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Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: NASCAR’s Chaos Catalyst or Just Racing Hard?

Arthur Ling by Arthur Ling
February 3, 2025
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 4 mins read
0
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: NASCAR’s Chaos Catalyst or Just Racing Hard?

Feb 1, 2025; WInston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47) walks the track before practice for the Clash at Bowman Gray at Bowman Gray Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images

The 2025 Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium was always meant to be a spectacle. NASCAR’s return to the legendary quarter-mile bullring after 54 years promised to bridge the gap between the grassroots stars and the elite Cup Series field. For Bowman Gray legends Burt Myers and Tim Brown, this was supposed to be a fairytale debut—an opportunity to test their mettle against the best in the business, right in their backyard.

Instead, their dreams were dashed in brutal fashion, thanks in part to Ricky Stenhouse Jr., a driver who has built a reputation for being in the middle of the mayhem.


Bowman Gray’s Local Heroes vs. NASCAR’s Gritty Reality

🏁 Burt Myers and Tim Brown have dominated Modified racing at Bowman Gray for decades. Between them, they have a staggering 23 championships and 198 wins on this track. If any two drivers deserved a shot at competing in NASCAR’s grand return to The Madhouse, it was these hometown icons.

🚦 But dreams alone don’t punch tickets to the Cook Out Clash. Both drivers had one last shot—the 75-lap Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ). Only the top two finishers would make it.


How It All Unraveled: Stenhouse Sparks Controversy Again

🔥 Burt Myers was making a charge up the field, climbing to 9th place and looking like he might pull off a Cinderella story. But then, disaster struck.

💥 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. made contact with Myers in Turn 4, sending the local hero spinning and into the wall. His dream was over in an instant.

🔍 Reporter Jonathan Fjeld captured the moment in real time:
“Was just about to say how well Burt Myers had progressed through the field, up to 9th and looking for more, but he has just crashed in Turn 1. Contact with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in Turn 4 got him loose and led to the wreck.”

⏳ Meanwhile, Tim Brown fought his way to a 10th-place finish, a solid effort, but not good enough to advance.

🏆 Kyle Larson and Michael McDowell secured the top two spots and locked in their places for the main event, leaving Myers and Brown on the outside looking in.


Did Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Ruin NASCAR’s Grassroots Moment?

💭 Debate Time: Was Stenhouse’s move dirty, or just hard racing?

✔️ Argument for Stenhouse being reckless:

  • Stenhouse has a history of aggressive driving, including last year’s All-Star Race fight with Kyle Busch that cost him $75,000.
  • The LCQ was do-or-die, but taking out a Bowman Gray hometown legend felt like stomping on the spirit of NASCAR’s grassroots return.
  • Stenhouse finished 7th and failed to qualify anyway, making Myers’ wreck seem even more unnecessary.

❌ Argument for Stenhouse just racing hard:

  • It’s short-track racing. Bump-and-run moves are part of the game, and if you can’t handle the contact, you shouldn’t be there.
  • Stenhouse wasn’t the only one bumping and banging—Kyle Busch and Justin Haley also traded blows in their heat races.
  • Myers and Brown were already long shots to advance. NASCAR isn’t a charity—it’s about performance, not nostalgia.

The Aftermath: What Now for NASCAR’s Grassroots Push?

🛑 Bowman Gray fans might be furious, but there’s no turning back now. The local stars are out, and NASCAR’s big-name drivers will battle it out under the lights.

📢 Dustin Albino summed it up perfectly:
“Neither Bowman Gray ringer will advance to The Clash. Both lived out a dream this weekend. Pretty cool.”

🚨 But was that enough? Did NASCAR miss an opportunity by not giving the Bowman Gray legends a better shot at making the main event? Or is this just the harsh reality of stock car racing?

Drop your thoughts—was Stenhouse out of line, or just doing what racers do?

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