WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Fans are growing restless over the Madhouse.
The highly anticipated Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium has been postponed due to a heavy snowstorm that blanketed the Piedmont Triad, pushing NASCAR’s preseason showcase from Sunday, Feb. 1, to Wednesday, Feb. 4.
Officials made the decision Saturday afternoon after forecasts showed continued snowfall and unsafe travel conditions across central North Carolina. Icy roads surrounding the historic quarter-mile track and temperatures expected to remain below freezing led organizers to determine that racing as scheduled would pose risks to teams, fans and staff.
Bowman Gray Stadium, famously known as the “Madhouse,” is no stranger to chaos on the track. Winter weather, however, proved to be an opponent even stock car racing could not outmuscle.
The Cook Out Clash has quickly become one of the most anticipated preseason events on the NASCAR calendar, drawing sellout crowds and national attention to Winston-Salem each year. This year’s delay only amplified emotions among fans who had planned travel and weekend trips around the event.
Reaction poured in across social media shortly after the announcement, with responses ranging from frustration to reluctant acceptance. “I hate the wait, but I’d rather be mad than sliding off the highway,” one fan posted on X.
Despite the postponement, officials remain confident the event will deliver once engines fire Wednesday night. Tickets purchased for Sunday’s race will be honored for the rescheduled date, and gates are expected to open at the same times originally planned.
If anything, the delay has only added to the tension surrounding the Clash. With bragging rights at stake and the regular season looming, fans may be waiting a few extra days — but the Madhouse is still set to erupt.
