In a snowstorm at Bowman Gray Stadium, Joe Gibbs Racing The team’s preparations for the 2026 Cook Out Clash pre-season exhibition match are in full swing. This weekend, JGR’s social feeds were ablaze with fun and determined messages from inside the garage.

After a series of winter storms hit North Carolina, heavy snow blanketed the iconic 0.25-mile short track and surrounding areas, leaving parts of the field covered in ice and snow the day before the NASCAR clash.

Like other teams, Joe Gibbs Racing goes into the clash weekend with optimism and caution, knowing that it may be the weather, not the competitors, that determines when the real race begins.

Joe Gibb Racing wrote on X (formerly Twitter):

“We got some seat time on the sim before the big game at Snowman Gray. Hey, the gate is open, so we’re in. Watch the real game Sunday night at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.”

An interesting reference to winter weather highlights the increasing difficulty of preparing for this year’s cook-off at Bowman Gray Stadium.

For NASCAR’s preseason showcase, the “Cook Out Clash” exhibition unofficially kicks off the action. NASCAR Cup Series The 0.25-mile short track in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is both traditional and full of unpredictability. NASCAR moves the event to Bowman Gray for the second consecutive time in 2025.

Joe Gibbs Racing and other teams have to wait until Monday to start racing due to snow

A snowstorm left the stands and much of the area covered in snow and ice, with more snow expected over the weekend.

The looming prediction prompted a second change in the schedule. The event has been moved to Monday (February 2). The clash has been condensed into a one-day format. Practice and qualifying are now scheduled for the morning, the LCQ will take place at 4:30 pm ET, and the 200-lap main event is now scheduled to air on Fox at 6 pm ET.

Joe Gibbs Racing is the most successful team in the NASCAR Clash, winning the show championship 12 times. The last time they won was in 2024.

Heading into the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, the Joe Gibbs Racing team remains a top championship contender with seasoned veterans Denny HamlinChase Briscoe and Christopher Bell round out the top five in the final 2025 standings.

Joe Gibbs Racing fields a four-car lineup that includes veterans Denny Hamlin (#11), Christopher Bell (#20), Ty Gibbs (#54) and Chase Briscoe (#19), who joins the team in 2025.