Though the snowstorm in Winston-Salem, North Carolina is over, and NASCAR made the wise decision on Saturday morning, after having moved all of Saturday’s activity at Bowman Gray Stadium (minus the heat races, which were completely canceled) to Sunday, to move all of Sunday’s activity to Monday, the Cook Out Clash taking place on Monday is still no guarantee.
Given the fact that this part of the country is not accustomed to such a heavy snowfall, there are other factors at play, such as clearing the roads, that will ultimately go into making the decision as to whether (no pun intended) or not Monday’s race date is feasible.
As of now, Monday is set to feature practice, a modified qualifying session, the 75-lap Last Chance Qualifier, and the 200-lap main event around the four-turn, 0.25-mile (0.402-kilometer) Madhouse.
Bowman Gray Stadium hosted its first Clash a year ago, ending a three-year run by the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and that race was dominated by Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott, who led 171 of 200 laps.
Who are the favorites to beat Elliott, who is listed at +550 to repeat at DraftKings Sportsbook, this year if the race ever actually happens?
Top 5 favorites to beat Chase Elliott at Bowman Gray
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske
Odds: +550
Ryan Blaney qualified 23rd (last) for the Clash a year ago, as he had to fall back on the 2024 point standings provisional after things did not go his way in qualifying, the heat races, or the Last Chance Qualifier. He still drove from 23rd all the way up to second.
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing
Odds: +600
Of the 29 laps of the 200-lap race that weren’t led by Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin led 28 en route to a third place finish. There is perhaps no driver more ready to get back into the carthan Hamlin, and after winning a weather-affected 2024 Clash at a similar quarter-mile track in Los Angeles, don’t be surprised if he makes an early statement.