Chase Elliott leads the pack at Bowman Gray, aiming for consecutive Clash victories. [Image Source: PROFOOTBALLNETWORK]
Chase Elliott is set to defend his title at the highly anticipated Cook Out Clash, NASCAR’s exhibition opener, returning Sunday to the legendary Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. As the only recent NASCAR Cup Series driver to win at the venue, Elliott enters with both momentum and the pressure of repeat expectations, aiming to strengthen his Chase Elliott Clash defense.
Historic Bowman Gray Stadium Welcomes Back NASCAR Cup Racing
Bowman Gray Stadium, a storied quarter-mile oval, witnessed its first Cupraces from 1958 through 1971 before a long hiatus ended last February. In a thrilling comeback for the series, Elliott piloted the No. 9 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, leading for most of the 200 laps and capturing the win, much to the delight of an enthusiastic North Carolina crowd. Reflecting on the atmosphere and eventful race, Elliott remarked,
“I’m looking forward to going back. I thought it was a great event last year,”
“A lot of energy and excitement around it. I think the crowd, the vibes were great. Obviously, it went really well for us. But even outside of that, I thought it was really good. So yeah, I’m ready to get going.”
Chase Elliott, NASCAR Driver.
Consistency and Perspective After 2025’s Successes
Following his Clash victory, Elliott claimed two critical points-paying wins during the 2025 season—one at his home trackEchoPark Speedway and another with a last-lap pass at Kansas Speedway in the postseason. These results gave him his first multi-win year since 2022, but Elliott remains grounded about what a preseason triumph means for the rest of the campaign. He shared his point of view, stating,
Image of: Chase Elliott
“I mean, look, it was great to win the race. It didn’t change our season,”
Chase Elliott, NASCAR Driver. He further elaborated,
“And I said that after the race I’m pretty sure that, hey, this was great, but it’s not going to make or break or totally define your year because we’ve had great years where we didn’t run well in the Clash. It’s not a ‘hey, this has to be perfect for the rest of it to go well.’ But look, it’s a competition. It’s an opportunity to go win a race. Everybody’s trying. It’s not like it’s a performative thing. It’s a very competitive event, one that I find to be a lot of fun and I look forward to getting up there and trying to go back-to-back.”
Chase Elliott, NASCAR Driver.
Preseason Testing Builds Momentum for Elliott and Team
As final preparations for 2026 ramp up, Elliott reunited with several Cup Series colleagues during a session at North Wilkesboro Speedway. This organizational test marked an important milestone, especially for Elliott and crew chief Alan Gustafson, as they work to optimize the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports car for the upcoming campaign. Elliott commented on the productive outing, noting,
“Thought that went well for us,”
Chase Elliott, NASCAR Driver, and recalling,
“You know, got a good day under our belt of being back at the track and kind of going through those motions. First time we’ve had a test in — I don’t know. How long’s it been since we tested? Two years?”
Chase Elliott, NASCAR Driver. Gustafson confirmed from his seat, “Two years — at least,” as Elliott reflected,
“Been a long time since we’ve had a test, and that was nice to do ahead of the Clash. We like to go to work, so we’re just ready to go.”
Chase Elliott, NASCAR Driver.
Adjusting to Camaro Upgrades and Teamwork with Chevrolet
One of the technical storylines this year involves updates to the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1’s body panels. Elliott, with extensive experience handling changes in car design, spoke confidently about adapting to the modifications, saying,
“I think you go through those experiences and you learn and you try and not make the same mistakes in the past,”
Chase Elliott, NASCAR Driver. He added,
“But a lot of things have changed. Everything is very, very minor. You know, there’s nothing that is crazy over the top. They have everybody in a really small box, so it’s not like you’re gonna get totally out in left field on the good end and hopefully not on the bad end, either. But definitely a lot more room to mess it up than there is to make it better.”
Elliott credited General Motors and Chevrolet for their efforts:
“But certainly a lot of effort came from GM and Chevrolet and trying to help and make sure we’re making the right decisions. I couldn’t tell a difference at Wilkesboro last week — obviously, slow pace, not a real racing situation being a test. So a lot of those answers will just have to be answered when we get rolling.”
Chase Elliott, NASCAR Driver.
Looking Ahead to the 2026 Daytona 500 and Beyond
After the Bowman Gray season opener, attention across the NASCAR world will shift to the 68th Daytona 500, slated for February 15, where Cup Series teams will launch the official points chase. For Elliott and the No. 9 team, a Clash repeat would underscore their competitive drive but, as past seasons indicate, offers no guarantees about the grind ahead. Still, both the expanded partnership with Chevrolet and fresh test data have Elliott focused on making the most of every race.
With the intensity of the Chase Elliott Clash defense in focus, fans, teams, and NASCAR insiders are set to watch closely as the 2026 season unfolds, beginning under the lights at historic Bowman Gray and accelerating into Daytona’s high-speed drama.
