Tag: Gray

What’s different at Bowman Gray Stadium as NASCAR’s Clash nears?

Updated: 6:17 PM EST Jan 30, 2025

IS JUST HOURS FROM OFFICIALLY KICKING OFF PRE-RACE FESTIVITIES WILL BEGIN FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, BUT WE’VE SEEN LOTS AND LOTS OF FINISHING TOUCHES TAKING PLACE THIS WEEK FOR BOTH FANS AND DRIVERS. WXII 12 LANIE POPE JOINS US LIVE RIGHT NOW FROM BOWMAN GRAY. HOW’S IT GOING OUT THERE, LANEY? OH MY GOSH, WE ARE HAVING SO MUCH FUN OUT HERE. I’M LEARNING SO MUCH ABOUT ALL THE ADDITIONS THAT THEY’VE MADE HERE TO THE TRACK, THE IMPROVEMENTS AS WELL. OF COURSE, WE KNOW THE MADHOUSE AS THE MADHOUSE, RIGHT? WHEN I WALKED OUT HERE THIS AFTERNOON, THOUGH, I WAS LIKE, WOW, THERE’S FRESH PAINT. THERE’S ALL KINDS OF NEW STUFF OUT HERE, AND WE’VE GOT AN INSIDE LOOK RIGHT NOW BECAUSE JEFF JUSTIN SWILLING IS HERE AND HE IS ACTUALLY THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE COOKOUT CLASH. AND YOU’RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO TELL US WHAT’S DIFFERENT. YOU KNOW, WE’VE GOT A LOT OF FOLKS OUT THERE WATCHING THIS SAYING, OH, I GOT THE MADHOUSE EVERY SATURDAY IN THE SUMMER, RIGHT? WHAT’S DIFFERENT? WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO EXPECT WHEN THEY’RE OUT HERE THIS WEEKEND? WE COULD NOT BE MORE EXCITED FOR THIS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY FOR THE COOKOUT CLASH AT BOWMAN GRAY STADIUM, A 50 PLUS YEAR HIATUS FOR THE NASCAR CUP SERIES. AND TO HAVE THESE GUYS BACK IS INCREDIBLE. FOR FOLKS THAT ARE COMING OUT TO THE VENUE AND OUR REGULAR SATURDAY RETURNERS, THE BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT THIS IS, IS WE HOPE THIS IS A REGULAR SHOW FOR YOU, AND WE HOPE THAT A LOT OF THE SAME ELEMENTS THAT YOU SEE EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT ARE IN PLACE HERE. IT’S OUR HOPE AND EFFORT TO SHINE A NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT ON WHAT THIS PLACE IS EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT WITH THIS EVENT. SO WE’VE GOT A FEW, A FEW ADDED ELEMENTS FOR YOU THAT WE’RE REALLY EXCITED TO SHARE WITH FOLKS ON SITE THAT ARE COMING IN THAT ARE MAYBE NEW TO THE MARKET, BUT WE’RE REALLY EXCITED FOR WHAT’S TO COME. AND YOU SAID ABOUT JUST OVER 40% OF THE TICKETS ARE FROM THE CAROLINAS. SO THERE’S GOING TO BE A LOT OF FOLKS HERE. OF COURSE, WE’VE HEARD ABOUT ALL THE FOLKS THAT ARE COMING FROM OTHER PLACES. WHEN YOU STEP INSIDE HERE, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE FIRST THING THEY’RE GOING TO NOTICE THIS DIFFERENCE? I THINK THE FIRST THING THEY’RE GOING TO NOTICE IS THIS AMAZING NEW LIGHTING SYSTEM, WHICH WE’RE REALLY EXCITED TO SHOWCASE. ALSO, THE NEW SAFER BARRIER WALLS, BUT ALSO TO WE WANT TO SHINE A SPOTLIGHT ON NOT ONLY BOWMAN GRAY STADIUM, BUT THE WINSTON-SALEM COMMUNITY. SO AS THEY’RE GOING AROUND THE FAN CONCOURSE, WE HOPE THEY’RE ABLE TO FIND A TASTE OF WINSTON-SALEM. WE’VE GOT A LOT OF COOL LOCAL RESTAURANTS THAT ARE COMING OUT TO SET UP LITTLE VENDOR POP UPS HERE, SO WE COULDN’T BE MORE EXCITED FOR FOR THAT. AND THEN ALSO ACROSS THE ROAD FROM MLK, FROM BOWMAN GRAY STADIUM, WE’RE GOING TO HAVE A NASCAR FAN ZONE, SO BE SURE TO GET YOUR FAVORITE DRIVER OR TEAM SWAG OR SOME NASCAR CLASH SWAG IF YOU DON’T HAVE A FAVORITE DRIVER, HOPEFULLY YOU DO BY THE END OF THE NIGHT. AND WE’LL ALSO HAVE SOME DRIVER Q&A GOING ON OUT THERE AS WELL, AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF COOL OTHER ITEMS. SO, SO MUCH STUFF. AND YOU GOT A LITTLE PIECE OF SWAG THERE. YOU WANT TO SHOW THAT OFF? ABSOLUTELY. THIS IS ACTUALLY FOR YOU IS IT? THANKS FOR COMING OUT. EVERY FAN THAT’S GOING TO BE COMING OUT, THANKS TO OUR GOOD PARTNERS AT COOKOUT, ARE GOING TO BE GETTING A SCARF. WE KNOW THAT THE CONDITIONS MIGHT BE A LITTLE COOLER AT NIGHT ON THIS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. GO AHEAD AND PUT IT ON. I WANT TO SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. LET’S LET’S DISPLAY IT ON YOU HERE. WE GOT TO MAKE SURE YOU’RE IN FULL CLASH COLORS. SO EVERY FAN IS GOING TO BE COMING OUT IS GOING TO GET THIS THING STARTED. PARTNERS AT COOKOUT. HOPEFULLY THAT KEEPS THEM A LITTLE BIT WARM AND KEEPS THEM ENTERTAINED. THANKS SO MUCH JUSTIN. ALL RIGHT. WE’RE GOING TO SEND IT BACK INTO YOU GUYS NOW DAVE. HEY I’VE GOT A SCARF FOR THE COLD WEATHER. WHAT I DON’T WANT TO DO IS PUT THE UMBRELLA UP. NOT TONIGHT AND NOT THIS WEEKEND. THE WEEKEND MIGHT BE PRETTY GOOD SHAPE, LANEY, BUT AS WE GET INTO THE DAY TOMORROW, IF WE’RE GOING TO DO ANY PRACTICING OUT THERE IN THE AFTERNOON, MIGHT BE SOME HINDRANCE WITH A FEW SHOWERS AROUND. BUT FOR SATURDAY AND THE MADHOUSE CLASSIC AT BOWMAN GRAY LOOKS PRETTY DRY. TEMPERATURES NOT BAD BY ABOUT 1:45 P.M. A NICE AFTERNOON, MOSTLY SUNNY, AND TEMPERATURES INTO THE UPPER 50S. THEN FOR SUNDAY, YOU’LL HAVE TO BATTLE A LITTLE BIT MORE IN THE WAY OF SOME COLDER WEATHER. MIGHT BE A FEW CLOUDS FROM TIME TO TIME. THE MAIN EVENT 8:00. IT WILL BE A LITTLE CHILLY. TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN THE 40S, SO YOU’LL STILL NEED TO BUNDLE UP IF YOU’RE GOING TO HEAD OUT THERE. SITTING IN THE STANDS AT BOWMAN GRAY. WE’VE GOT CLOUDS OUT THERE THIS AFTERNOON. THIS EVENING. TO START OUT WITH SOME SUNSHINE EARLIER TODAY. THEN THE CLOUDS KIND OF FILTERED IN. NOW THEY’RE STARTING TO THICKEN UP JUST A LITTLE BIT TO TEMPERATURES VERY MILD. WE’RE IN THE UPPER 50S EVERYWHERE AT THE MOMENT 60 YANCEYVILLE AND ALSO BACK OUT AT MOCKSVILLE AND DOWN IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY TOO. THE BREEZES HAVE BEEN UP OUT OF THE SOUTH SOUTHEAST, NOT NEARLY AS WINDY AS IT WAS YESTERDAY, BUT IT’S THAT SOUTHERLY FLOW THAT ONCE AGAIN ALLOWED OUR TEMPERATURES TO GO UP THE THERMOMETER A LITTLE BIT MORE TODAY. 40S INTO THE MOUNTAINS AT THIS HOUR. SO CHILLIER UP THERE. 54 HOWEVER, IN NORTH WILKESBORO INTO THE FOOTHILL COMMUNITIES, AND THEIR WINDS HAVE DIED DOWN CONSIDERABLY WHERE THEY WERE QUITE IMPRESSIVE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, HIGH TEMPERATURES ACHIEVED SO FAR TODAY, 61 BURLINGTON AND WINSTON-SALEM AND ASHEBORO 63, IN LEXINGTON AND REIDSVILLE. SO WE HAD ANOTHER WARM DAY OUT THERE, WELL ABOVE NORMAL FOR OUR TEMPERATURES. WE’RE STILL DRY OUT THERE, SO WE’RE GOING TO HAVE ONE MORE DAY IN THE MONTH TOMORROW. WE’RE GOING TO HAVE ONE MORE DAY TOMORROW FOR THAT CHANCE FOR SOME RAIN TO DEVELOP, WITH A LITTLE OVER THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH SO FAR FOR THE MONTH, WE’RE BELOW NORMAL, A LITTLE OVER 2.25IN FOR THE MONTH SO FAR AS WELL, SO WE COULD USE SOME RAIN AND THE DROUGHT MONITOR HAS BEEN UPDATED FROM TODAY. AND THIS MODERATE DROUGHT AREA IS SLOWLY BEEN DRIFTING OFF TO THE WEST A LITTLE BIT MORE OUT OF FORSYTH COUNTY NOW INTO DAVIE AND YADKIN AND IREDELL COUNTY TOO. WE’LL SEE IF THAT CONTINUES. WE LOOK PRETTY DRY AFTER THIS RAIN. CHANCE FOR THE DAY TOMORROW AS WE GET IN BEYOND THE SEVEN DAY FORECAST, AND YOU’LL SEE THAT IN JUST A FEW MINUTES. SO THIS IS A REALLY BEST CHANCE OF RAIN WE’VE HAD IN QUITE SOME TIME. IT’S NOT GOING TO BE LONG LIVED THOUGH. ALSO, WE’VE HAD FIRE DANGER OUT THERE THE PAST FEW DAYS. HIGH AND VERY HIGH CONDITIONS BACK OUT TOWARDS AREAS OF THE FOOTHILL COUNTIES. SO THAT WILL HELP TO SUPPRESS THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE TOO. HERE ARE THE RAINS. AND NOTICE THEY’RE KIND OF LIFTING OFF TO THE NORTH WITH AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE. THERE’S BEEN SOME FLOOD WARNINGS BACK OUT OVER PORTIONS OF ARKANSAS FROM EARLIER TODAY. SOME RAIN SHOWERS DEPICTED ON THE RADAR HERE. WE’RE PRETTY DRY IN THE LOWER LEVELS. THE LOWER SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET THOUSAND FEET IN THE ATMOSPHERE. SO MOST OF THIS NOT QUITE REACHING THE GROUND, BUT IT IS SATURATING THE ATMOSPHERE. AND THAT COLUMN, AND AS IT DOES, THAT WILL ALLOW SOME OF THIS RAINDROPS TO START TO HIT THE GROUND. MAYBE THIS EVENING IN A SPOTTY FASHION, BUT REALLY BETTER CHANCES TOMORROW, MILD THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEAST. HERE’S THE STORM SYSTEM, AND IT’S NOW PUSHING INTO AREAS OF ARKANSAS. IT WILL MOVE ITS WAY OFF TO THE NORTH AND EAST WITH TIME, BUT THAT’S WHAT’S WHERE THE BULK OF THE RAIN WILL COME FROM. AS WE GET INTO THE DAY TOMORROW. SO SPOTTY EARLY SHOWERS AS WE GET INTO THE DAY FRIDAY, MAINLY AFTERNOON RAIN FOR THE MOST PART. RAINFALL TOTALS THROUGH THAT TIME FRAME THROUGH ABOUT MIDNIGHT OR SO FRIDAY NIGHT, MAYBE UPWARDS OF THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH, MAYBE A LITTLE ISOLATED THUNDER. THE THING IS, YOU MIGHT HAVE A WET COMMUTE TOMORROW ON YOUR WAY HOME. THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. THERE’S A CHANCE WE COULD SEE OR HEAR A RUMBLE OF THUNDER OR TWO, BUT MOST OF THAT WILL BE DOWN TO OUR SOUTH. DON’T BE SURPRISED BY THAT, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY RANDOM IF YOU SEE IT 47 IN THE MORNING. THE CLOUDS ARE QUITE PROMINENT. YOU MIGHT GET A COUPLE BREAKS OF SUN IN THERE TOMORROW. 67 SPOTTY SHOWERS. THE BEST CHANCE FOR RAIN AS WE GET INTO LATER IN THE AFTERNOON IN THE PIEDMONT 60 IN THE FOOTHILLS TOMORROW. AND THOSE SHOWERS LIKELY AND THE WINDS WILL BE UP TO MOSTLY IN THE PIEDMONT, THOUGH WE’LL SEE SOME PRETTY HIGH WIND CONDITIONS TOMORROW. AND IN THE MOUNTAINS, THE WINDS WILL BE UP TO PATCHY SHOWERS. EARLY CHANCE OF RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON AND TEMPERATURES INTO THE LOW AND MID 50S IN THE MOUNTAINS. FOR YOUR FRIDAY. HERE’S SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. NOW ALL THAT CLEARS OUT AS WE GET INTO THE OVERNIGHT, FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. PRETTY DRY AND NOT BAD TEMPERATURE WISE. 60 SATURDAY 54 SUNDAY. AND THEN WE’RE INTO THE MID AND UPPER 60

What’s different at Bowman Gray Stadium as NASCAR’s Clash nears?

Updated: 6:17 PM EST Jan 30, 2025

NASCAR’s season-opening Cup Series exhibition race, The Clash, will take place this weekend at Bowman Gray Stadium. On Feb. 1, the track will host a 125-lap modified race, followed by practice and qualifying for Sunday’s main event. Feb. 2 will be the first time NASCAR’s top level has visited Winston-Salem since 1971.WXII 12’s Lanie Pope talked with organizers about what’s different at the track and what item fans will get at the event.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. —

NASCAR’s season-opening Cup Series exhibition race, The Clash, will take place this weekend at Bowman Gray Stadium.

On Feb. 1, the track will host a 125-lap modified race, followed by practice and qualifying for Sunday’s main event. Feb. 2 will be the first time NASCAR’s top level has visited Winston-Salem since 1971.

WXII 12’s Lanie Pope talked with organizers about what’s different at the track and what item fans will get at the event.