Category: 2025

All posts from the year 2025

The long history with NASCAR at Bowman-Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, NC was highlighted in a big way to open the 2025 season. The “Cookout Clash” pre-season NASCAR Cup race put the top tier series on the 1/4 mile track that hasn’t run there in over 50 years. (*Racing at Bowman-Gray has been sanctioned by NASCAR all along with a broad series of modifieds, late models, sportsman and more)

Often referred to as the “Madhouse”, the stadium also tagged the Sunday Clash with the NASCAR Modified “Madhouse Classic” on Saturday. Track champions, series winners, NASCAR connected drivers and more formed a 22 car field that put the “madhouse” title front and center.

It seemed like the contacts, bumps, spins and pushes threw the caution flag more than a football gets passed when Winston-Salem State University plays on the field. Attrition narrowed the field but it was still a career marking drive as Chris Fleming drove through the full traffic after an early spin. Fleming’s son, Jordan, was close on at 2nd place but his engine lost power allowing Burt Myers to close in. Fleming managed to keep the multiple season track champion in position to cross the checkers for the win.

The top five at the line wer Chris Fleming, Burt Myers, Dan Speeney, John Holleman IV and Brandon Ward. Replay and highlights are available with FloRacing.

Saturday wasn’t over. The Clash practice sessions and qualifying heat races set a preview for the 200 lap main on Sunday. The heats put 10 / 9 cars on track and the top 5 were set for the final with lap times setting the order. The bottom half of each heat were carried over to the “last chance” heat race before the main.

The Saturday heats did show a bit of the touch and go contact of the Modified race. There was a definite effort to protect the cars but the pressure to make it in did show. All said and done, it was Chase Elliott coming through with the pole for the Clash. The tension for the last chance on Sunday was turned it up a notch or two. At the finish, from mid pack, Kyle Larson and Josh Berry drove their way in to fill in the available spots.

Bowman-Gray Stadium was filled to capacity. This was a show fans were excited to watch. The history of NASCAR Cup racing there and coming back combined with the “madhouse” style of racing that is showcased there was an irresistible double-up.

The 1/4 mile track packed the field into a constant mix like egg beaters in a bowl. Early concerns about side by side racing and passing with the larger and more powerful Cup cars in a full field had fallen away quickly. It was a test but could be done.

Elliott was still the driver to chase for most of the 200 laps. Denny Hamlin, the Clash winner last year in Los Angeles, managed to pull the lead from Elliott for a bit. Ryan Blaney came up in the hunt also. The finish, however, belonged to Elliott carrying the race for over 170 laps. Hamlin had it for a short pace in the middle and Blaney might have had it but could not catch.

The field was marked with bumps, spins and torn bumpers and fenders. For the fans it was a race that reinforced the nickname “madhouse”. This was a history marker moving forward and will be one of those “I was there when…” races.

Next up is the Daytona 500 and all that goes with it. Next up for the Clash is still in discussion.

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The scene is set from one of the largest showcase race venues to one of the smallest. The ROLEX 24 just ran with a full, around the clock, visual spectacle of sports car technology on the edge of invention. The Daytona Intentional Speedway is known the world over and the badges that just raced there are a testament to the speed and notoriety of that track.

One week later, we look at a much different stage. From Daytona, we move a few states north to Winston-Salem, North Carolina and an odd little nook of racing history. Bowman-Gray Stadium, realistically a football venue for Winston-Salem State University, is also one of the longest running race tracks in the country. Midget racing was first on track, then early stock car racing which, over the years, turned to late models and into a staple of modified series racing. Now, NASCAR has expanded the endorsement there and has taken management control of the racing at Bowman-Gray. With that, they are putting the invitational, pre-season “CLASH” on the track as a showcase of 2025 Cup racing.

It wasn’t too long ago that the setting was the same for IMSA and NASCAR and it was the cars and the series that flipped. The reality or the dream of changing things up from a constant string of “speed weeks” from Daytona is currently a non-issue as it has changed. The CLASH moved from Daytona to Los Angeles and the staged and tight racing oval “built” inside Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The race was there for 3 seasons before the move to Bowman-Gray.

Now, it’s on. There have been safety upgrades added with fencing, “safer” barriers and surface enhancements as needed for the heavier and more powerful NASCAR Cup cars. The racing surface is essentially the same, quarter mile size as what was set in Los Angelas. There is no doubt that having the race back in “NASCAR” home territory and at a venue with the established racing roots is going to be a show to see.

However, tickets are the definition of premium as the show is just days away. February weather is hit or miss in North Carolina but it is shaping up temperatures in the tolerable range (with a jacket or two…). Fortunately, the show is on the box in your living room. The main show, the NASCAR Cup Cookout Clash, is on FOX TV on Sunday, February 2 at 8PM. MRN and SiriusXM have audio broadcasts available. FS1 has qualifying and heat races on Saturday, February 1, starting at 6:10pm.

The NASCAR Modifieds are on tap with the Madhouse Classic as a 150 lap feature Saturday afternoon. FloRacing has the show available for streaming with their full coverage online platform. There are also viewing options through the streaming TUBI service and a NASCAR channel.
The Daytona 500 is close enough. For the new season, the Clash gets us started.

The season is officially open. The IMSA ROLEX 24 is on from Daytona for January 25-26. Previously, during the “Roar Before The 24” weekend, the VP Racing SportsCar Challenge notched their openers with 2 races run. The mix of prototypes and sports cars on track set a visual preview for the ROLEX 24. (Results at IMSA online)

The racing at Daytona is also a preview for a showcase weekend closer to home as IMSA continues to make Virginia International Raceway a key stop for the championship across several disciplines. The Michelin GT Challenge weekend is a late season points grab which makes VIR an important track for teams and drivers. This tension and focus makes it one of the best fan experiences on the schedule.

The WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Michelin Pilot Challenge, VP Racing Challenge, Mazda Mx-5 and Mustang Challenge put a full weekend of action on the track for racing fans across the board. For Virginia, the weekend is another feather in the “hot spot” for racing lovers.

For racing the opener ROLEX 24, you’ll need the official spotter’s guide from Andy Blackmore Designs. It’s a detailed PDF download available, for free, online with a click.

The Official Spotter’s Guide is available online: spotterguides.com

Watching the ROLEX is a great intro to the racing season. The weekend following has NASCAR taking on the confined course at Bowman-Gray in North Carolina with the Cookout Clash. The Daytona 500 is back in Florida shortly after we get passed that silly Superbowl.

Racing is coming – Racing is on – Let’s go racing!

An ancient Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, apparently stated “Change is the only constant”. Of course, not all change is good…

However, for short track racing in western Virginia, the changes seem to be stacking up and tilting forward. Two tracks that have had some spotted history have published plans for 2025.

Franklin County Speedway, after an account of pushing with tooth and nail for the past five or so years, announced a stepping away by the promoter Langley Austin. He had been the driving force keeping racing alive at the historic little track that has carried with it a colorful past that has, at times, pulled it back by its own weight.

Austin pushed FCS forward with fixes and upgrades all while managing, mostly, to keep the bailing wire and duct tape out of sight. He brought major touring series back into those hills with the SMART Modified, CARS Tour, Grand Nationals and more. He offered a place to race when “Motor Mile” shuttered for late models and other “garage” weekend series.

In other words, Langley Austin gave it more than he had and it took a toll as such that he stepped away. (Keep in touch with Langley on the “Pit Chatter Media” podcast or “Race22“.

For 2025, a new name has stepped up and announced more upgrades and racing to come for the season. The new moniker for the track is, as shown on Facebook, Franklin County Raceway – Virginia’s Asphalt Action Track. The new promoter is a local business owner and has been close to and involved with racing at the track. Timothy Meadows is taking the promotion forward. He and his wife had already made some early moves with the upgraded “Hexed Haunted Attraction Tower” on the front stretch last year. Meadows says positive support is there and is looking forward to the next phase at “FCR”.

A bit north to Natural Bridge Speedway and there are big announcements there. Amanda Bradley had taken the promotional reigns for 2024 following a valiant push by Tiffany Kidd to pull the track for two seasons. Kidd had rebuilt a good foundation of fan and racer support which Bradley was able to hook into and build upon. Now, with McCallister Precision Marketing, an ownership deal has been made with the previous owner, Joe Glassford. Plans and investments are on the boards with sponsorships and schedules also coming into play.

Bradley had already made a big mark on the footprint at Natural Bridge. An announcement platform with “Victory Lane”, infrastructure for lighting and a scoreboard were in place for 2024. News of guard rails improvements and other safety features were being discussed late last season and the ownership gives MPM a clear path for these further investments.

*It should be noted these investments shine over some disappointments. Pulaski County / Motor Mile is still in some sort of limbo for racing and on the other side of the State, Virginia Motor Speedway currently has no plans to run that track. A solid and historic asphalt facility and a long running dirt track are currently dark for 2025. It is not easy to keep tracks like this running so fan, racer and community support are vital to keep the laps and lights on.

The calendar has flipped. Daytona will be rumbling with IMSA and the ROLEX 24. NASCAR is taking big steps with the “new” setting for the “Cookout Clash” at Bowman-Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, NC. The “clash” is practically just over the fence from this new Virginia racing activity in Franklin County and Natural Bridge. Martinsville Cup weekend is only a couple of months away. Richmond is on the horizon. Short track racers are in their garages turning the wrenches for green flags at tracks still on.

Racing is coming, Virginia. Support it or lose it.