Format revealed for 2025 Cook Out Clash as NASCAR brings the heat to historic Bowman Gray Stadium

The inaugural race of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, will feature 23 cars racing 200 laps under green-flag conditions on February 2.

NASCAR announced the format for the practice sessions, heat races, last-chance qualifier, and the main race on Tuesday (January 21). The practice sessions for the non-championship pre-season race are scheduled for February 1 and will see 37 cars qualify, split into three groups with each getting three sessions. The fastest lap from the last session will decide the starting lineup for the heat races.

There will be four 25-lap heat races. Only laps under green flags will count and the top five drivers from each heat will move to the main race. Moreover, drivers who don’t qualify will race in a 75-lap Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ) and the top two finishers will join the main race. The highest-ranked driver from 2024 who could not qualify will be given the final 23rd spot in the main race.

Finally, Cash Out Cash will start at 8 pm ET with 23 drivers racing 200 laps (instead of the previous 150) with a halfway break at Lap 100. The race has been held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for the past three seasons but will move to the Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina before the season-opening Daytona 500. The race will stream live on FOX.

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NASCAR team renamed to Garage 66 adds Garrett Smithley for the Clash

Motorsports Business Management (MBM) Motorsports recently announced its NASCAR Cup Series team's new name, Garage 66 for 2025. Xfinity Series driver, Garrett Smithley will attempt to qualify for the series non-points race, The Clash, in the No. 66 Chevrolet.

"It’s awesome to be back in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2025,” Smithley said in a team press release. “I’ve been talking to Carl [Long] for a while now about putting something together, and finally all the pieces fell into place. I am looking forward to running this historic race at Bowman Gray, and hopefully we can do more together throughout the year," Smithley said (via sportsnaut.com).

The team, which plans to race in about 20 events, tried to feature former Cup Series driver Mike Wallace for this year's Daytona 500 in the No. 66 Ford. However, NASCAR blocked the 65-year-old's entry due to insufficient recent motorsports experience. The team, owned by Carl Long, is now in search of a new driver and sponsor for the No. 66 car.

Their Xfinity Series team will still be called MBM Motorsports. This change followed the rebrand of JTG Daugherty to HYAK Motorsports.