When it comes to old race tracks, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will rarely say a bad word. You can expect much of the same in his review of the Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium.
A wreck and caution-filled race which was 2/3rds under caution and 1/3rd actual racing. The Clash at Bowman Gray could have been better, sure. But was it entertaining? Was it fun to have NASCAR back on the TV and hear the drivers getting upset and cars hitting each other and those great fans in the stands fighting the cold? Yes, it was.
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a big Bowman Gray fan. Still, he kept a measured stance on the whole event. That is what the Clash is, after all, an event. But even he couldn’t ignore the call from NASCAR to let teams add fuel to their cars under caution and not lose positions. Other teams had built a fuel advantage and it went right out the window.
NASCAR team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. looks on during practice for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.Peter Casey-Imagn Images
(Peter Casey-Imagn Images)
“Lotta chatter on the race last night,” Dale Jr. said on social media. “I’m not complaining because I think Cup even racing at Bowman [Gray] period is (expletive). I appreciate [NASCAR] working to get a finish. The weather was an issue and I’m glad they pushed through instead of giving up. I don’t like allowing the field to fuel when others had opted to put themselves at an advantage in that area. But it doesn’t ruin the night for me. It was an exhibition and I was entertained. Appreciate the entire industry dealing with all the inconveniences to make the event happen.”
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Was it the right call? I’m not sure. No one wanted to see a large portion of the field run out of fuel. That would have been another thing entirely. Fans online would be complaining about how NASCAR can’t get the distance and fuel correct.
So, it likely ends up being the best decision to make in this circumstance. You can’t do that during a points race, and I’m not sure NASCAR would do that in a points race. For the Clash? Sure, why not. The point is to put on a show and that means having as many of the 23 cars as possible on the track.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. didn’t seem to mind it too much. As he said, it didn’t ruin his perception of the Clash. Does Bowman Gray get another year of racing with the Cup Series? NASCAR has an agreement to host at least one national series race a year at the Madhouse for the next few years. So, why not?
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A night of racing and wacky circumstances at Bowman Gray. That’s honestly a fitting start to the NASCAR season if you ask me. Let’s get things going in Daytona and then we’ll really be in the thick of it, folks.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Feb 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the Racing section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
