Bowman Gray Stadium is undergoing a series of renovations in advance of the Busch Clash in February.
The longest annually running weekly series race track under the NASCAR banner, having contested motorsports events since 1949, will also host its first Cup Series event since a points race in 1971. NASCAR also acquired the promotional rights to race at the hybrid race track-football field through 2050.
Thus, with a long-term runway, the sanctioning body is making the following renovations to support the Clash and the summer weekly racing program:
- A brand-new Musco lighting system that is custom designed to improve track lighting and visibility, reduce energy consumption, enhance the overall experience for drivers and fans, and provide the necessary illumination for nationally televised racing events, beginning with the 2025 NASCAR Clash on FOX. Funding for the lighting system will come from a pandemic recovery grant that was awarded to the City of Winston-Salem in 2022 as part of the North Carolina Motorsports Relief Fund.
- Installation of SAFER barrier, the innovative and life-saving steel and foam energy reduction system, and new catch fences featured at every NASCAR national series racetrack.
“Part of being good stewards of Bowman Gray Stadium includes preparing it to host compelling events that rightfully place it in the national spotlight,” said Ben Kennedy, NASCAR’s Executive Vice President and Chief Venue and Racing Innovation Officer. “We are grateful to Musco for providing the premium event lighting product to illuminate this historic venue. The preparations in advance of The Clash will position this national treasure as a showcase of national and grassroots racing for the next generation and beyond.”
Renovations began in October with the removal of the guardrails that previously outline the outside of the track. Those rails were not strong enough to catch the heavier Cup Series cars compared to those that race weekly in the summer.
The Clash is the non-points exhibition event that opens every season. 2025 is the first season it has been contested in Winston-Salem, following stints at Daytona and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
