The Cook Out Clash at the Bowman Gray Stadium is the first race of the NASCAR Cup Series season. The Clash is one of the two non-points paying race feature races of the Cup Series. The 2025 Cook Out Clash at the Bowman Gray Stadium is scheduled to take place on February 2nd, 2025 from 8:00 PM Eastern Time. The 2025 Clash is scheduled to be the first time that the race will be hosted in the Bowman Gray Stadium. The race was sponsored by Anheuser-Busch until the 2024 season and hosted at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. It was called the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum until the 2024 season.
The NASCAR Cook Out Clash will feature 23 fastest drivers from the 2025 NASCAR grid, including special entries and entries based on previous season’s standings. Denny Hamlin is the defending champion of the Cook Out Clash, as of January 2025. He won the last race held at the Coliseum in 2024.
List of Cook Out Clash winners
The Cook Out Clash has been a part of the NASCAR Cup Series since 1979. It was first hosted under the sponsorship of Busch Beer and was called the Busch Clash race. Buddy Baker was the first driver to win the race, as per Racing Reference.
| Year | Date | No. | Driver |
| 1979 | February 11 | 28 | Buddy Baker |
| 1980 | February 10 | 2 | Dale Earnhardt |
| 1981 | February 8 | 11 | Darrell Waltrip |
| 1982 | February 7 | 88 | Bobby Allison |
| 1983 | February 14 | 75 | Neil Bonnett |
| 1984 | February 12 | 12 | Neil Bonnett |
| 1985 | February 10 | 44 | Terry Labonte |
| 1986 | February 9 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt |
| 1987 | February 8 | 9 | Bill Elliott |
| 1988 | February 7 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt |
| 1989 | February 12 | 25 | Ken Schrader |
| 1990 | February 11 | 25 | Ken Schrader |
| 1991 | February 10 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt |
| 1992 | February 8 | 15 | Geoff Bodine |
| 1993 | February 7 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt |
| 1994 | February 13 | 24 | Jeff Gordon |
| 1995 | February 12 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt |
| 1996 | February 11 | 88 | Dale Jarrett |
| 1997 | February 9 | 24 | Jeff Gordon |
| 1998 | February 8 | 2 | Rusty Wallace |
| 1999 | February 7 | 6 | Mark Martin |
| 2000 | February 13 | 88 | Dale Jarrett |
| 2001 | February 11 | 20 | Tony Stewart |
| 2002 | February 10 | 20 | Tony Stewart |
| 2003 | February 8 | 8 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
| 2004 | February 7 | 88 | Dale Jarrett |
| 2005 | February 12 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson |
| 2006 | February 12 | 11 | Denny Hamlin |
| 2007 | February 10 | 20 | Tony Stewart |
| 2008 | February 9 | 88 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
| 2009 | February 7 | 29 | Kevin Harvick |
| 2010 | February 6 | 29 | Kevin Harvick |
| 2011 | February 12 | 22 | Kurt Busch |
| 2012 | February 18 | 18 | Kyle Busch |
| 2013 | February 16 | 29 | Kevin Harvick |
| 2014 | February 15 | 11 | Denny Hamlin |
| 2015 | February 14 | 20 | Matt Kenseth |
| 2016 | February 13 | 11 | Denny Hamlin |
| 2017 | February 19 | 22 | Joey Logano |
| 2018 | February 11 | 2 | Brad Keselowski |
| 2019 | February 10 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson |
| 2020 | February 9 | 20 | Erik Jones |
| 2021 | February 9 | 18 | Kyle Busch |
| 2022 | February 6 | 22 | Joey Logano |
| 2023 | February 5 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. |
| 2024 | February 3 | 11 | Denny Hamlin |
Cook Out Clash team winner year-by-year
Ranier-Lundy won the first Cook Out Clash in NASCAR Cup Series with Buddy Baker in 1979.
| Year | Team | Manufacturer |
| 1979 | Ranier-Lundy | Oldsmobile |
| 1980 | Osterlund Racing | Oldsmobile |
| 1981 | Junior Johnson & Associates | Buick |
| 1982 | DiGard Motorsports | Buick |
| 1983 | RahMoc Enterprises | Chevrolet |
| 1984 | Junior Johnson & Associates | Chevrolet |
| 1985 | Hagan Racing | Chevrolet |
| 1986 | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 1987 | Melling Racing | Ford |
| 1988 | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 1989 | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 1990 | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 1991 | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 1992 | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford |
| 1993 | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 1994 | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 1995 | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 1996 | Robert Yates Racing | Ford |
| 1997 | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 1998 | Penske Racing | Ford |
| 1999 | Roush Racing | Ford |
| 2000 | Robert Yates Racing | Ford |
| 2001 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Pontiac |
| 2002 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Pontiac |
| 2003 | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet |
| 2004 | Robert Yates Racing | Ford |
| 2005 | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 2006 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Chevrolet |
| 2007 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Chevrolet |
| 2008 | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 2009 | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 2010 | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 2011 | Penske Racing | Dodge |
| 2012 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 2013 | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 2014 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 2015 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 2016 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 2017 | Team Penske | Ford |
| 2018 | Team Penske | Ford |
| 2019 | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 2020 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 2021 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 2022 | Team Penske | Ford |
| 2023 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 2024 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
Cook Out Clash's multiple time winners
Dale Earnhardt, who is a seven time NASCAR Cup champion, is the driver with the most victories in the NASCAR Clash. He has won six races throughout his career. He is followed by Denny Hamlin with four wins. Hamlin is the driver with most Clash victories in the 2025 grid.
| Wins | Driver | Years Won |
| 6 | Dale Earnhardt | 1980, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1995 |
| 4 | Denny Hamlin | 2006, 2014, 2016, 2024 |
| 3 | Dale Jarrett | 1996, 2000, 2004 |
| Tony Stewart | 2001, 2002, 2007 | |
| Kevin Harvick | 2009, 2010, 2013 | |
| 2 | Neil Bonnett | 1983, 1984 |
| Ken Schrader | 1989, 1990 | |
| Jeff Gordon | 1994, 1997 | |
| Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 2003, 2008 | |
| Jimmie Johnson | 2005, 2019 | |
| Kyle Busch | 2012, 2021 | |
| Joey Logano | 2017, 2022 |
Cook Out Clash's team multiple time winners
Joe Gibbs Racing, which is the defending Cook Out Clash winner, has the most victories in NASCAR Clash with 12 victories to their name.
| Wins | Team | Years Won |
| 12 | Joe Gibbs Racing | 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2012, 2014-2016, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024 |
| 8 | Richard Childress Racing | 1986, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1995, 2009, 2010, 2013 |
| 7 | Hendrick Motorsports | 1989, 1990, 1994, 1997, 2005, 2008, 2019 |
| 5 | Team Penske | 1998, 2011, 2017, 2018, 2022 |
| 3 | Robert Yates Racing | 1996, 2000, 2004 |
| 2 | Junior Johnson & Associates | 1981, 1984 |
FAQs on Cook Out Clash
A. Denny Hamlin is the defending winner of the NASCAR Clash race.
A. The 2025 Cook Out Clash will be a 200 laps long event.
A. The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum has a capacity of 77,500.
A. Yes, the 2025 NASCAR Cook Out Clash will be broadcasted on FOX.
