A view of the NASCAR logo. Peter Casey-Imagn Images

How huge winter storm is impacting NASCAR

By Samuel Stubbs | Last updated Jan 23, 2026 8:21 PM ET

The major winter storm that is set to impact the United States, including much of the southeast, has already impacted NASCAR.

Rockingham Speedway in North Carolina was set to host a two-day test for the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series on Jan. 27 and 28, but forecasted inclement weather has pushed that test session back to Feb. 3 and 4.

Rockingham Speedway hosted the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series for the first time since 2004 and the Craftsman Truck Series for the first time since 2013 in April 2025 and is set to welcome both series back to 'The Rock' in April.

The Truck Series and O'Reilly Auto Parts Series will open their respective 2026 campaigns at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 13 and Feb. 14, respectively.

Rockingham test for Xfinity and truck teams scheduled for next week moved to Feb 3-4 because of the expected ice conditions in NC.
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) January 23, 2026

Could inclement weather affect the Clash at Bowman Gray?

NASCAR might not be completely out of the woods with the weather after this weekend.

On Feb. 1, the exhibition Clash at Bowman Gray is set to unofficially open the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

While the forecast for Jan. 31 — the day of practice and heat races for the Clash — looks cold and clear, there is a chance that Winston-Salem receives one to three inches of snow on Feb. 1, per the Weather Channel.

The forecast does look clear for the rest of the week in Winston-Salem, however, and with no race to get to the following weekend, NASCAR would have plenty of time to ensure the Clash is completed before teams head south to Daytona to officially kick off the 2026 season.

Samuel Stubbs

Hailing from the same neck of the woods as NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, Samuel has been covering NASCAR for Yardbarker since February 2024. He has been a member of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) since October of 2024. When he’s not writing about racing, Samuel covers Arkansas Razorback basketball for Yardbarker

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