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NASCAR to Race Monday at Bowman Gray Stadium

Originally posted on EasySportz | By Jackson Fryburger | Last updated Jan 31, 2026 6:25 PM ET

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — The sun took a snow day this weekend in the Piedmont, and so did NASCAR’s grand plan for the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium. What was supposed to be a raucous Sunday night exhibition got a major remix thanks to Mother Nature showing up with a white blanket instead of a warm breeze — and lots of it. Snow piled up on Saturday, turning the iconic short track into something more suited for sleds than stock cars and forcing NASCAR to postpone the event to Monday, Feb. 2.

The Piedmont’s wintry welcome was more picturesque than practical. Bowman Gray was literally blanketed in snow — as beautiful as a holiday card, as terrible for racing as a wet track at Bristol — and NASCAR officials called the weekend as if they were refereeing a snowball fight instead of a race. Out of an abundance of caution for crews, competitors and fans navigating treacherous travel, the decision was made to reschedule everything for Monday.

The revised Cook Out Clash agenda will kick off with practice and qualifying at 11 a.m. ET (televised on FS2), followed by a Last Chance Qualifier at 4:30 p.m. ET on FOX, and finally the Clash itself at 6 p.m. ET on FOX. Parking lots open as early as 9 a.m., and off-site shuttle service begins at 9:30 a.m. ahead of what now promises to be a Monday night showdown.

NEWS: NASCAR announces updates to this weekend's event at Bowman Gray Stadium.

The @nascarclash is scheduled for Monday at 6 p.m. ET on FOX. pic.twitter.com/om1hRoqvXl
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) January 31, 2026

It’s the NASCAR offseason’s first real twist: snowflake choreography instead of tire smoke choreography. Fans in Winston-Salem woke up this weekend to what looked like a winter festival rather than a race weekend, with glistening snow covering Bowman Gray’s famed quarter-mile and temperatures reluctant to rise above freezing. Even the hardiest grassroots short-track devotees probably paused to admire the scene before thinking about traction and tread.

While this weather drama is forcing a schedule shift, it’s also adding an unexpected chapter to the sport’s roots-focused debut at Bowman Gray. Now — with practice reshuffled, heat races canceled, and a fresh Monday evening on the docket — NASCAR, teams and fans will return with their engines warmed and a story to tell about the weekend the snow won the first battle.

This is what winter in motorsports looks like when the calendar says February. And for everyone itching to see 23 drivers wheel their cars around Bowman Gray’s tight turns, Monday might just be worth the wait.

This article first appeared on EasySportz and was syndicated with permission.

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