NASCAR made a triumphant return to the Bowman Gray Stadium. Amidst the drama, wrecks, and tempers flaring on the track, fan-favorite Chase Elliott emerged victorious at the Cook Out Clash, leading 172 laps out of 200 after starting from pole. The quarter-mile oval is notoriously difficult to make passes on, and the Hendrick Motorsports driver proved that narrative by keeping Denny Hamlin at bay for the last 70 laps.

In the post-race interview, the No. 9 Chevy driver paid tribute to “NASCAR’s longest-running weekly race track”, echoing the sentiment shared by the majority of fans sitting in the stands. Elliott’s view was a stark contrast to what Hamlin said before the preseason opener at the 17,000 seater ‘Madhouse’.

Chase Elliott enjoyed racing at the Bowman Gray Stadium

‘The Madhouse’ certainly lived up to its expectations. Even though points were not on the line, drivers were determined to begin 2025 on a positive note, and were not afraid to get their hands dirty at a venue that has historically prioritized on-track drama over clean racing. In the post-race interview, Chase Elliott addressed the fans and said, “Ya’ll deserved it. I hope it was a good show for you. This environment is special. This is a place that has a deep history in NASCAR and I think they deserve this event. Truthfully. I hope we didn’t disappoint, it was fun for me atleast.”

Chase Elliott’s opinion is a stark contrast to what Denny Hamlin said before the pre-season opener. ‘The Clash’ was held at Daytona International Speedway in 1979 and shifted to the Daytona road course in 2021. Believing that it was a good way to practice before the season opener, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver had said, “I liked the @nascarclash at @DAYTONA, it was a good warmup for the 500.” Hamlin’s comments do come with some reminiscing, as two of his four Clash wins came at Daytona.

The Next-Gen cars have been consistently criticized for having a poor short-track package, as making passes has been notoriously difficult at such venues. Bowman Gray Stadium’s quarter-mile oval is arguably the most difficult for overtaking opportunities, which may be the reason behind Hamlin’s sentiments. However, ‘The Madhouse’ represents NASCAR’s return to its roots and has a special place in the hearts of stock car racing supporters. So it should come as no surprise why Chase Elliott felt that they “deserved” to be back to the place where it all began.

It seems Elliott and Hamlin didn’t just ‘clash’ off the track, but on it as well. The 2020 Cup Series winner had an entertaining eight-lap duel with the No. 11 Toyota after a restart, which was acknowledged by the Hendrick Motorsports driver, who went on to say, “Denny was really good at the second half of that break.” However, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver couldn’t keep up with the No. 9 Chevy towards the end and was forced to settle for a third-place finish behind Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney.

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Elliott gives credit where it’s due

Unlike the heat races and last-chance qualifying, the main event was comparatively a rather ‘civil’ affair. Starting from pole, Chase Elliott predictably maintained his lead for the majority of the race, before Denny Hamlin stole the advantage for 28 laps before being forced to relinquish his position after the restart. Ryan Blaney, who finished runner-up, couldn’t give the Hendrick Motorsports driver much of a challenge as he struggled to keep up with the lightning-fast pace of Elliott’s Chevy.

Admitting that the result was the outcome of a team effort, Elliott said, “I appreciate ya’ll making that moment special for me and my team. This is awesome! I know it’s not a points race, but it’s nice to win for sure. Just really proud of our team.” The 29-year-old is already setting his sights on ‘The Great American Race’, going on to say, “Fortunately it worked out. Great way to start the season. Huge thanks to everybody at Hendrick Motorsports. A lot of hard work over the off-season.”

Chase Elliott became the first Cup Series driver to secure a victory at the Bowman Gray Stadium since 1971 when Bobby Allison won the Myers Brother Memorial 250. Fittingly, the Georgia native was awarded the Bobby Allison Memorial Trophy for the triumph at the Cook Out Clash. After a disappointing campaign in 2024, the HMS driver will hope he can carry forward the momentum when the season officially begins with the Daytona 500 in just a few weeks. It is also worth noting that the last time his father, Bill Elliott, won the clash (1987) he went on to double up at the Daytona 500 as well. Do you think Chase Elliott can follow in the footsteps of his father and clinch his first Daytona 500?