2025 Cook Out Clash Pole Sitter Revealed After Exciting First Night at Bowman Gray Stadium

Chase Elliott has secured pole position for the 2025 Cook Out Clash at the historic Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

The 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion clocked the fastest lap during the pre-season group qualifying session, marking his return to a track he’s familiar with since his teenage racing days. Elliott’s top lap time was 14.115 seconds, achieving a speed of 63.762 mph, ensuring his place at the front for the first heat race.

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The qualifying unfolded on Saturday, February 1, with a total of 39 drivers. These were divided into three practice groups, each undergoing several sessions before entering a decisive qualifying round. Elliott, hailing from Dawsonville, Georgia, put on an excellent performance, leading him to dominate all 25 laps of the first heat race.

AJ Allmendinger, driver of the #16 Campers Inn RV Chevrolet and Cole Custer, driver of the #41 HaasTooling.com Ford spin after an on-track incident during qualifying heat #4 for the Cook Out Clash at Bowman…

Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Despite having to navigate through three race restarts, he maintained the lead, securing a direct line to the main Cook Out Clash on Sunday, February 2. Not only did his win determine the pole position for the clash, but it also established the initial 20 of the 23 starting spots for the race.

In the first heat race, Brad Keselowski, Noah Gragson, Kyle Busch, and Ross Chastain followed Elliott by clinching their spots for Sunday’s race. Kyle Busch, despite clashing with Justin Haley, managed to qualify.

The second heat race saw Chris Buescher clinching the win with Chase Briscoe trailing closely. Shane van Gisbergen, Bubba Wallace, and Daniel Suarez all followed. Denny Hamlin led all laps in the third heat race in a show of utmost dominance, marking his victory, with Joey Logano, William Byron, Carson Hocevar, and Alex Bowman also advancing. In the final heat, Tyler Reddick took the lead amidst early cautions, followed by Christopher Bell, Ryan Preece, Austin Cindric, and Todd Gilliland earning their spots.

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For those not advancing directly from the heats, the Last Chance Qualifier on Sunday provides an opportunity to claim the final starting positions. Ty Dillon takes the pole for this 75-lap race, joined by Zane Smith. The top two finishers will grab the 21st and 22nd slots in the clash. A provisional spot, the 23rd position, will go to the highest finisher from the 2024 drivers’ standings who did not advance through heats or the LCQ. Currently, Joey Logano holds this spot, with Ryan Blaney next in line if required.

As the Clash draws closer, the finalized starting lineup includes top drivers such as Elliott, Buescher, Hamlin, Reddick, and Keselowski. The event will take place at 8 p.m. ET, and fans can catch it live on FOX.

This year’s Cook Out Clash is taking place at Bowman Gray Stadium, a change from the previous three years at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Often called NASCAR’s longest-running weekly racetrack, Bowman Gray’s rich history since 1949 adds a connection to the roots of NASCAR’s short-track racing heritage.

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The 2025 Cook Out Clash introduces an exciting weekend structure, featuring four 25-lap heat races leading up to the main 200-lap feature. This format ensures intense racing variations across the weekend, offering more drivers the chance to join the main event.

The 2025 season includes several key driver changes across notable teams: Moves such as Noah Gragson to Front Row Motorsports, Chase Briscoe to Joe Gibbs Racing, and Shane van Gisbergen to Trackhouse Racing.

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