Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Clash at Bowman Gray could be coldest race in NASCAR history

By Samuel Stubbs | Last updated Jan 30, 2026 12:45 AM ET

Mother Nature has become the biggest star in NASCAR this week.

An impending snowstorm postponed Saturday's on-track activity at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, making the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray a one-day show.

Practice, qualifying, the last-chance qualifier and the 200-lap Clash will all take place on Sunday, and even if the snow is gone, it will still be a cold day at the racetrack.

The high temperature in Winston-Salem on Sunday will only be 28 degrees, per AccuWeather, with a low of 12 degrees.

That could put Sunday's race into NASCAR history — but not necessarily in a good way.

2026 Clash could be coldest race on record

Per NASCAR Insights, the coldest race in NASCAR history was the February 1990 Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway. That race took place when it was just 31 degrees.

Coldest races in NASCAR history:

Richmond (Cup, Feb 1990) - 31°F
Martinsville (Truck, Mar 2018) - 34°F
Bristol (O'Reilly, Mar 2006) - 35°F
Bowman Gray (Cup, Mar 1964) - 37°F
Texas (O'Reilly, Apr 2018) - 37°F https://t.co/4hWwSDfRlV
— NASCAR Insights (@NASCARInsights) January 30, 2026

In 1964, the Cup Series ran a points race at Bowman Gray on a day when it was just 37 degrees on race day.

With the high temperature not projected to even hit the 30s on Sunday, there's a good shot that the 2026 Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray goes down as the coldest race in NASCAR history — for now, at least.

Those cold temperatures could make things uncomfortable for drivers, fans and even the cars themselves.

Sunday's Cook Out Clash is scheduled for an 8 p.m. ET green flag, with coverage on Fox, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

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

More must-reads: