
Chase Elliott delivered a commanding performance to win the 2025 Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, narrowly fending off a late surge from Ryan Blaney.
Elliott, the pole-sitter, maintained his lead through the challenging 200-lap exhibition race, crossing the finish line 1.333 seconds ahead of Blaney in front of a sold-out, energetic crowd at the historic quarter-mile track.
Elliott demonstrated skillful navigation through lapped traffic during the race’s final stages. This victory marked his first in The Clash, which returned to Bowman Gray after three years at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
The win also celebrated NASCAR’s return to the iconic short track after a 54-year absence. Elliott, driving the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, expressed appreciation for the venue’s deep-rooted NASCAR history.
“This environment is special,” said Elliott, who led 171 laps, including the opening 96, before briefly surrendering the lead to Denny Hamlin. “This track holds significant history in NASCAR, and I believe it’s deserving of this event. Hopefully, we provided an exciting show and can return here in the future.”
Hamlin, who led for 28 laps, fell back after Elliott reclaimed the top spot on Lap 126. Blaney, starting from the back of the field due to a driver points provisional, overtook Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota on Lap 147, setting the stage for a two-car battle for the win. However, Blaney’s car tightened in the closing laps, limiting his ability to challenge Elliott effectively.
“I wasn’t going to force the issue and risk an unnecessary incident,” Blaney commented. “I just didn’t have enough grip in the rear to make a decisive move.”
Joey Logano finished fourth, with Bubba Wallace climbing from 14th to secure fifth. Rounding out the top 10 were Ross Chastain, Austin Cindric, Tyler Reddick, Shane van Gisbergen and Chris Buescher.
The Last Chance Qualifier determined the final two spots in the main event. Kyle Larson, starting 10th, navigated through nine caution periods to win the 75-lap race and secure his place in The Clash. On Lap 72, Larson overtook Josh Berry, who was competing in his first event for Wood Brothers Racing — a team with historic success at Bowman Gray.
Larson led 36 laps despite sustaining damage in a late-race incident involving Erik Jones and Berry. Reflecting on his race, Larson noted the car’s improved performance compared to the previous day.
“The car felt significantly better than yesterday,” Larson said. “It was enjoyable making my way to the front, although the restarts became chaotic, causing some damage.”
Berry managed to secure the second qualifying spot and later finished 13th in the main event, with Larson placing 17th.
Post-race inspections confirmed Chase Elliott’s victory, with no issues reported in the Cup Series garage.
The NASCAR Cup Series will officially commence the 2025 regular season with the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 16, at Daytona International Speedway. The race is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on FOX, MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.