he gradually fell back through the field, reaching tenth place by the halfway break.
Another caution period was triggered by Harrison Burton, who spun following contact with Shane van Gisbergen. Van Gisbergen, making his NASCAR debut, expressed his frustration over the radio, suggesting the incident was retaliatory and also took issue with former teammate Daniel Suarez, commenting, "I guess he’s excited he’s not my teammate. He can hit me now." The animosity between former teammates wasn’t limited to van Gisbergen; Suarez and Bubba Wallace engaged in a heated exchange under caution, with Suarez radioing, "I’m going to kick his f***** ass. And tell the #97 I’m coming for him."
Byron’s lead was eventually relinquished to the Joe Gibbs Racing duo of Briscoe and Ty Gibbs. In a strategic move, Gibbs managed to take the lead from Briscoe just before the halfway break.
The halfway point brought a significant shift in the race’s dynamics. At the competition caution, Ty Gibbs led Briscoe, Byron, Blaney, and Jack Hocevar. Crucially, during this break, sleet began to fall, prompting NASCAR to halt the race and instruct teams to fit wet-weather tires to all vehicles. After a delay, the field was released back onto the track, now navigating a significantly altered and slippery surface.
The restart proved to be a test of survival. Cars struggled for grip, sliding precariously as drivers searched for traction. Chaos ensued almost immediately, with Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, and Ryan Preece all finding themselves spinning. A subsequent restart saw Briscoe regain control, with drivers pushing close to the wall in an attempt to find the fastest line.
Josh Berry, who had won the Last Chance Qualifier earlier in the evening, brought out another caution when he hit the wall. The next yellow flag was for an incident involving Harrison Burton that briefly blocked the track. Jack Hocevar then made a bold move, powering into the lead on the subsequent restart, sliding in front of Briscoe.
As Briscoe and Hocevar battled for the lead, Denny Hamlin spun in front of them, necessitating another caution. While earlier incidents involving Ty Gibbs and Ryan Blaney occurred, NASCAR initially allowed racing to continue as those drivers managed to keep their machines moving.
The restarts remained intensely competitive. Shane van Gisbergen, opting for the inside lane, managed to reclaim the lead. For a brief period, the field settled into single-file racing, but this calm was shattered when Kyle Larson came to a halt, reporting he was out of fuel. As the track began to dry, van Gisbergen’s advantage seemed to diminish, and Ryan Preece capitalized, taking command of the race.
Another Hendrick Motorsports driver, Chase Elliott, then ran out of fuel. On the ensuing restart, Chase Briscoe made contact with van Gisbergen, sending him spinning and initiating a multi-car incident that also collected Shane van Gisbergen and Bubba Wallace.
With 35 laps remaining, NASCAR made the decision to bring all cars to pit road to allow teams to ensure sufficient fuel levels. Notably, Jack Hocevar and Ryan Reddick attempted to switch to slick tires, but NASCAR disallowed the change, keeping all cars on wets.
Preece continued to lead, with William Byron moving into the chasing position. With 20 laps to go, Bubba Wallace spun Jack Hocevar, an incident that appeared to be intentional. Ryan Blaney advanced to second on the restart, while Kyle Larson crashed in the middle of the pack after a collision with Ty Gibbs and Kyle Busch.
The final run to the checkered flag saw William Byron aggressively pursue Ryan Preece, but he was unable to close the gap. The No. 60 RFK Racing Ford crossed the finish line first, securing Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing’s first win in the pre-season Clash since 1999, a fitting and emotional conclusion to a race that defied expectations.
Complete Race Results:
(A visual representation of the race results would typically be displayed here, often in a table format listing each driver and their finishing position. As this is a text-based output, a detailed table cannot be generated. However, the top finishers have been mentioned in the article.)
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