Chase Elliott celebrated victory at the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium on Sunday, February 2, 2025. (Photo: Phil Cavali | The Podium Finish)
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – In front of a sold-out crowd of 17,000 fans, pole-winner Chase Elliott led a whopping 171 out of 200 green flag laps on his way to winning the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium.
After holding the lead for the first 96 laps of the race and relinquishing it to Hamlin in the last few laps before the halftime break, Elliott remained in a competitive position. He never faltered outside of the top three, and despite Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota coming to life for 28 laps, Elliott was able to retake the lead on Lap 126 and make the most of his incredibly fast No. 9 NAPA Chevrolet.
“I know it’s not a points race, but it is nice to win, for sure,” Elliott said in a post-race interview for Team Chevy. “Just really proud of our team for just continuing to keep our heads down and push forward, for sure.”
The Hendrick Motorsports driver’s control over the majority of the race did not come without obstacles, however. In addition to Hamlin’s mid-race charge to the front, Elliott’s close friend and competitor, Ryan Blaney, made quite the noticeable leap from starting dead last to challenge for the lead towards the end of the event.
“It was a tough race,” Elliott said. “Ryan kept me honest there at the end. Denny was really good at the second-half of that break. I just felt like he was kind of riding, and I was afraid to lose control of the race and not be able to get it back.
“Great way to start the season. Huge thanks to everybody at Hendrick Motorsports; a lot of hard work over the off-season. NAPA Auto Parts, Chevrolet, some great partners. Excited to get to Daytona.”
Ryan Blaney challenging Chase Elliott for the lead in the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium. (Photo: Phil Cavali | The Podium Finish)
Rounding out his night with an impressive runner-up finish, Blaney skated into the main event by virtue of NASCAR’s 23rd and final starting position being saved for the driver who finished highest in the 2024 standings and did not make it through the Heat Races or Last Chance Qualifier. The No. 12 Menards/Great Lakes Flooring Ford was dialed in for what could have been a last-to-first Hail Mary victory.
Blaney was able to roll smoothly through the corners and gain a bit of ground on the No.9, but Elliott capitalized on flawlessly picking off lapped cars and exiting the corners strongly and was able to lengthen the gap back to second. Unfortunately, a tight condition settled into the No. 12 towards the end of the run, holding Blaney back from overtaking Elliott.
“I had a blast,” Blaney said to FOX Sports reporter Regan Smith post-race. “I was saying last year, we came from last to third and this year last to second. Just gotta not start last and we might have a shot to win one of these things.
“Being able to get to second and race hard with Chase there, like who’s going to save more tire and I just didn’t quite have enough right rear at the end to make a move on him.”
Denny Hamlin taking the lead from Chase Elliott prior to the halftime break at the Cook Out Clash. (Photo: Phil Cavali | The Podium Finish)
Joe Gibbs Racing veteran Hamlin was a contender all night and, as a four-time Clash winner, was a favorite to win. Once he took the lead before the halftime break and again at the restart, it was easy to imagine Hamlin taking the checkered flag. However, the final restart on Lap 121 proved to be the No. 11’s downfall.
“I just didn’t do very well on that restart there and kind of lost the bottom, and Chase took advantage of it,” Hamlin said to NASCAR.com. “Once you get the lead, it’s a lot easier to hang on to it.”
Misfortune also followed the two drivers who made the Clash by duking it out in the Last Chance Qualifier, Kyle Larson and Josh Berry. Despite very impressive efforts in the LCQ, neither driver had Blaney’s speed and were mired in the back half of the field throughout the main event.
The first NASCAR-sanctioned event at the quarter-mile track since 1971 proved to be a success. Between the sold-out grandstands and the awe-inspired determination of the drivers, Bowman Gray put on a show that NASCAR fans will never forget.
“This is a place that has a deep history in NASCAR. I think they deserve this event, truthfully,” Elliott said to NASCAR.com. “I hope we didn’t disappoint. It was fun for me at least, and we’ll hopefully come back here one day.”
Chase Elliott celebrating his historic Clash win in front of a sold-out crowd. (Photo: Phil Cavali | The Podium Finish)
