The Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium is shaping up to be an all-out brawl, and Ty Gibbs has fired the first warning shot. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver laid down the fastest lap in Saturday night’s practice, clocking in at 64.199 mph (14.019 seconds).
With heat races on the horizon, the battle for a spot in the 23-car field is about to get intense.
Gibbs Leads the Charge, Logano Lags Behind
Gibbs set his blistering lap early when the quickest times were being logged, leading the session ahead of:
🚀 Ryan Preece (63.681 mph)—making his debut with RFK Racing
🚀 Ty Dillon (63.506 mph)—surprising many with a top-three effort
🚀 Kyle Larson (63.501 mph)—the 2021 Cup champ looking sharp
🚀 Riley Herbst (63.501 mph)—rounding out the top five
Other notable names in the top 10:
🔥 Noah Gragson (6th, 63.492 mph)
🔥 Bubba Wallace (7th, 63.470 mph)
🔥 Alex Bowman (8th, 63.291 mph)
🔥 Daniel Suarez (9th, 63.287 mph)
🔥 Austin Cindric (10th, 63.256 mph)
Meanwhile, reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano struggled, ranking 19th in the session.
And local Modified racing legends Tim Brown (36th) and Burt Myers (38th) have an uphill battle ahead if they want to make the Clash main event.
No Incidents, But the Chaos Is Coming
Despite the intense atmosphere at The Madhouse, practice sessions remained clean, with no major incidents. But with heat races next, expect things to get physical fast.
Heat Races Set: Who Will Lock Into The Clash?
The heats begin at 8:30 p.m. ET and will determine 20 of the 23 spots for Sunday’s main event.
📌 Heat 1: Chase Elliott vs. The Field
- Elliott starts on pole with Keselowski, Blaney, and Chastain right behind.
- Kyle Busch and Austin Dillon start deep—can they fight their way in?
📌 Heat 2: Buescher and Briscoe Lead a Stacked Field
- SVG (Shane van Gisbergen) starts third, followed by Zane Smith and Bubba Wallace.
- Kyle Larson starts sixth—expect fireworks.
📌 Heat 3: Hamlin vs. Logano in a Heavyweight Battle
- Denny Hamlin takes pole with Logano beside him.
- Ty Gibbs (6th) will try to back up his practice dominance.
- Tim Brown starts ninth—can he pull off a Cinderella story?
📌 Heat 4: Reddick and Bell Headline an Intense Battle
- Cindric (3rd), Custer (4th), and Gilliland (5th) will be fighting hard for spots.
- Ryan Preece (6th) looked strong in practice—can he capitalize?
Final Thought: The Chaos Begins Now
With a track as tight as Bowman Gray, contact is inevitable. The Clash heats will be brutal, and with only 23 spots available, expect big names to get their hands dirty.
Who makes it?
Who misses out?
And will there be any fireworks before the main event?
We’re about to find out.