“Just Doing What His Parents Did”: Ryan Blaney Reveals Expectations from Bowman Gray Crowd, Shares ‘Cherished’ Memory

NASCAR Cup Series drivers seem to be adjusting to the idea of the 2025 Clash shifting venues from the LA Memorial Coliseum to the Bowman Gray Stadium. Team Penske regular and 2023 champion Ryan Blaney recently touched on what he thinks the event holds for the competitors as the 2025 racing season kicks off with the exhibition-style event in February next year.

The #12 Ford Mustang driver elaborated on how he expects a vast difference in the type of fans attending the event and recalled a vivid memory from his previous racing experiences at the venue.

“I’ve raced there twice, in a Bandolero and legend car. I won in a bandolero when I was like 9 or 10. My one vivid memory was that there was a kid, younger than me, flip me off over the barrier when I was 10 and he was 7, and he was just doing what his parents did,” said the Ohio native.

A general consensus amongst the drivers seems to be regarding the type of fan that will attend the event. The fraternity expects a more involved and active experience from the viewer’s side, owing to NASCAR’s wider and deeper influence in the region.

“I don’t think he didn’t like me or anything. It was just, this is what we do. I vividly remember that going down the front stretch. I hope we get to see a few more going back there for the Clash. I bet we will,” added Blaney, seconding the motion.

“There’s no other experience like Bowman Gray as a race fan”

This is how Hendrick Motorsports driver and 2021 champion Kyle Larson describes the atmosphere during a race at the upcoming venue. A regular in the dirt-track racing scene, the #5 Chevrolet Camaro driver hoped for a similar crowd and atmosphere during the upcoming event.

With shades of such a crowd reminding Larson of the grassroots racing scene that he seems to adore, he said, “I hope that same style of a crowd shows up for a Cup race there; flipping all of us off, leaning over the wall, and screaming at us. It’s amazing. It’s such a cool atmosphere. I’m excited for it.”

Larson’s teammate at Rick Hendrick’s organization, Alex Bowman also had an anecdote from the historic venue that hosted NASCAR’s first sanctioned race on pavement. The #48 Chevy driver said, “I went to a race there one day, the year we ran K&N, I just wanted to go see it the weekend before. I had never seen a pace car driver get flipped off until Bowman Gray. It was pretty cool.”

Fans can witness the madhouse blow its top off as the event is scheduled to go live on February 2, 2024, at 8 pm ET, followed by the famed Daytona 500 in two weeks’ time.