Imago
Bowman Gray Winston-Salem (via @BenKennedy33)
Imago
Bowman Gray Winston-Salem (via @BenKennedy33)
The chaos surrounding NASCAR’s postponed Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium just doesn’t end. With Monday’s event to now take place on Wednesday, along with the travel hazards, thousands of fans suddenly found themselves unable (or unwilling) to risk the dangerous trip. And that’s exactly where NASCAR stepped in with a major relief move.
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NASCAR rolls out major ticket relief program
With treacherous winter conditions derailing Sunday’s Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, NASCAR has announced a sweeping relief plan designed to protect fans who suddenly found themselves snowed in, stranded, or simply unable to travel safely. The policy, one of the most generous the sport has rolled out in recent years, gives every affected ticketholder a clear path forward.
Fans now have two primary options:
- A 120% credit based on the full value of their order, or
- A 100% refund of their purchase.
To receive either, the original account holder must submit NASCAR’s official online request form within 14 days of the impacted event date. Once the form is filed, a ticket agent will reach out to complete the process. For those who take no action, NASCAR will automatically issue the 120% credit, ensuring no fan is left empty-handed.
Fans with tickets who don’t go to the race Monday (or whenever it runs) can get a 120% credit for tickets to any race at NASCAR-owned track except Daytona 500 and Homestead. Or a 100% refund. Must fill out form within 14 days. More info: https://t.co/QUw2BUz9dm
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) February 1, 2026
There are a few key stipulations, though. The tickets used or scanned on the rescheduled event date become ineligible for any credit or refund. Meanwhile, credits can be applied to any future race at a NASCAR-owned venue. However, there are two notable exceptions: the Daytona 500 and the Homestead-Miami Championship. All credits remain valid through December 1, 2026, after which any unused balance reverts to a standard 100% refund of the original ticket price, with the bonus 20% expiring.
Still, this is a big and (frankly) smart move by NASCAR. With dangerous road conditions and more than 750 reported collisions across North Carolina, fans needed reassurance. NASCAR delivered, offering a plan that not only acknowledges the travel chaos but also rewards loyal attendees with more than they paid for. In a messy weather weekend, credit where it’s due. NASCAR got this part right!
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NASCAR adjusts qualifying format
Originally, Saturday’s schedule called for practice and four 25-lap heat races to determine the top 20 starters, with everyone else funneled into a 75-lap Last Chance Qualifier.
But after scrapping the heat races and shifting all on-track action from Monday and then to Wednesday due to the relentless snowfall, NASCAR unveiled a revised qualifying system designed to keep things fair, and most importantly, fast, under the new constraints.
With heat races no longer part of the equation, qualifying speed now determines the top 20 starters outright. The fastest 20 drivers in Monday morning’s session lock themselves into the 200-lap main event, while the remaining competitors must fight through the Last Chance Qualifier. This part of the format was already in place even before Sunday’s postponement, but the reshuffling didn’t end there.
Qualifying groups were initially set to follow a looping order based on the previous year’s owner standings. 1st place to Group A, 2nd to Group B, 3rd to Group C, 4th to Group D, then circling back. But with the combined results now more pivotal than ever, NASCAR restructured the groups to give higher-performing teams the most favorable conditions.
Under the new model, the top 12 drivers from the 2025 standings move into the third and final group, the next 13 fill Group 2, and the lowest 13 populate Group 1. Since later track conditions are often quickest, the sport has essentially rewarded last year’s best performers.
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