The 2026 Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium will kick off another year of high-octane NASCAR Cup Series racing. As fans reflect on the significance of the exhibition event, vintage videos from past editions have begun circulating on social media. One such clip revisits the 2007 Budweiser Shootout selection party at Daytona.
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Hosted by Kenny Wallace, the event determined the starting lineup for the Budweiser Shootout, a previous incarnation of the Clash. Wallace worked an energetic crowd as drivers such as Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, and Ken Schrader stepped up to the counter to draw numbered Budweiser bottles, which ultimately decided their starting positions.
This method of determining starting positions, rather than relying on qualifying speeds, was seen as entertaining and funnily unpredictable. As fans shared the video on X, Wallace took notice and went down a trip down memory lane.
He wrote, “These videos that you all share with me remind me just how big @NASCAR was. We were Rockstars on that show.”
I never realized how funny I was.
I was Very Witty.
https://t.co/b5qsa8dfWF— Kenny Wallace (@Kenny_Wallace) February 1, 2026
Wallace also wrote in another tweet, “I never realized how funny I was. I was Very Witty. ” Wallace was also the host for the 2011 version of the event, but it is unclear whether he held the role in other years. However, the video serves as proof that he was always the jolly man that he is today. He still hasn’t lost the ability to tickle a bone in fans and his colleagues.
The evolution of the Cook Out Clash
The Clash began in 1979 as the Busch Clash to promote Busch Beer and highlight the best drivers from the previous season. It was renamed as the Bud Shootout in 1998 and then as Budweiser Shootout in 2001, when Budweiser became the title sponsor for the event.
Over the following years, it was renamed as and when the sponsor and format changed. Some of the names it had were the Sprint Unlimited, Advance Auto Parts Clash, and Busch Light Clash. The upcoming event will be sponsored by the fast-food restaurant chain Cook Out, just as it was in 2025.
Originally scheduled to be held on February 1 (Sunday), the main event has been pushed to Monday on account of bad weather. The decision was taken considering the winter storm that currently clouds the region, which could potentially impact the safety of the fans and drivers in attendance.
