NASCAR insider Bob Pockrass picks 23XI Racing’s driver as favorite to win Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium

The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series heads to the historic Bowman Gray Stadium for the first race of the season, the Cook Out Clash. Ahead of the preseason exhibition event, NASCAR insider Bob Pockrass shared his prediction, picking the championship winner, top-five finishes and longshot to win the 2025 NASCAR Cook Out Clash.

Pockrass picked 23XI Racing driver Tyler Reddick to take the checkered flag at Bowman Gray. Reddick had an impressive campaign last season as he won the regular season championship and made it into the championship four before finishing fourth in the final championship standings.

The #45 Toyota driver will look to start this season from where he left in 2024. He will start from fourth position in the 23-driver field on Sunday as he won heat 4.

Rounding out Pockrass’ top-five predictions are Christopher Bell, William Byron, pole sitter Chase Elliott, and Brad Keselowski. He also picked Noah Gragson as a dark horse prospect. Gragson will start at P9.

On X, Pockrass wrote:

“A little late on my picks for today ... my pick is Tyler Reddick ... top-5: Reddick Bell Logano Elliott Keselowski ... dark horse: Gragson.”

Tyler Reddick, who won the 2024 regular season title, had earned three wins, 12 top-5s and 21 top-10 finishes, leading 597 laps with an average finish of 13.1 in 36 races last year.

Meanwhile, Christopher Bell and Kyle Larson are the top 2 favorites to win on Sunday in the odds table.

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Kevin Harvick picks Chase Briscoe to win 2025 NASCAR Clash at Bowman Gray

Former driver-tuned commentator Kevin Harvick picks Joe Gibbs Racing’s Chase Briscoe as a favorite to win his first Clash at Bowman. Briscoe will start the 2025 season with a new team after Stewart-Haas Racing shut down its operation last season. He will start from sixth on Sunday.

In a recent episode of Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour, when his co-host Kaitlyn Vincie asked him to give his prediction for the first race of the season, Harvick said:

“Chase Briscoe, because I think that the Joe Gibbs cars have run well at these short tracks, and I think that he, along with a lot of other guys, has something to prove, and I think James Small is right there with him, so he has been good. He was very good as his teammate at SHR at this style of racetrack, and I just think that it could be a magical moment for him.” [56:33]

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Catch NASCAR Cup Series drivers and teams in action at Bowman Gray Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 2, at 8 pm ET. The event will be telecast on FOX.