The announcement of the NASCAR Cup Series returning to Bowman Gray Stadium for the Clash in 2025 after a 54-year break kindled excitement not just among the veteran fanbase, but even the stalwarts like Richard Petty as well. As NASCAR’s longest-running sanctioned venue, Bowman Gray holds a special place for them.
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But now, following a $9 million renovation in 2019, including track resurfacing and modernized facilities, the stadium is ready to host modern competition while honoring its legacy as the site of some of NASCAR’s earliest races.
Petty shared his thoughts on the track’s return to the Cup Series schedule after 1971 during an interview with WFMY News 2, saying: “I thought it was a good idea, from the standpoint that NASCAR started at Bowman Gray even before they had the Cup series. NASCAR ran some races there.”
“So, I look at it from the standpoint that the old fans will now get to see the new cars run an old track. And new fans will see where NASCAR came from the beginning.”
While Bowman Gray Stadium brings a deep sense of nostalgia among many longtime fans, it holds a particularly special place in the heart of “The King,” given it was on this very track in 1969 that he secured his landmark 100th victory.
The first NASCAR race at Bowman Gray Stadium happened in 1949, a venture co-promoted by NASCAR’s founder, Bill France Sr. After that, it became a fixture for NASCAR-sanctioned events.
Initially, The Clash was hosted at Daytona International Speedway from its inception in 1979 until it was relocated to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 2022, where it opened the season through 2024. Following a three-year stint at the Coliseum and a trend of diversifying race locations, NASCAR opted to return to its roots for the 2025 season opener.
Bowman Gray Stadium, a cornerstone of NASCAR’s early days and a hub for grassroots-level enthusiasm presented an irresistible opportunity for a comeback. Owned by the city of Winston-Salem and long leased by the Hawkins family, the stadium is not only a venue for racing but also serves as the football home for Winston-Salem State.
The return of NASCAR to the historic track promises to draw a crowd of 17,000 fans eager to kick off the 2025 Cup Series at the Cook-Out Clash and witness the debut of the Next Gen cars at this iconic venue.
