Provided there isn't more snow, the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season does appear like it will finally get underway on Monday, February 2 with the Cook Out Clash exhibition race at Bowman Gray Stadium.
The event had initially been a two-day event at the four-turn, 0.25-mile (0.402-kilometer) Winston-Salem, North Carolina oval, planned across Saturday and Sunday, but the weather did not cooperate.
Now practice, qualifying, the 75-lap Last Chance Qualifier, and the 200-lap main event are scheduled to take place on Monday. Only the four 25-lap heat races were completely canceled.
There are 38 drivers set to compete at the Madhouse, though only 23 are able to qualify for the Clash itself. The fastest 20 qualifiers, the top two finishers in the Last Chance Qualifier, and the highest remaining driver from the 2025 point standings are all set to lock into the main event.
All 36 chartered cars are on the entry list, with the only notable change coming in the No. 6 RFK Racing Ford. Corey LaJoie is set to replace the injured Brad Keselowski as Keselowski continues to heal from the surgery he had in mid-December on his broken leg.
As for the two non-chartered (open) entries, Garage 66 are set to field the No. 66 Ford for Chad Finchum, and Team AmeriVet are set to field the No. 50 Chevrolet for Bowman Gray Stadium legend Burt Myers.
Here's a look at the full list of entries.
NASCAR Clash entry list at Bowman Gray
Team | Car | Driver |
|---|---|---|
Trackhouse Racing | No. 1 Chevrolet | Ross Chastain |
Team Penske | No. 2 Ford | Austin Cindric |
Richard Childress Racing | No. 3 Chevrolet | Austin Dillon |
Front Row Motorsports | No. 4 Ford | Noah Gragson |
Hendrick Motorsports | No. 5 Chevrolet | Kyle Larson |
RFK Racing | No. 6 Ford | Corey LaJoie |
Spire Motorsports | No. 7 Chevrolet | Daniel Suarez |
Richard Childress Racing | No. 8 Chevrolet | Kyle Busch |
Hendrick Motorsports | No. 9 Chevrolet | Chase Elliott |
Kaulig Racing | No. 10 Chevrolet | Ty Dillon |
Joe Gibbs Racing | No. 11 Toyota | Denny Hamlin |
Team Penske | No. 12 Ford | Ryan Blaney |
Kaulig Racing | No. 16 Chevrolet | A.J. Allmendinger |
RFK Racing | No. 17 Ford | Chris Buescher |
Joe Gibbs Racing | No. 19 Toyota | Chase Briscoe |
Joe Gibbs Racing | No. 20 Toyota | Christopher Bell |
Wood Brothers Racing | No. 21 Ford | Josh Berry |
Team Penske | No. 22 Ford | Joey Logano |
23XI Racing | No. 23 Toyota | Bubba Wallace |
Hendrick Motorsports | No. 24 Chevrolet | William Byron |
Front Row Motorsports | No. 34 Ford | Todd Gilliland |
23XI Racing | No. 35 Toyota | Riley Herbst |
Front Row Motorsports | No. 38 Ford | Zane Smith |
Haas Factory Team | No. 41 Ford | Cole Custer |
Legacy Motor Club | No. 42 Toyota | John Hunter Nemechek |
Legacy Motor Club | No. 43 Toyota | Erik Jones |
23XI Racing | No. 45 Toyota | Tyler Reddick |
Hyak Motorsports | No. 47 Chevrolet | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. |
Hendrick Motorsports | No. 48 Chevrolet | Alex Bowman |
Team AmeriVet | No. 50 Chevrolet | Burt Myers |
Rick Ware Racing | No. 51 Chevrolet | Cody Ware |
Joe Gibbs Racing | No. 54 Toyota | Ty Gibbs |
RFK Racing | No. 60 Ford | Ryan Preece |
Garage 66 | No. 66 Ford | Chad Finchum |
Spire Motorsports | No. 71 Chevrolet | Michael McDowell |
Spire Motorsports | No. 77 Chevrolet | Carson Hocevar |
Trackhouse Racing | No. 88 Chevrolet | Connor Zilisch |
Trackhouse Racing | No. 97 Chevrolet | Shane van Gisbergen |
A year ago, there were three open cars on the entry list. Myers drove for Team AmeriVet, Garrett Smithley drove for Garage 66, and Rick Ware Racing fielded the No. 15 Ford for Tim Brown, another Bowman Gray Stadium icon.
However, Rick Ware Racing, which switched manufacturers from Ford to Chevrolet over the offseason, have opted not to add a second car this time around and to instead stick with just Cody Ware's No. 51 Chevrolet.
Rick Ware Racing do have a second charter, but it is being leased out to RFK Racing for Ryan Preece's No. 60 Ford.
Fox Sports 2 is set to provide live coverage of Cook Out Clash practice and qualifying beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET on Monday, February 2, while Fox is set to provide live coverage of the Last Chance Qualifier starting at 4:30 p.m. ET and then the Clash itself beginning at 6:00 p.m. ET. Begin a free trial of FuboTV and don't miss any of the action from Bowman Gray Stadium!