Cook Out Clash Odds & Predictions: NASCAR Best Bets at Bowman Gray
Get ready for the unofficial kickoff of the NASCAR season with our Cook Out Clash picks and predictions for Wednesdayโs race at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C., starting at 6 p.m. ET (FOX).
Defending NASCAR champion Kyle Larson is among the favorites to win, though he trails fellow champions Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott in the betting odds.
๐ Cook Out Clash odds & betting favorites at Bowman Gray
Latest NASCAR odds via DraftKings; subject to change.
| Driver | Race winner | Top-3 finish |
|---|---|---|
| Denny Hamlin | +550 | +165 |
| Chase Elliott | +550 | +165 |
| Ryan Blaney | +600 | +180 |
| Kyle Larson | +800 | +230 |
| Christopher Bell | +850 | +250 |
| Joey Logano | +900 | +265 |
| William Byron | +1000 | +300 |
| Chase Briscoe | +1100 | +320 |
| Ryan Preece | +1800 | +500 |
| Ross Chastain | +2200 | +600 |
| Tyler Reddick | +2200 | +600 |
| Kyle Busch | +2500 | +700 |
| Chris Buescher | +2800 | +800 |
| Ty Gibbs | +2800 | +800 |
| Josh Berry | +3000 | +850 |
| Bubba Wallace | +3000 | +850 |
| Connor Zilisch | +3500 | +1000 |
| Alex Bowman | +4000 | +1100 |
| Austin Cindric | +4500 | +1200 |
| Carson Hocevar | +5000 | +1400 |
| Austin Dillon | +5500 | +1500 |
| Shane Van Gisbergen | +8000 | +2200 |
| Erik Jones | +9000 | +2500 |
| Corey Lajoie | +11000 | +3000 |
| John Hunter Nemechek | +13000 | +3500 |
| Michael McDowell | +13000 | +3500 |
| Noah Gragson | +15000 | +4000 |
| AJ Allmendinger | +15000 | +5500 |
| Todd Gilliland | +20000 | +5500 |
| Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | +20000 | +5500 |
| Cole Custer | +20000 | +5500 |
| Daniel Suarez | +20000 | +5500 |
| Zane Smith | +25000 | +7000 |
| Burt Myers | +25000 | +7000 |
| Ty Dillon | +70000 | +10000 |
| Riley Herbst | +50000 | +9000 |
| Cody Ware | +100000 | +10000 |
| Chad Finchum | +100000 | +10000 |
๐ Who will win the NASCAR Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray?
For the second straight year, the NASCAR season will open at Bowman Gray Stadium - a 0.25-mile short track that has become a fan favorite circuit over the years.
Chase Elliott won in dominant fashion last year, leading 171 of 200 laps to become the eighth winner in the last eight years of the Clash exhibition race. He's the favorite to become the first repeat winner in almost a decade, but we're looking further down the board for our best value bets to win the NASCAR exhibition opener on Wednesday.
Prediction to win Clash at Bowman Gray: Joey Logano (+1200)
It's fun to joke about "even year Logano" after he won the championship in 2022 and 2024, but he's a live bet to win this race after taking the Clash in '22 and succeeding on short tracks in the past - especially those newer to the circuit.
Logano has a habit of separating from the pack whenever NASCAR comes to a new track, and while the field raced at Bowman Gray last year, it's still far behind the other tracks in terms of available data and driver experience. That gives Logano a nod in my book ahead of what should be a highly motivated season for the No. 22 team.
Best value bet to win Clash at Bowman Gray: Ty Gibbs (+2800)
Gibbs is one of the most aggressive drivers in the field, which should serve him well at a short track where clean passes are hard to come by. He was the fastest in the practice sessions ahead of last year's Clash and should benefit from driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, which has won four of the last six Clash races to open the NASCAR season.
Best long shot to win Clash at Bowman Gray: Connor Zilisch (+4000)
Could the youngster get his first Cup Series "win" in the unofficial season opener? Zilisch dominated the Xfinity Series last season and showed some promise in three Cup Series races, including an 11th-place finish at Atlanta after starting 36th. He'll be driving full-time for Trackhouse Racing this season, and I wouldn't be shocked if he pushed the limits in his new ride to steal a win in this exhibition opener.
๐ฐ NASCAR prop bets for Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray
Even though it's an exhibition race, there are still myriad props available across the best sports betting sites for betting on the Clash at Bowman Gray ahead of Wednesday. Here's a look at some of the best prop markets at Caesars:
Winning manufacturer
| Manufacturer | Odds |
|---|---|
| Chevrolet | +125 |
| Toyota | +175 |
| Ford | +260 |
Winning car number
| Winning car number | Odds |
|---|---|
| 0-8 | +350 |
| 9-18 | +155 |
| 19-28 | +155 |
| 29-99 | +330 |
Head-to-head race match bets
| H2H matchup | Driver 1 | Driver 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Denny Hamlin vs. Kyle Larson | Hamlin -120 | Larson -110 |
| Chris Buescher vs. Ty Gibbs | Buescher -120 | Gibbs -110 |
| Chase Elliott vs. Ryan Blaney | Elliott -115 | Blaney -115 |
| William Byron vs. Christopher Bell | Byron -115 | Bell -115 |
| Chase Briscoe vs. Joey Logano | Briscoe -115 | Logano -115 |
Group A betting
| Driver | Odds |
|---|---|
| Chase Elliott | +240 |
| Ryan Blaney | +240 |
| Denny Hamlin | +260 |
| Kyle Larson | +310 |
Group B betting
| Driver | Odds |
|---|---|
| William Byron | +215 |
| Christopher Bell | +225 |
| Joey Logano | +300 |
| Chase Briscoe | +320 |
๐ Past NASCAR Clash winners
| Year | Driver | Team | Manufacturer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 2024 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 2023 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 2022 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford |
| 2021 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 2020 | Erik Jones | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 2019 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 2018 | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | Ford |
| 2017 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford |
| 2016 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
๐บ How to watch 2026 Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray
- Date: Wednesday, Feb. 4
- Start time: 6 p.m. ET
- Track: Bowman Gray Stadium (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
- TV: FOX
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