The Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium showcased the return of a historic track and the product didn’t disappoint. It promised to be an event that mixed high-speed racing with fan fervor and added a pinch of humor. Of course, only one incident stole the headlines, and this involved local racing legend Burt Myers and NASCAR Cup Series driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Their collision during the Last Chance qualifier set off the crowd, with boos, social media exchanges, and even some playful banter after the race. The night was full of tension and drama, but also sportsmanship and camaraderie, making it a race to remember. When boos rained in from the stands, Myers was not defensive about it. Instead, he learned to see beyond the moment. He was wise enough to reflect on the experience and take each one as an opportunity to improve.

Burt Myers diffused the heated atmosphere

The action reached a boiling point when Stenhouse and Myers made contact and Myers was sent spinning out and into the infield. This ended his race as he hit the SAFER barrier and a red flag was waved. For Myers, an 11-time Bowman Gray modified champion, the incident was especially frustrating as he was racing in his hometown, surrounded by a passionate fan base. The crowd was in an uproar, and the stands were filled with a loud chorus of boos as most of the fans were waving their middle fingers toward Ricky Stenhouse Jr. It was apparent that the hometown hero’s fans were loyal, and they weren’t afraid to express their anger.

Even as the crowd protested, the Cup Series debutant maintained a professional demeanor while reflecting on the incident. Instead of blaming all of that on Stenhouse Jr., Myers said, “I shoved him out, but I was getting shoved from behind, just like everybody else was, and ended up getting turned around. Like I said, I don’t want to put any blame on too much until I see exactly what happened.” His honest admission was a key moment in diffusing the tension. Myers successfully took away any fault from Ricky Stenhouse Jr., reflecting his knowledge of the nature of racing at Bowman Gray.

The tight nature of the tracks makes it incredibly tough to handle a car, especially a Next-Gen car. Burt Myers seems to be aware of this and admitted to a lot of shoving going on in the race, as is traditional for Bowman Gray. It isn’t surprising to see the veteran take the incident at face value without blowing it out of proportion, as the opportunity to race in the Cup Series itself is something he is grateful for. “I never thought I’d be making my first ever Cup start at 49 years old,” he said when he got to know he would be taking part in ‘The Clash’.

“When you step into an arena like this and a competition field like this, you just don’t know what to expect, and these guys are for real,” Myers explained, offering insight into the complexity of racing at such a high level for the first time. The distinction between the modified cars he’s used to and the Cup cars he was piloting at Bowman Gray is significant. As Myers pointed out, “The difference between a modified and a Cup car is I can make up ground in the modified by driving it harder. When you drive a Cup car harder, you slow down.”

This minor variation exemplifies the type of skill and versatility a driver has to achieve while moving through different cars. This is not strictly about raw speed but the grip, turn-in, and thinking on the line. Myers’s reflective statements show that, at this level, racing is about more than just experience; it’s about versatility and mental stamina.

Despite his admission after the race, Burt Myers’ AmeriVet social media team didn’t refrain from reminding Ricky Stenhouse Jr. of his incident from last season in a hilarious post on X.

When social media banter brought smiles

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As the race concluded and the dust began to settle, an unexpected twist emerged. Team AmeriVet, which had fielded Myers for the race, took to social media with a playful post. They shared a photo of Myers standing next to the Hyak Motorsports truck—home to Stenhouse’s team—with a teasing caption aimed at the Cup Series driver — “Where you at @StenhouseJr?” This post was a dig at Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s infamous All-Star race brawl with Kyle Busch where the former waited outside Busch’s trailer after the race and threw hands.

Stenhouse Jr., never one to be slow on the keyboard, quickly shot back. “Was there after the race for a while, should have come over then,” he posted in one of those comments that broke the tension and brought much-needed humor and camaraderie between the drivers and the teams, reminding fans that, despite the hard-fought battles on the racing track, there is much mutual respect between those competing.

This banter and back-and-forth highlighted an important aspect of NASCAR: although rivalries are fierce, drivers and teams can still share moments of lightheartedness. These interactions humanize the sport and show that, beyond the helmets and racing suits, there’s a sense of community among competitors.

It was more than just a race: the Cook Out Clash was an exhibition of short-track racing and tradition at Bowman Gray Stadium. For Myers, it was the dream of racing at his home track in the Cup Series. Myers reflected on his Bowman Gray experience, despite not qualifying for the main event, saying, “This is where I grew up… To see what NASCAR has brought to this venue… is pretty spectacular.” Myers was making his Cup Series debut at a grand where his family has been racing for generations. So Myers can put all the race incidents aside and reflect on the Clash with pride, as the track he grew up loving is finally getting love from fans all over the country.