Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray 2025: NASCAR Odds, Expert Picks & Predictions Tonight

NASCAR makes its return to Bowman Gray for the first time since 1971 as we offer our Cook Out Clash expert picks and predictions for tonight's race at 8 p.m. ET (FOX).

Chase Elliott is the betting favorite (+225) to win this preseason exhibition across most of our best sportsbooks, though we're looking further down the odds for our best NASCAR predictions and long shots to win at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C.

2025 NASCAR Clash at Bowman Gray odds

Here are the raceday odds via BetMGM for the NASCAR Clash at Bowman Gray on Feb. 2.

• Chase Elliott, +225 ($10 to win $22.50)
• Denny Hamlin, +350 ($10 to win $35)
• Chris Buescher, +600 ($10 to win $60)
• Tyler Reddick, +650 ($10 to win $65)
• Chase Briscoe, +700 ($10 to win $70)
• Joey Logano, +900 ($10 to win $90)
• Brad Keselowski, +1100 ($10 to win $110)
• Christopher Bell, +1300 ($10 to win $130)
• Kyle Busch, +2200 ($10 to win $220)
• Noah Gragson, +2200 ($10 to win $220)
• William Byron, +2500 ($10 to win $250)
• Ryan Blaney, +3000 ($10 to win $300)
• Ryan Preece, +3000 ($10 to win $300)
• Ross Chastain, +4000 ($10 to win $400)
• Bubba Wallace, +4000 ($10 to win $400)
• Shane van Gisbergen +4000 ($10 to win $400)
• Alex Bowman, +5000 ($10 to win $500)
• Austin Cindric, +5000 ($10 to win $500)
• Carson Hocevar, +6000 ($10 to win $600)
• Daniel Suarez, +8000 ($10 to win $800)
• Todd Gilliland, +10000 ($10 to win $1,000)

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Clash at Bowman Gray predictions

Some of the top pre-qualifying contenders, like Kyle Larson and Ty Gibbs, failed to advance out of Saturday's heats after some all-out madness at The MadHouse and will need a miracle tonight in the Last Chance Qualifier at 6 p.m. ET.

This track's propensity for chaos means those in the front two rows- and especially at the very front of the pack - have a major advantage in avoiding the inevitable wreckage behind them at this condensed 0.25-mile track. But they also feature by far the shortest odds in an exhibition race where truly anything can happen.

That's why I'm looking a bit further down the oddsboard for my Clash at Bowman Gray predictions:

Denny Hamlin (+350)

OK, maybe this isn't that far down the list. But Hamlin has won the Clash four times in his career, more than any active driver and second all-time behind only Dale Earnhardt Sr., and he won this race last year in the similarly small confines at the Coliseum.

He's also dominated over the years at Martinsville, which has the closest profile to this track among the regular Cup Series circuits, and he'll start third in the main event after winning his heat race. There's nobody I'd rather bet tonight than Hamlin.

Joey Logano (+900)

You think Logano hasn't heard all the noise after his third championship last year? He quipped with reporters this week that the criticism gets muffled as his trophies "echo around me," but something tells me the fiercely competitive Logano might have a little extra edge coming into an otherwire meaningless event.

He's always brought his A-game to this exhibition race, winning it twice (2017, 2022) and finishing fourth last year. Logano has a history of excelling in his first foray at a new track, and with so many drivers trying to navigate unfamiliar territory tonight, don't count out the three-time champion making it look easy en route to victory.

Christopher Bell (+1300)

Bell's season ended in heartbreak last year when he was earned a Championship 4 spot but lost it on a post-race reversal, and he should be out for blood at Bowman Gray tonight.

He's spent the winter tearing up dirt tracks ahead of the Cup Series schedule, and he has a history of excelling on short tracks - even if not quite as short as this one. At these +1300 odds, I'll gladly take a flier on one of the best drivers in the sport with something to prove.

Clash at Bowman Gray long shots

What would a preseason race be without a few long-shot bets? This is a tough track to win from the back, as it's tricky to pass around the narrow corners at Bowman Gray and even tougher to make up ground over this 50-mile race.

That said, with uncertain motivations for the top drivers and no real consequences to going all out from the back, here are two Clash at Bowman Gray long shots I'm targeting:

Kyle Busch (+2200)

Busch endured a nightmare season last year, ending his record wins streak and missing the playoffs, but he has a chance to start 2025 on the right track with a win at the Clash.

He always seems to find himself near the front in this event, winning it in 2021 and finishing in the top three each of the three years since. That includes a runner-up finish last year - his second in three years at the 0.25-mile track in Los Angeles. I'd expect a strong run in Winston-Salem, too.

Ross Chastain (+4000)

Nobody in this sport is as good at passing as Chastain, who finished eighth in this event two years ago at the Coliseum but is still seeking his first career exhibition win.

He doesn't have the raw speed of some of his counterparts, but he can navigate traffic with the best of 'em, which is the name of the game at Bowman Gray. With these odds giving him less than a 3% chance of winning per our odds converter, it's worth a shot.

Clash at Bowman Gray expert picks

Here are our expert NASCAR picks tonight with confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale.

• Denny Hamlin (+225 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Joey Logano (+900 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐⭐
• Christopher Bell (+1300 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐⭐
• Kyle Busch (+2200 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐
• Ross Chastain (+4000 via BetMGM) ⭐

NASCAR Clash at Bowman Gray starting lineup

Here is the starting lineup for tonight's NASCAR Clash at Bowman Gray at 8 p.m. ET.

1. Chase Elliott #9, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
2. Chris Buescher #17, RFK Racing Ford
3. Denny Hamlin #11, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
4. Tyler Reddick #45, 23XI Racing Toyota
5. Brad Keselowski #6, RFK Racing Ford
6. Chase Briscoe #19, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
7. Joey Logano #22, Team Penske Ford
8. Christopher Bell #20, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
9. Noah Gragson #4, Front Row Motorsports Ford
10. Shane van Gisbergen #88, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
11. William Byron #24, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
12. Ryan Preece #60, RFK Racing Ford
13. Kyle Busch #8, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
14. Bubba Wallace #23, 23XI Racing Toyota
15. Carson Hocevar #77, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
16. Austin Cindric #2, Team Penske Ford
17. Ross Chastain #1, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
18. Daniel Suarez #99, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
19. Alex Bowman #48, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
20. Todd Gilliland #34, Front Row Motorsports Ford
21. Last Chance Qualifier winner
22. Last Chance Qualifier runner-up
23. Highest driver in points last year not in Clash (Ryan Blaney)

Clash at Bowman Gray past winners

While this is the first race at Bowman Gray since 1971, the Clash has been held every year since 1979 and took place at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum each of the last three seasons. Previously, it was held at Daytona International Speedway, the site of this year's Daytona 500 odds to officially start the regular season.

Here are the last 10 winners of the NASCAR Clash exhibition race:

Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray info, how to watch NASCAR race

• Date: Sunday, Feb. 2 at 8 p.m. ET
• Track: Bowman Gray Stadium (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
• Length: 0.25 miles (200 laps, 50 total miles)
• How to watch: FOX
• Defending winner: Denny Hamlin
• Favorite: Chase Elliott (+225 via BetMGM)

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