Clash to kick off season, Charlotte expected to return to oval

The NASCAR engines fire up this weekend with Sunday's Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium. Chase Elliott was the winner of last year's Clash held on the flat quarter-mile track in Winston-Salem, N.C. One of the country's most popular short tracks, Bowman Gray nicknamed the "Madhouse," is known for its rough and tumble racing. Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, dominated last year's race, leading 171 of 200 laps with Blaney finishing second. Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano and Bubba Wallace rounded out the top five. The move to Bowman Gray produced better racing than seen the previous years in a track specially built inside the Los Angeles Coliseum. That track had more of a sharp turn at one end, instead of a true oval at Bowman Gray. Races have taken place at Bowman Gray since the beginning of NASCAR. It hosted official Cup Series races from 1958-71. Rex White dominated in the early races with six wins. Richard Petty, Junior Johnson and Glen Wood, who became better known as half of the Wood Brothers car owners, each won there four times. Knoxville driver Chad Finchum, a former Kingsport Speedway champion, announced Monday that he will be racing in the Clash this weekend. The event has qualifying, heat races which lead into a 200-lap feature. FALL RACE TO RETURN TO OVAL It was reported by The Athletic on Monday that the fall race weekend in Charlotte would leave the ROVAL and return to the 1.5-mile oval. The ROVAL incorporates an infield road course and parts of the oval track. First introduced in 2018, the first Cup Series race on the ROVAL produced an exciting finish where Martin Truex Jr. and Jimmie Johnson crashed right before the finish line, handing the win to Blaney. Elliott won the next two races on the ROVAL, while Larson became the only other two-time winner. Last October's race lacked any late-race drama as Shane Van Gisbergen won by 15 seconds over runner-up Larson. With the Next Gen car producing the best racing on the intermediate tracks like Charlotte, it's no surprise those with NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports would make this move. Ross Chastain won the Coca-Cola 600 back in May. Truex was the winner of the last fall race on the Charlotte Motor Speedway oval in 2017 with Elliott the second-place finisher.