RFK Racing is preparing for a defining moment as it competes in the highly anticipated NASCAR Cup Series exhibition—the Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, scheduled for Sunday, February 1, at 8 p.m. ET in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. With the RFK Racing Clash at Bowman Gray serving as a crucial benchmark ahead of the new season, both team history and high stakes converge on the short track.
Key Details for the 2026 Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium
The annual preseason event sets the stage for the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series in dramatic fashion, bringing together 23 drivers for a 200-lap battle under the lights. The competition format remains true to recent years, with no separate qualifying round. Instead, practice times determine heat race groupings, focusing teams and drivers on maximizing every lap.
The race weekend kicks off Saturday with practice at 6:10 p.m. ET, followed by heat races at 8:30 p.m. ET. Sunday brings a last chance qualifying race at 6 p.m. ET, with the Clash main event airing at 8 p.m. on FOX and MRN, including SiriusXM NASCAR Radio coverage. The event underscores the intensity and strategic demands placed on entrants—mistakes in earlier sessions can severely limit advancement opportunities.
Historic Achievements and Notable Returns
RFK Racing, formerly known as Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing, has historic roots at the Clash, most notably through NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin’s win in 1999. Martin started from the 13th spot and led the final 16 laps to secure Jack Roush’s only Clash victory, besting Ken Schrader and Bobby Labonte to the finish line. Another RFK co-owner, Brad Keselowski, claimed the 2018 edition when racing for Penske, leading 43 laps en route to the podium.
Competition Format: How Drivers Secure a Spot in the Clash
This year’s exhibition maintains a familiar, high-pressure structure. The heat races—four in total—are 25 laps each with up to 10 cars competing, and only green-flag laps count. To make the main event, drivers must finish in the top five in their heat. Those placing lower advance to the last chance qualifier (LCQ), where only the top two finishers secure spots 21 and 22 in the Clash starting grid. The 23rd and final spot is reserved for the highest finisher in the 2025 season points standings who has not already advanced.
The strategic importance of each round is heightened by the lack of overtime and the use of heat finishing order to determine LCQ starting positions. This format emphasizes consistent performance across sessions, rewarding drivers and teams who adapt quickly to the track’s evolving conditions.
Driver Profiles: Spotlight on RFK Racing Entrants
Corey LaJoie returns with hopes of making his second start in the event, following an 18th-place finish at the 2024 Clash at the Coliseum while racing for Spire Motorsports. This year, he will drive the No. 6, guided by Crew Chief Jeremy Bullins with support from Solomon Plumbing.
Chris Buescher, piloting the No. 17 and partnered with Fifth Third, enters his fourth Clash appearance after earning top-10 finishes in two of his three prior starts—including a ninth-place result in 2017 and a 10th place last season at Bowman Gray, where he also claimed victory in his heat race. His crew chief, Scott Graves, remains a reliable voice atop the pit box.
Ryan Preece lines up for his fifth consecutive Clash, having advanced to the main event each of the past four years. Notably, he led 43 laps and secured a top-10 finish at the 2023 Coliseum rendition. This time, Preece will be in the No. 60 with Derrick Finley as crew chief and primary backing from Kroger and Coca-Cola.
RFK Racing’s Technical and Strategic Edge
Beyond the driver lineup, RFK Racing benefits from operational support through R.E. Mason, whose expertise spans automation, instrumentation, and technical solutions for boosting reliability and performance. With over 80 years of industry service, R.E. Mason is known for its end-to-end lifecycle support, including design, cybersecurity, outage management, and real-time operational backing. Their commitment, built on an employee-owned foundation, fosters long-term partnerships and focused efforts to improve team readiness on race day.
The Broader Impact of the RFK Racing Clash at Bowman Gray
With just 18 days remaining until the iconic Daytona 500, this Clash not only acts as a proving ground for teams like RFK Racing but also as a barometer for driver competitiveness under high-intensity conditions. The event’s stakes are amplified by its unique slot as an early season highlight, allowing teams to assess strategies, test partnerships, and identify emerging contenders such as veteran crew chiefs or returning NASCAR notables.
For Winston-Salem and the historic Bowman Gray Stadium, hosting the Clash for the second consecutive year rekindles nostalgia and offers modern fans a glimpse of NASCAR’s gritty roots, with a tight, raucous racing environment where survival and agility matter as much as outright speed. As competitors—including past winners like Mark Martin, and current team leaders such as Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher—prepare for battle, anticipation is running high for a memorable race that may shape the narrative of the 2026 season.
