NASCAR 2025: Full weekend schedule for Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium

The much-awaited new NASCAR Cup Series season is set to kick off next week with a preseason exhibition event, the Cook Out Clash, at Bowman Gray Stadium on Sunday, February 2, 2025. The first exhibition race of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season will be held at Bowman Gray Stadium and broadcast on FOX at 8 pm ET.

The Cook Out Clash will consist of over 200 laps, and 23 drivers will advance to the main event. The 23rd and final spot is reserved for the driver who finished highest in the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series championship standings and has not yet secured a spot in the main event.

A total of 40 NASCAR Cup Series drivers are participating in this year’s Clash. The season-opening exhibition event will begin with practice and heat races on Saturday (February 1).

There will be four heat races of 25 laps each, and five top-finishing drivers in each heat race will advance to the Cook Out Clash. The remaining drivers who don't lock in a spot during the heats will move to the 75-lap Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ) race on Sunday afternoon. The top two finishers from the LCQ will lock their spots for Sunday’s Clash.

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin is the defending champion of the Clash and will aim to make it two in a row.

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Full weekend schedule for 2025 NASCAR Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium

Here’s the complete two-day schedule for the 2025 Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium:

Saturday, February 1, 2025

1:45 pm ET: NASCAR Advanced Auto Parts Madhouse Classic at Bowman Gray Stadium

6:10 pm ET: Cup Series practice & qualifying

8:30 pm ET: Cup Series Qualifying Heat Race No. 1

8:45 pm ET: Cup Series Qualifying Heat Race No. 2

9:00 pm ET: Cup Series Qualifying Heat Race No. 3

9:15 pm ET: Cup Series Qualifying Heat Race No. 4

Sunday, February 2, 2025

6 pm ET: Last Chance Qualifying Race

8:00 pm ET: Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium

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Breaking down of the starting lineup for the 2025 Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium

Here’s how the starting lineup will be set for the 23-car field at Bowman Gray Stadium:

1. Heat 1 winner
2. Heat 2 winner
3. Heat 3 winner
4. Heat 4 winner
5. Heat 1 second-place
6. Heat 2 second-place
7. Heat 3 second-place
8. Heat 4 second-place
9. Heat 1 third-place
10. Heat 2 third-place
11. Heat 3 third-place
12. Heat 4 third-place
13. Heat 1 fourth-place
14. Heat 2 fourth-place
15. Heat 3 fourth-place
16. Heat 4 fourth-place
17. Heat 1 fifth-place
18. Heat 2 fifth-place
19. Heat 3 fifth-place
20. Heat 4 fifth-place
21. LCQ winner
22. LCQ 2 winner
23. 2024 points provisional