Built in 1937, the appropriately nicknamed 'Madhouse' was the site of points-paying NASCAR Cup Series races from 1958 to 1971. 54 years later, it will serve as the unofficial kick-off to the 2025 season. The event will take place on February 2 and be broadcasted by FOX Sports.
“Bowman Gray Stadium has a storied history in motorsports, so we look forward to bringing the Cup Series back to this revered racetrack for the first time since 1971,” said Ben Kennedy, Executive Vice President and Chief Venue & Racing Innovation Officer, NASCAR.
“As NASCAR’s first weekly racetrack, Bowman Gray Stadium holds a special place as the original home to grassroots racing. With a history of intense competition, we are proud to host The Clash at the ‘The Madhouse.’”
It was also announced that NASCAR Studios and FOX Sports Films are producing a one-hour documentary entitled The Madhouse: NASCAR's Return to Bowman Gray Stadium.
We're ready for The Madhouse.
— NASCAR Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium (@nascarclash) August 17, 2024
The Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium coming in 2025. pic.twitter.com/xJFIft55ZQ
The NASCAR Clash has had its own storied history, dating back to 1979. Originally a taste of what was to come in that year's Daytona 500, the previous year's pole-sitters would compete at the 2.5-mile superspeedway.
As the sport entered the 2020s, the rules changed and the venue did too. They expanded the field and tried to run it on the Daytona Road Course in 2021. The following year, they really swung for the fences by building a temporary track inside the L.A. Memorial Coliseum. The track was only a quarter-mile in length, as is Bowman Gray.
One of the main criticisms of the L.A. Clash was the distance. Teams had to travel all the way to California for a race that didn't even count towards the championship. That won't be an issue with Bowman Gray Stadium, which sits just an hour north of Charlotte, North Carolina. However, it will certainly be colder!
Running from 2022-2024, the L.A. Clash drew both crowds and ratings, but the most recent race was marred by severe weather. Earlier this year, the sanctioning body acquired Bowman Gray Stadium, but their plans for it were unclear until now.
“The city of Winston-Salem is very excited and grateful to NASCAR for selecting Bowman Gray Stadium as the site for The Clash in 2025,” said City of Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines. “This further solidifies our city’s relationship with NASCAR and the many fans in the region as we welcome the NASCAR Cup Series back to Bowman Gray Stadium.”
Unlike the recently resurrected North Wilkesboro Speedway, which now hosts the annual All-Star Race, Bowman Gray has been very much alive even without the top level of NASCAR.
Current Cup drivers Kyle Larson, Alex Bowman, William Byron, Chase Elliott, Justin Haley, Corey LaJoie, Ryan Preece, Daniel Suarez, and Bubba Wallace have all competed there before.
