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AVONDALE, ARIZONA – NOVEMBER 02: Noah Gragson, driver of the #4 Long John Silver’s Ford, and Chris Buescher, driver of the #17 Body Guard Ford, race during the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway on November 02, 2025 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series will open with the Cook Out Clash on February 1 at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. NASCAR has confirmed the qualifying and race format for the exhibition event, which will feature 23 drivers on the quarter-mile asphalt track.
According to NASCAR.com, the series will use the same format introduced in 2025, making this the second straight year the event will take place at Bowman Gray Stadium.
The weekend begins January 31 with practice and qualifying sessions, followed by heat races that will determine the starting field for the main event. The format emphasizes speed and execution, with only green-flag laps counting in preliminary races.
2026 NASCAR Cup Series Practice, Qualifying, and Heat Races
On-track action starts Saturday, January 31, with practice sessions airing live on FS1 at 6:10 p.m. ET. According to NASCAR.com, the field will be split into three practice groups based on 2025 owner points. Each group will receive three practice sessions.
Defending Cook Out Clash winner Kyle Larson will open in Group 3, while drivers such as Chase Briscoe, William Byron, and Christopher Bell will appear in earlier groups. The final practice session for each group will also serve as qualifying.
During final practice, each group will split into two smaller sets of six to seven cars. Each set will have four minutes on track to post a fast lap. NASCAR will use each driver’s quickest lap from that session to set the starting order for the heat races.
Four 25-lap heat races will follow later that evening. Only green-flag laps will count, and NASCAR will not allow overtime. The fastest qualifier will start on pole for Heat 1, the second-fastest will start on pole for Heat 2, and so on. The top five finishers in each heat will advance directly to the main event.
Last Chance Qualifier Sets Final Grid
Drivers who do not advance through the heat races will have one final chance to qualify. NASCAR will hold a 75-lap Last Chance Qualifier on Sunday, February 1, at 6:00 p.m. ET, with live coverage on FOX.
As with the heat races, only green-flag laps will count, and overtime will not apply. The top two finishers will earn starting positions 21st and 22nd in the main event.
NASCAR will award the final, 23rd starting spot through a provisional. That position will go to the highest-ranked driver in the 2025 driver points standings who has not already qualified.
Heat race results will set the starting lineup for the 200-lap Cook Out Clash. The winner of Heat 1 will start on pole, followed by the winners of the remaining heat races. NASCAR will schedule a timed competition break at lap 100. The race must finish under green-flag conditions.
Bowman Gray Stadium and Event History
Bowman Gray Stadium is a NASCAR-sanctioned quarter-mile flat oval that opened in 1937. The track hosted NASCAR weekly racing from 1958 through 1971 and continues to host local divisions. Its short length and narrow racing surface place a premium on braking, track position, and restarts.
The Cook Out Clash moved to Bowman Gray Stadium in 2025 after previous runs at Daytona International Speedway and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Chase Elliott won the 2025 edition, the first held at the venue.
The Cook Out Clash will run 200 laps under the lights at Bowman Gray Stadium, with the green flag scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET on February 1. Fans can watch the race live on FOX, while HBO Max will stream the event, and MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will provide radio coverage.
The event will serve as the opening on-track competition of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, setting the stage for the races that follow.
Dogli Wilberforce is a sports writer who covers NASCAR, Formula 1 and IndyCar Series for Heavy Sports. With bylines at Total Apex Sports and Last Word on Sports, Wilberforce has built a reputation for delivering timely, engaging coverage that blends sharp analysis with accessible storytelling. Wilberforce has covered everything from major football transfers to fight-night drama, bringing readers the insight and context behind the headlines. More about Dogli Wilberforce
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