Ryan Preece emerged as the Ryan Preece Clash winner on a challenging night at Bowman Gray Stadium on February 5, 2026, overcoming adversity and treacherous weather changes to claim the celebrated non-points NASCAR event. Preece’s dramatic performance, marked by rain, restarts, and a fierce drive from the back of the field, set the tone for what could be an inspiring season ahead.
Preece’s Journey to Victory Lane
Ryan Preece, reflecting on his win, highlighted the staggering emotional weight of the moment and the difficult road that preceded it. The support from teammates and racing partners, along with strategic calls on rain tires, contributed to his triumph at a venue with deep personal connections.
“I don’t even know what to say. It’s been a long road. And it’s the Clash but man, it’s just been years and year of grinding. Just super thankful for Brad Keselowski, all our partners, Jack Roush. Two years ago,I didn’t think I was going to have a job. I thought I was going back to Connecticut. Man, I’m just super, super, super emotional. We had a really good car, and I felt like we were fighting adversity all day. Trying to come from the back, we got a lot of good spots. When we were putting rain tires on, man, this is as much of a mental game as anything, and I felt pretty beat up. We had a couple of restarts go our way, and before you know it, you’re in the front two rows. Then the claws just come out. I’m speechless. … I’ve got to thank Ford, Ford Racing and everybody there with all the support they give us. As far as emotions go, when you work as hard as I have, I hate talking about it because I hate getting emotional about it, but it’s not just the Clash – winning means everything to me. I’ve put a lot into it. … I’m a quarter-mile killer. When it comes to this style of racing it’s what I grew up doing. I used to drive for a guy, Eddie Partridge, and he owned Riverhead Raceway, and I was racing for Bill Park and it’s an absolute grind. The moment to get here, it’s a lead up to the year and it’s not a points race, but winning means everything. Man, I’m just speechless.”
— Ryan Preece, Winner
The emotional impact of the win was immediately evident across the track and on social media, with NASCAR celebrating Preece’s reaction to the high-stakes result.
Key Performances from Top Contenders
The night’s competition was further defined by resilient efforts from several prominent NASCAR names, with driver adaptability proving crucial as changing weather forced strategy shifts and tested nerves across the grid.
William Byron Delivers Strong Second-Place Finish
William Byron navigated wet conditions and close racing to secure second place, lauding NASCAR’s handling of the weather and expressing hope for more preparation in future rain events.
“It was just a marathon race. I feel like NASCAR did a good job with the rain conditions. I wish we would have had a practice session in the rain, just to kind of understand the characteristics a little better. It just seemed like guys were kind of using each other up. But then it started to dry up there at the end and it was fun. Overall, it was a solid finish and good start to the season for the No. 24 Valvoline Chevrolet team.”
— William Byron, Second Place
Ryan Blaney Battles Through Weather for Podium
Ryan Blaney’s journey to third place was defined by adaptability, as he initially excelled in dry weather, faced challenges on rain tires, and clawed back opportunities as the track evolved throughout the race. Blaney credited his team’s determination and a fast car for the result.
“A pretty wild day. From the race, we were really, really good in the dry. I thought we were the best car by a mile the first half, driving from 16th to fourth and I was really looking forward to getting the second half going and then it started raining. A wintry mix I guess you could call it, and then the rain tires went on and when we fired off in the rain I went straight backwards. I wasn’t good. My car wasn’t handling good, and then as it started to dry out my car came back. Even on the wet tires, my car came back a little bit and we were able to pick a couple good lanes and creep through there and ended up third. Overall, a back and forth night, but I’m proud of the effort and proud of a really fast car in the dry, and then just sticking with it in the wet. It dried up a little bit for us to be able to go back forward. It’s odd. Honestly, I was pretty nervous because our car was so good in the dry. When you just throw wets on it you can’t really adjust anything. I’m like, ‘Uh oh, I don’t know if we’re gonna be very good,’ because what my car did really good in the dry is not what you really want in the wet, so I was nervous about that. But, I was just looking forward to it to stop raining and hopefully get somewhat of a dry lane going on and it eventually did. My car came back a little bit. It still handles way different on wet tires, but it’s pretty fun as a driver. When it first got raining it was really top dominant. The bottom was so slippery and you saw a bunch of guys that couldn’t really pass anybody, but once the dry lane started and kind of started working down you could have a little more options, so that makes it fun as a driver. An ever-changing racetrack is neat and trying to look at the track lap to lap like, ‘Alright, did it get a little bit drier higher up or lower?’ That’s what is fun for a driver. We don’t do it that often, so it’s neat when we can do it.”
— Ryan Blaney, Third Place
Daniel Suarez Claims Fourth in Competitive Outing
Daniel Suarez brought home a robust fourth-place finish, emphasizing his team’s preparedness for both dry and wet segments, and looking ahead with optimism towards Daytona.
“Very proud of this No. 7 Chevrolet team. I think that the car was very, very capable of running in the top-five. In both the dry and wet conditions, I felt like we were pretty strong. There was a lot of contact throughout the race and at one point, it started to feel like it wasn’t driving as well anymore. But overall, happy to come home with a top-five. I think this was a good start for everyone on his No. 7 team.”
— Daniel Suarez, Fourth Place
Other Noteworthy Performances and Challenges
Several additional drivers experienced highs and lows as the unique conditions of the Clash tested skills and strategy:
- Austin Dillon fought through adversity and credited the rain tires for a late surge in performance, ultimately finishing seventh. He praised the No. 3 team for their persistence and viewed the result as a solid foundation for the new season. “What a fight all night from this No. 3 Chevrolet team. The rain tires saved our night. We struggled on the slicks. So when the rain and sleet came. It put us back in the ballgame and we found speed there at the end of the run. I got shipped a couple times and probably should have been in the wall, but was able to save it in turns three and four. Proud of the effort from everyone at Richard Childress Racing and it’s a good start to our season.” — Austin Dillon, Seventh Place
- Ross Chastain encountered both the bitter cold and the challenges of a new crew, eventually working his way to ninth after a night full of incidents and track changes. “It sure was a cold day and really cold night here at Bowman Gray Stadium. It felt great to be in the Chevrolet today and it was my first race with my new crew chief, Brandon McSwain. I experienced pretty much everything out there tonight – passing cars, being bumped, spinning, a wet track for the last half. It was eventful, that’s for sure. Brandon and the guys kept working on the car all night and finally towards the end we worked our way forward to ninth. It was wild out there tonight with everything we experienced, but I’m looking forward to getting to Daytona next week for the first points race of the season. I hope it’s a lot warmer there, that’s for sure.” — Ross Chastain, Ninth Place
- Connor Zilisch managed speed in changing conditions but was hampered by late-race chaos and a wreck, resulting in an 18th-place finish. “It was a very chaotic race. At the end of that first run, we drove up to 12th. We had good speed in the dry conditions, but immediately when we fired off in the wet, our No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet was really fast. Once the cautions started coming out every other lap, it started to become a bit of a mess. The restarts just became really chaotic and that kind of cost us track position. We were running inside the top-seven, top-eight; just got clipped in a wreck and that kind of killed our night. We had glimmers of hope, just disappointed to come home where we did considering the day and the speed that we had.” — Connor Zilisch, 18th Place
- Kyle Busch experienced setbacks from early handling issues and late-race incidents, finishing 19th, but kept eyes fixed on Daytona and future opportunities. “The entire No. 8 Chevrolet team fought hard today. We lacked grip at the start of the race, but after making changes at the halfway point we were battling our way to the front. We unfortunately got caught up in on-track contact a few times tonight and are leaving Bowman Gray Stadium with a 19th-place finish, but I’m ready to turn my focus to the Daytona 500 and getting back to victory lane.” — Kyle Busch, 19th Place
- Shane van Gisbergen adapted to the unfamiliar American wet-weather racing environment, finding both struggles and satisfying stretches on his way to 20th. “It was a good bit of fun. There were moments of brilliance and moments that weren’t. It was cool to get to the front. We were just trying to search for the grip. The wet weather conditions were very different than what I’ve raced in Supercars, just with the way the corners are and the way the rubber lays down. But then it started to come back up again and dry up. It was pretty wild. But all-in-all, happy with our run and it’s a good way to start the season for this No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet team.” — Shane van Gisbergen, 20th Place
Last Chance Efforts: LaJoie’s Grit
For some, qualification was a story in itself. Corey LaJoie missed the main event after a hard-fought third in the Last Chance Qualifier, reflecting on the night’s tactical challenge and looking forward to a renewed push at Daytona.
“It was like a game of chess at 50 miles an hour. You wanted to be the guy on the inside obviously, but you don’t want to pass the guy because then he had the opportunity to get back to you. I came up a little bit short. It was exciting. It was fun to be in the fight. I hadn’t been in a fight like that in a long time. Kudos to the 6 team. They’ve had a lot to deal with over the offseason. I know Brad is watching at home. He’ll be ready to go next week, but it was really cool to get in this 6 car system to knock the rust off. Unfortunately, we’ll be watching the show from the couch, but we’re really prepared and I feel really good about next week. It’s going to be without a doubt the best opportunity I’ve had at the 500. We’ve been close with some other opportunities too in the last couple of years, so maybe this is the year. Nonetheless, we’re gonna have some strength in numbers with our RFK group next week and I’m just ready to get out of the snow, get south to Daytona where it’s nice and warm, and we’ll see if we can go sneak out a Harley J. Earl trophy.”
— Corey LaJoie, Last Chance Qualifier
Adapting to Weather and Changing Track Conditions
Throughout the race, drivers, teams, and crew chiefs demonstrated grit as they switched between dry and rain tires, strategizing constantly over handling and track conditions. Bowman Gray’s unique quarter-mile oval and cold temperatures further complicated the setups and approaches, challenging even the most seasoned participants like Ross Chastain and Austin Dillon.
After rain began to fall during the second half, the competition became unpredictable, elevating the importance of nimble decision-making. This dynamic environment played directly to the strengths—and emotions—of experienced racers like Ryan Preece, whose roots in short-track racing proved an advantage on the storied Winston-Salem track.
Momentum Builds Toward Daytona and the 2026 Season
Preece’s victory delivers a jolt of excitement to the early stages of NASCAR’s 2026 season, setting a benchmark for resilience and determination. Teams such as RFK, Ford Racing, Trackhouse, Richard Childress Racing, and Spire Motorsport each demonstrated capabilities that will be closely watched as preparations shift to Daytona.
This emotionally charged Ryan Preece Clash winner story, anchored by personal history and competitive grit, establishes Bowman Gray Stadium as both a testing ground and stage for NASCAR’s emerging season narratives. As competitors regroup, all eyes turn toward the Daytona 500, where Preece and the rest of the field will compete for points, prestige, and the iconic Harley J. Earl trophy amidst heightened anticipation and optimism.
You can tell how much this means to @RyanPreece_. 🥹 pic.twitter.com/7Br25g97wv
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 5, 2026
P4 at the Clash ⚔️ Very happy for my 7 @SpireMotorsport team 🙏🏽 Great start to the season and looking forward to racing in Daytona! pic.twitter.com/OazvXwaPMZ
— Daniel Suárez (@Daniel_SuarezG) February 5, 2026
