The NASCAR Cup Series kicks off its 2026 campaign this weekend with a visit to Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem. After an offseason full of surprising moves, the roar of the engines is set to reignite the adrenaline once again. The biggest question, however, that looms ahead of the 48th edition of the Clash concerns the snow flurries that are expected to hit the venue.
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The region in which the track is located received around an inch of snowfall last weekend. Chris Weaver, a TV photographer, shared pictures of the snow-covered track on Monday and wrote that crews were working to remove the white. Fox Sports broadcaster Mike Joy, too, expressed concern that the weather might impact the race. But against these worries, Kenny Wallace remains unfazed.
The former driver firmly believes that reports of the storm are overhyped and that the race will proceed as planned. His confidence comes from close sources.
Wallace said, “I talked to my brother Mike [Wallace] and my mom last night. They live down in Concord, North Carolina. They said it was not a big deal. The storm was overhyped. It went North. They did get a little bit of something. But Mike said, last night at ten o’clock, it was 31 degrees. There was nothing.”
“Coffee with Kenny”@NASCAR has started the 2026 year WINNING pic.twitter.com/049atanUgb
— Kenny Wallace (@Kenny_Wallace) January 26, 2026
Wallace went on to add that people from North Carolina are just depressed that they didn’t get any drama. Schools and organizations shut down just for the sake of it under such circumstances, he believes, and doesn’t back such actions one bit.
“Will NASCAR cancel the Cook Out Clash?” he asked and answered, “I don’t think they can. I will take a page from Ken Schrader. Hell, it was thirty degrees last year!” NASCAR will take several steps to ensure that the track is warm and that the race can go on without any breaks. But as far as postponing it, Wallace doesn’t think it is a possibility.
According to AccuWeather, there is a 30% chance of snow flurries on both Saturday and Sunday. But the good news is that the forecast for Monday looks far more promising. Should the race get pushed, it is almost a certainty that it will go by without hindrance on the next day. For now, all fans can do is cling to their winter jackets and wait for the roar of the first engine.
