NASCAR sets format for preseason Clash at Bowman Gray

The main event for the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium will feature 23 drivers racing around the flat quarter mile football stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina for 200 laps.

Its format will not be too dissimilar to the one used the past three years for the preseason race at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Race weekend begins on February 1 with a practice session that airs live on FS1. The drivers will be split into a trio of groups and each group will get three practice sessions each. The final practice session will also serves as qualifying for four 25-lap heat races.

The fastest driver in final practice will start from the pole in Heat 1. The second fastest driver will start from the pole in Heat 2. The third fastest driver from pole in Heat 3 and fourth fastest starts from pole in Heat 4.

For the heat races, only green flag laps will count and there will be no overtime rule. The top-five finishers in each heat race advances to the Sunday night main event.

Those who did not advance through the heats will have one more chance to race their way into the feature through the 75-lap Last Chance Qualifier on Sunday afternoon. Once again, only green flag laps will count in that race and the top-two finishers will make the main event.

The 23rd and final starting spot will be awarded to the driver highest in the 2024 championship standings to have not already made the main event. The main event starts at 8 p.m. on Sunday February 2 on FOX.

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