“Already Better Than I Expected”: Fans In Agreement With Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Verdict After Eventful Bowman Gray Return

NASCAR fans got their first glimpse of what the upcoming Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium will be like on Saturday. The entertainment that the four 25-lap Heat Races provided showed a lot of promise about the main event, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. was one of the many left pleased with what they saw.

The icon wrote on X, “I’m really enjoying the optics of Cup cars racing around Bowman Gray Stadium. The racing, its already better than I expected. Hopefully, the Madhouse mentality gets into all the drivers throughout the rest of the weekend.” There is big hype surrounding the event, considering how NASCAR has returned to the track after several decades.

Fans agreed to Dale Jr.’s positive review with social media filling up with notions aligning with the former driver’s. One fan said, “Cool as heck…. Much better than the coliseum to me!” The LA Memorial Coliseum has hosted the Clash for the last three years. To be better than it was one of the basic expectations from Bowman Gray. Fortunately, that appears to be fulfilled.

Agreed, much better racing than I anticipated. Looking forward to seeing the fastest cars against each other tomorrow,

— Charles Dawson (@C_W_Dawson) February 2, 2025

Another added, “Better than I expected.” The Heat Races were a shot to the past for another. They said, “This makes it feel like old-school 90s short track racing I love it wish we had more races like this.” One more doubled down on the attack against the Coliseum to write, “It’s so much better than LA.”

Fans will be able to watch drivers turn more laps on the flat oval before the main event. The Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ) will be held early on Sunday evening. Drivers who finished outside the top 5 in their respective Heat Races will compete in this race to try and fix a spot for the big race.

Drivers who have qualified for the Clash through the Heat Races

Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott was the first to secure his seat for Sunday. He won Heat Race 1 and qualified alongside Brad Keselowski, Noah Gragson, Kyle Busch, and Ross Chastain. Others including Ryan Blaney and Josh Berry will compete in the LCQ on Sunday.

Chris Buescher won Heat Race 2 in his #17 RFK Racing Ford. Joining him in the top 5 were Chase Briscoe, Shane van Gisbergen, Daniel Suarez, and Bubba Wallace. Heat Race 3 was won by Denny Hamlin. Joey Logano, William Byron, Carson Hocevar, and Alex Bowman qualified along with him.

The final Heat Race was won by 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick. Christopher Bell, Ryan Preece, Todd Gilliland, and Austin Cindric completed the top 5 in this final race of the night. Kyle Larson, Ty Gibbs, and Michael McDowell are more of the big names who will be looking to get to the Clash through the LCQ.