If there’s one thing NASCAR fans can agree on heading into this weekend’s Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, it’s that this race is going to be absolute chaos. Warnings have been flying in from every corner of the garage: this track is tight, this track is brutal, and it’s going to push every driver to the limit.

After last night’s qualifying heats, the grid is set, and leading the charge is none other than Chase Elliott, 2020 Champion and NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver, who snagged the pole position with a commanding heat race win. But don’t mistake his confidence for cockiness. Even with the best seat in the house, Elliott knows how unpredictable Bowman Gray can be.

“Anything can happen,” he said. And if history tells us anything, he’s absolutely right.

Chase Elliott locks in pole position, but he’s not getting comfortable

Elliott didn’t just win his heat; he dominated it. From the moment the green flag dropped, he was in control, never giving his competitors a chance to close in. But even with the prime starting spot for Sunday’s 200-lap main event, Elliott isn’t letting his guard down.

“It’s going to be tough to win from the third or fourth row,” Elliott admitted. “I think the first couple of rows certainly have a massive advantage on the rest of the field. Obviously, anything can happen. You all have been watching long enough to know that anything can happen, and I’m well aware of that.”

Translation? If you’re not up front, you’re in for a rough night. Bowman Gray’s tight, flat layout makes passing a nightmare. With 23 cars crammed onto the quarter-mile bullring, survival is just as important as speed. Chase Elliott knows that his best shot at avoiding the chaos is to stay ahead of it. But that’s easier said than done.

And if Saturday night was any indication, the Clash is going to be a war zone. The first heat alone had three cautions in just 25 laps, proving that patience is going to be in short supply once the main event rolls around.

Elliott may have cruised to victory in his heat, but others weren’t so lucky. Brad Keselowski, Noah Gragson, Kyle Busch, and Ross Chastain also advanced, but not without some fireworks. Justin Haley and Noah Gragson went at it, swapping sheet metal and heated words before Haley ended up spun out. Expect round two when they line up on Sunday.

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Last chance qualifier: The final shot to make the show

The second heat was a little calmer, with Chris Buescher leading wire to wire to grab the second starting spot for Sunday. Chase Briscoe put up a fight in his debut with Joe Gibbs Racing, but had to settle for second. Meanwhile, Shane Van Gisbergen, Bubba Wallace, and Daniel Suárez punched their tickets to the main event, proving that even the newer faces in the Cup garage are ready to throw elbows at Bowman Gray.

Then came the third heat, where Denny Hamlin reminded everyone why he’s one of the best short-track racers in the field. He led every lap, with defending Cup champion Joey Logano hot on his heels. William Byron, Carson Hocevar, and Alex Bowman rounded out the top five, but not before a few fenders got bent in the process.

And if things weren’t wild enough already, the fourth heat turned up the intensity. Ryan Preece and John Hunter Nemechek clashed early, leading to a little payback that left Nemechek with a heavily damaged car. Meanwhile, Tyler Reddick kept his nose clean, leading flag to flag to grab the fourth starting spot. Christopher Bell, Preece, Austin Cindric, and Todd Gilliland survived to race another day, though their cars might tell a different story.

With most of the grid set, only three spots remain for Sunday’s main event. That means the Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ) is going to be an all-out slugfest.

The top two finishers in the 75-lap race will advance, with the final spot going to the highest driver in the 2024 points standings who hasn’t already made the show. Ryan Blaney, last year’s championship runner-up, is in prime position to snag that provisional spot if he can’t race his way in. But he won’t be the only big name fighting to keep his Clash hopes alive.

Kyle Larson struggled with an ill-handling car in his heat and now faces the pressure of racing his way in. Ty Gibbs, Michael McDowell, and Austin Dillon are also on the outside looking in, knowing that this is their last shot to make the field.

With the stakes this high, expect tempers to flare and bumpers to be used liberally. At a track where passing is tough and patience is even tougher, the LCQ could end up being the most intense race of the weekend.

The lineup is set. The tempers are already simmering. And with 23 cars crammed onto one of the tightest tracks in the country, Sunday’s Clash is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable races we’ve seen in a long time.

Chase Elliott may have the best seat in the house, but even he knows that at Bowman Gray, anything can happen. And if last night’s heats were just a preview, we’re in for an unforgettable show.