Cook Out Clash – Bowman Gray Stadium
Winston-Salem, NC – February 4, 2026
AUSTIN CINDRIC No. 2 FREIGHTLINER FORD MUSTANG DARK HORSE
START: 22ND FINISH: 21ST
RACE RUNDOWN: Austin Cindric, driver of the No. 2 Freightliner Ford Mustang Dark Horse, finished 21st in the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium on Wednesday night, several days after the event was postponed from its originally scheduled date. Cindric advanced to the 23-car main event following a hard-fought run in the Last Chance Qualifier, where he finished second to earn one of the final transfer spots alongside Ford Racing teammate Josh Berry. The result placed Cindric 22nd on the grid for the 200-lap main event. The first caution waved on Lap 41, with Cindric scored 20th at the time as he noted continued improvement in the handling of the No. 2. Shortly after the restart, Cindric sustained right-side damage while battling for position. A subsequent caution on Lap 77 came when he was spun by the No. 97, prompting a trip behind the wall for the Freightliner Ford. After a quick inspection, the team determined there was no significant damage requiring immediate repairs, allowing Cindric to return to the track. At the halfway break, Cindric was scored 23rd and received four fresh tires along with adjustments, including a front-toe reset. As teams prepared to resume racing, sleet began to fall, forcing the field to switch to wet-weather tires. The second half of the race was slowed by multiple cautions on the damp track conditions, limiting opportunities to advance through the field. Cindric made several additional stops for service as the team worked through the challenges presented by the changing conditions. When the checkered flag waved, the No. 2 Freightliner Ford Mustang Dark Horse crossed the line 21st.
RYAN BLANEY No. 12 MENARDS/GREAT LAKES FLOORING FORD MUSTANG DARK HORSE
START: 16TH FINISH: 3RD
RACE RUNDOWN: Ryan Blaney managed an up-and-down night in Wednesday’s season-opening Clash at Bowman Gray, coming away with a third-place finish in the No. 12 Menards/Great Lakes Flooring Ford Mustang Dark Horse. Blaney proved to have one of the stronger cars during the first half of the 200-lap event, driving from 16th to fourth by the scheduled caution on lap 100. A mix of rain and sleet began to fall during the break, prompting teams to put on wet weather tires for remainder of the exhibition event. Blaney struggled to find the right balance to fire off, dropping out of the top-20 during the first 25 laps of a caution-filled run, but began to make his way forward with under 50 laps remaining as the track conditions began to improve. He made his way up to sixth in the running order by lap 165 before charging to second with the leader within reach prior to the final caution of the night with 20 laps remaining. Blaney took the final restart from the inside of row one, but was unable to take over the top spot in the closing laps before settling for a third-place finish.
BLANEY’S THOUGHTS: “A pretty wild day. From the race, we were really, really good in the dry. I thought we were the best car by a mile the first half, driving from 16th to fourth and I was really looking forward to getting the second half going and then it started raining. A wintry mix I guess you could call it, and then the rain tires went on and when we fired off in the rain I went straight backwards. I wasn’t good. My car wasn’t handling good, and then as it started to dry out my car came back. Even on the wet tires, my car came back a little bit and we were able to pick a couple good lanes and creep through there and ended up third. Overall, a back and forth night, but I’m proud of the effort and proud of a really fast car in the dry, and then just sticking with it in the wet. It dried up a little bit for us to be able to go back forward.”
JOEY LOGANO No. 22 SHELL-PENNZOIL FORD MUSTANG DARK HORSE
START: 14TH FINISH: 11TH
RACE RUNDOWN: Joey Logano and the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse team came away with an 11th-place finish in Wednesday night’s season-opening Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium. Logano broke into the top-10 in the opening laps of the 200-lap event before climbing to eighth by the time of the scheduled caution at the halfway point on lap 100. A mix of rain and sleet began to fall during the break, prompting teams to put on wet weather tires for remainder of the exhibition event. Logano continued to maintain top-10 pace in the wet conditions before a spin in turn three on lap 144 forced the Shell-Pennzoil Ford to the tail end of the lead lap. Despite battling handling issues from then on, Logano continued to fight his way forward, reaching 13th by the time of the final caution with 20 laps remaining. Logano narrowly missed out on a top-10 result, settling for 11th in the exhibition event.
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Daytona International Speedway next week in preparation for the 68th running of the DAYTONA 500. The crown jewel event is scheduled for Sunday, February 15, at 2:30 p.m. ET. Coverage of the Great American Race will be carried on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
