The future of the Clash, a surprisingly good run at Bowman Gray Stadium and more chatter from Sunday's exhibition race.

Chase Elliott claimed NASCAR's first checkered flag of 2025 on Sunday night in Winston-Salem, winning the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium for his first victory in the Cup Series' preseason event.

Chase Elliott started Sunday's race out front, and that's where he stayed for much of the night. Elliott finished in first place, taking home his first ever Clash win. He led 171 of 200 laps, while last year's winner, Denny Hamlin, led for 28 laps.

The Clash got a jolt of energy at the North Carolina short track. Will it return in 2026, or will NASCAR look elsewhere?

Who is going to win the Clash? SportsLine simulated the 2025 Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray 10,000 times and revealed its NASCAR picks for Sunday's exhibition in Winston-Salem

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 NAPA Chevrolet Camaro, took home the win in the first Cup event at Bowman Gray in the modern era. This marks the fourth season the Clash has been held outside Daytona International Speedway, where it was traditionally raced on the famed high banks through the 2020 season.

By so many metrics, the NASCAR Cup Series’ season-opening event was a hit.

NASCAR viewership numbers for Bowman Gray Stadium The first race of the 2025 NASCAR season is in the books. On Sunday, Bowman Gray Stadium hosted The Clash featuring the NASCAR Cup Series. See NASCAR TV ratings below.