As a major winter storm has hit North Carolina this week, the racing hub is facing a serious cold freeze. The Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray is just days away, and the light snowfall in the region has now turned into a worrying mess for the season’s exhibition race. But just when you think there couldn’t be anything worse than this, Winston-Salem’s city management is here to prove you wrong.

NASCAR broadcaster takes a jab at officials over poor infrastructure

Describing the conditions on the ground, the veteran voice of NASCAR on FOX, Mike Joy, stated, “I’m about 10 miles from Bowman-Gray Stadium. I-40 has one clear lane open, but no plow blade has scraped ANY of the surface streets… It’s 29 degrees at noon, and more winter weather is expected this week.”

Expressing the mounting frustration of event organizers and fans alike, Joy highlighted a critical breakdown in performance between municipal planners and the sports world.

Replying to a fan’s comment who asked whether the management even has snowplows in Carolina, Mike said, “Some, but nothing like up north. Much of the snow removal here is done with bucket loaders and graders.”

While bucket loaders are versatile for construction, they are notoriously slow and imprecise for snow removal on major roads.

The race at the Bowman Gray Clash is set to take place on February 1, 2026. And the weather forecast is adding to the fear of event cancellation.

On Saturday, there will be harsher conditions. Temperatures will go as low as 17 degrees, rising up to 22 by midday. The chances of precipitation on Saturday are 48%.

On Sunday, there should be a slight change. The temperature can go even higher up to 28, but it’ll dip to 17 again. It could surely be one of the coldest races of the year.

This deep freeze state poses a significant threat to the season-opening exhibition, as the quarter-mile track at Bowman Gray is notoriously difficult to manage under icy conditions.

For a multi-billion-dollar industry like NASCAR, where the movement of haulers is timed to the minute, the reliance on makeshift methods creates a significant bottleneck.

With NASCAR VP Ben Kennedy confirming that teams are in “monitoring mode,” the reality remains that if heavy equipment cannot clear the primary access routes efficiently, the logistics of the event simply cannot proceed.

While the city struggles with the snow, the official plan for the 2026 Cook Out Clash remains a high-speed challenge for the 36 teams on the entry list.

Top Stories

Racing Fans Forced to Turn Off Daytona 24 Race After Witnessing “Horrific” Broadcast

Fists Fly After Violent Brawl Breaks Out at Daytona Speedway, Leaving Racing Fans in Stitches

“It’s Been a Sad Season”: Denny Hamlin’s Fiancée Jordan Fish Gathers Strength to Break Silence on Tragedy

Dale Jr. Confronts Ex-FOX Broadcaster Over Hall of Fame Concerns, Urging Recognition for Deceased Veterans

Fans Demand Clarity as Denny Hamlin Ally Vanishes From NASCAR Spotlight

​NASCAR’s awaited big race schedule

The weekend is packed with action, as Saturday begins with the Madhouse Classic at 1:15 p.m. ET. FloRacing will stream the race. Post this, you have the high-pressure qualifying session at 6:10 p.m. ET.

This is followed by the heat races, which begin at 8:30 p.m. ET. Both qualifying and heat races can be accessed on FS1 and MRN SiriusXM Radio.

Sunday will see the two main races. The drivers who could not qualify will still have one last shot to compete in the Last Chance Qualifier at 6 p.m. ET. The race will be of 75 laps, streamed on FOX. Finally, the big race, Cook Out Clash, will start at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.

Fans can buy the tickets through many websites, like the official one, Ticketmaster, or NASCAR’s official race ticket portal.