Ryan Preece “Speechless” Following Clash Victory

Ryan Preece celebrates an emotional win in the 2026 Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. (Photo: Matt Thacker | Nigel Kinrade Photography)

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — After a historic winter storm delayed the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium from Feb. 1 until Feb. 4, the weather could not freeze Ryan Preece, who scored the long-awaited victory.

Although The Clash is just an exhibition race, it marked the first time Preece reached Victory Lane in the NASCAR Cup Series, following a long and emotional ride to the position he is in for 2026.

“I don’t even know what to say,” Preece said emotionally. “To be honest with you, it’s been a (expletive) long road. It’s The Clash, but, man, it’s been years and years of grinding. Two years ago, I didn’t think I was going to have a job. I thought I was going back to Connecticut.”

During the chaotic event, which included 17 cautions and a mixture of rain and snow following the halfway break, Preece muscled past Shane van Gisbergen for the lead on Lap 156 and led the final 45 laps of the race to secure the victory.

In doing so, he joined Jeff Gordon and Denny Hamlin as the only drivers to ever win The Clash before winning a NASCAR Cup Series points-paying race. Preece also became the ninth consecutive non-repeat winner of the event.

Entering year No. 2 driving the No. 60 car, Preece feels that he and teammates Chris Buescher and Brad Keselowski will have a strong 2026 season, especially based on how consistently they have performed recently.

“I feel like our team, and our organization (RFK Racing) can be really lethal this year,” he said. “We just got to keep pulling the rope in the same direction and grind it out.”

William Byron finished runner-up in the event, as Preece pulled away from the No. 24 car after the final restart on Lap 182. Ryan Blaney scored a third-place finish while Daniel Suarez, in his first race with Spire Motorsports, finished in fourth place. Hamlin rounded out the top five.

Scoring top 10s were Chase Briscoe, Austin Dillon, Buescher, Ross Chastain and Alex Bowman.

Due to the weather postponement, the event format changed. Instead of heat races, the initial 20-car field was set by group qualifying. The remaining 18 cars were thrown into the Last Chance Qualifier, where the top two drivers advanced into the main event, along with the top remaining driver from the 2025 final point standings.

Kyle Larson scored the pole, allowing him to lead the first 67 laps of the Cook Out Clash before finishing in 16th place.

Josh Berry won the LCQ for a second straight season in dominating fashion, racing his way into the event alongside Austin Cindric, who had an intense battle with both A.J. Allmendinger and Corey LaJoie, who was driving the No. 6 car for injured Keselowski.

Bowman used the points provisional to qualify for the main event, using his 13th-place points finish from a year ago.

The NASCAR Cup Series season officially kicks off this upcoming week at Daytona International Speedway, hitting the track for the first time on Wednesday, Feb. 11, for practice and single-car qualifying. The Daytona 500 takes place on Sunday, Feb. 15, at 2:30 p.m. EST on FOX, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio and HBO Max.

Ryan Preece capitalized late to win the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium. (Photo: Matt Thacker | Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium Finishing Results