The 2025 NASCAR season is almost here! Stock car racing action will resume on February 2nd, with the Clash taking place at the Bowman Gray Stadium in North Carolina. It’ll be the first time that the pre-season opener will take place at the quarter-mile short track, having called the Los Angeles Coliseum its home for the last two years. The excitement is high as the sport’s heavyweights gear up for another grueling season ahead, full of action, drama, and controversy.

Despite the widespread anticipation for the upcoming race, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is feeling underwhelmed by the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray. Citing the eligibility criteria for the race as the reason for his disappointment, the veteran racer made his thoughts known on the latest Dale Jr. Download podcast.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. disillusioned by NASCAR’s approach

Few places in NASCAR history are as special as the Bowman Gray. Known as “NASCAR’s longest-running weekly race track”, the venue has been a fan favorite because of its grassroots racing atmosphere. The exhibition race will feature 23 drivers competing in the 200-lap event at the venue’s 0.25-mile oval setup. It will be the Cup Series’ first return to ‘The Madhouse’ since 1971 when Bobby Allison secured a historic victory at the iconic venue. Dale Earnhardt Jr. also knows the Clash all too well, having won the pre-season opener in 2003 and 2008 while driving for Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Hendrick Motorsports, respectively.

However, Junior couldn’t help but express his disappointment at the 2025 Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray. Sharing his thoughts on the Dale Jr. Download podcast, the veteran racer said, “In the short-term gains, you can’t be blind to long-term repercussions by just looking at the short-term gain of a decision right? Like, ‘Man, let’s put this guy in, that’ll be great, awesome! The Clash is awesome now.’” He went on to say, “I wish it was pole winners. I wish the criteria to get in was a little more exclusive. Like hey, these guys did this to earn it, and it’s not. I don’t see that. I don’t feel that anymore.”

In 2021, the Busch Light Clash had strict eligibility criteria to enter the race. The criteria included full-time drivers who won the Daytona 500 in 2020 or the pole for the same, any full-time 2020 Cup driver who had won the Busch clash in the past, or a Busch pole award from one of the five races it was present in during the 2020 season. Aside from this, any driver who made the playoffs won a race, or won a stage in 2020, was welcome to participate. Fast-forward to 2025 and there seems to be no real restriction.

All this changed in 2023 when the Clash moved from the Daytona Road Course to the LA Coliseum. The criteria changed to all 36 chartered teams, along with 4 open entries for the Clash. The pre-season exhibition race used to involve the top performers from the previous season as a curtain-raiser for the season to come. This unsurprisingly annoyed Dale Earnhardt Jr. who saw how drivers celebrated meeting the criteria for the Clash, to now having an entry secured regardless of their performances.

Given the history and prestige of the Busch Light Clash, it’s not surprising to see Dale Earnhardt Jr. disappointed at the eligibility criteria for the race. Ensuring that only deserving drivers secure a spot at the pre-season opener will not just elevate the importance of the event, but also improve the quality of racing. This is what fans want to see. However, it seems like the exhibition race has become somewhat of a cash grab, as NASCAR can extend the invitation for the race to popular drivers, based on their popularity, fanbase, or marketability, to raise the profile of the event.

With NASCAR looking to expand its horizons and tap into newer and younger audiences, it’s not surprising to see special invitations being extended to certain drivers. However, it’s a logic Dale Earnhardt Jr. doesn’t agree with, having previously said that drivers should “earn” a spot at the pre-season opener. Junior believes that the sanctioning body’s current strategy may come back to hurt them in the long run, causing irreversible damage to a historic race on the calendar.

Dale Jr.’s track theory proved to be correct

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Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s prediction was spot on. When NASCAR purchased the Bowman Gray Stadium’s lease from the Hawkins family in March 2024, the veteran racer tweeted, “Is NASCAR about to give us the Clash at BG in 2025?” Many doubted Junior’s theory, especially because the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum had been a popular option amongst fans, with the city’s warmer weather being more suitable for a February race in comparison to the pre-season opener being held in North Carolina.

However, fast forward to the present day, and Dale Jr.’s theory has been proved correct. The exhibition race has already been sold out, with NASCAR’s Justin Swilling, who is project lead for the Clash saying, “The sellout of The Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium speaks volumes about the monumental nature of the event at this historic venue. We’re honored to bring such an incredible race weekend to Winston-Salem that will provide an opportunity to place the stars of Bowman Gray Stadium’s Modified Division in the national spotlight.”

As things stand, NASCAR now owns or operates 19 tracks in its schedule, with the Bowman Gray Stadium being the oldest. It seems like not everybody is happy with the change in venue for the Busch Light Clash, as several Californians have expressed their disappointment at the race being taken away from their home state, limiting them to just Sonoma Raceway on the calendar. Dale Earnhardt Jr. won’t be complaining though, as the 50-year-old went on to say, “I love the fact that they’re going to Bowman Gray, I’m looking forward to seeing them race there.”

What do you think of NASCAR’s return to Bowman Gray? Should the eligibility criteria be reinstated? Let us know in the comments below!