NASCAR veteran reporter Bob Pockrass recently revealed that the sanctioning body faces a weather dilemma as the Cookout Clash approaches Bowman Gray Stadium. Weather forecasts project 6-10 inches of snow, possibly blanketing the venue on Saturday, after sustained snowfall at the track throughout the buildup to the event. Though the outlook remains fluid, teams have received word that Sunday will be the race day, with postponements rolling to Monday, then Tuesday, and beyond if needed.
According to NASCAR, the primary concern is not competition in cold temperatures but ensuring the safety of fans and personnel in attendance, though the sanctioning body maintains its machines can handle frigid conditions. Drivers, including Erik Jones, however, remain uncertain about what awaits them.
Teams and drivers have never competed under such punishing winter elements. Jones addressed the concerns by emphasizing that cold conditions pose challenges even without snow. “Not even taking the snow into account, there’s a lot of challenges with the cold. Number one, our cars don’t run antifreeze, so it’s going to be hard. You’re going to be running the cars a lot. Just to keep them from freezing up during the day…”
“As far as like heat and and and components, I don’t know. I mean, rear ends and hubs and everything, it’s extremely cold for a lot of those components. Brakes going from that cold to that hot that quick.”
“There’s a lot of questions. There’s just a lot of unknowns. These parts have been put through these tests for extreme circumstances such as this. But, I don’t know, I’ve ever raced anything near this cold. So, there’s a lot of unknowns, honestly, going into it,” he repeated.
Starting the machines and building tire temperature at a tight quarter-mile like Bowman Gray could prove tricky, with slick surfaces causing excessive sliding early in runs.
However, the exhibition format of the race provides breathing room for the drivers. While every driver wants to win, the race carries no championship points, allowing teams some latitude to approach the weekend with a lighter touch if conditions allow competition to proceed.
Winter Storm Fern swept across more than half the nation this past weekend. The Northeast and Midwest bore the brunt, buried beneath one-to-three feet of accumulation. North Carolina caught a few inches, including the Winston-Salem vicinity, leaving Bowman Gray draped in white.
Winter Storm Gianna now threatens to unleash another round starting Friday night through Saturday, with The Weather Channel suggesting the system could intensify into a bomb cyclone. The storm’s trajectory remains fluid and could alter projections before arrival.
Kenny Wallace insists NASCAR will not scrap the Clash at Bowman Gray
The former driver dismisses storm reports as exaggerated and expects the event to unfold as scheduled. Wallace spoke with his brother, Mike Wallace, and his mother, both residing in Concord, North Carolina. They told Wallace the situation barely registered as significant.
They described the situation as manageable, noting that the storm tracked north and produced minimal impact locally. Mike Wallace reportedly shared that temperatures hovered around 31 degrees the day prior, with little additional activity.
Wallace even suggested North Carolina residents hunger for spectacle where none exists. He believes NASCAR will stage the Cook Out Clash come hell or high water. The sanctioning body will implement measures to warm the track and guarantee the race proceeds without interruption or delay.
Meanwhile, NASCAR executive Ben Kennedy disclosed on social media last weekend that track officials applied salt brine ahead of the first winter system rolling through. He posted on January 27 that crews had cleared the facility and that officials were continuing to track developments for this weekend.