In a race postponed three days due to wintry weather, Ryan Preece
drove away to the win by 1.7 seconds over William Byron, joining Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon (1994) and Denny Hamlin (2006) as the only drivers to win The Clash before picking up their first points-paying Cup Series win.
Here are three takeaways from a weather-dominated Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium:
Ryan Preece survives chaotic night at ‘The Madhouse’
Like the majority of the field, Preece was involved in at least one of a Clash-record 17 cautions on Wednesday night, but despite the adverse weather and attrition-filled night, Preece was not going to be denied.
Preece shone during his first season with RFK Racing in 2025, posting career-highs in points finish (18th), top-fives (three), top-10s (14) and average finish (15.7). While he did not win a race, he came close and wasted no time putting himself in Victory Lane this season, joining an exclusive list in the process.
