RICK WARE RACING
Cook Out Clash
Date: Feb. 4, 2026
Event: Cook Out Clash (non-points race)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Bowman Gray Stadium (quarter-mile, asphalt oval)
Format: 200-lap Feature with a 23-car field
Event Winner: Ryan Preece of RFK Racing (Ford)
Cody Ware, driver of the No. 51 Evel Knievel Museum Chevrolet
● Qualified 27th to start seventh in LCQ. (Only the top-20 cars in practice/qualifying advanced to the Clash.)
● Finished 15th in LCQ. (Only the top-two finishers, and highest driver in 2025 final points standings, advanced to the Clash.)
● Note: Ware was spun early in the 75-lap race.
“I feel like compared to 2025, it’s a night-and-day difference with the program, the speed in the car. Really didn’t get a chance to get far into the race before we got spun. I wish we could’ve had a shot to try to race our way in. We were a few spots shy of making it in and qualifying but, either way, I’m really proud of the 51 Chevrolet bunch and looking forward to putting a fast car on the racetrack in Daytona next week.”
Race Notes:
● Ryan Preece won the Cook Out Clash by 1.752 seconds over runner-up William Byron.
● All but one of the 23 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.
● Bowman Gray is the country’s longest-running weekly racetrack.
Next Up:
The official start of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season begins with Daytona Speedweek Feb. 11-15 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Daytona 500 qualifying takes place at 8:15 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Feb. 11 with live coverage on FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Only the top-two positions will be locked into the 68th Daytona 500. The rest of the field will earn their respective starting positions in the Duel – twin 150-mile heat races that set the remainder of the Daytona 500 field. The Duel gets underway at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 12 with live coverage on FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Daytona Speedweek then culminates with the Daytona 500 at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 15 with live coverage provided by FOX and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
