Christopher Bell, driver for Joe Gibbs Racing, has highlighted a significant difficulty facing participants at this weekend’s Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium: extremely cold temperatures. With forecasts predicting temperatures well below freezing, Bell pointed to the challenge of bringing the race cars up to optimal temperature early as potentially the biggest obstacle, though conditions should improve once the race is underway.
Severe Winter Weather Disrupts NASCAR’s Preseason Schedule
The NASCAR Cup Series preseason exhibition at Bowman Gray Stadium, originally planned with a full day of practice, qualifying, and heat races on Saturday, has faced major disruptions. Due to forecasts of heavy snowfall and icy conditions, NASCAR canceled the heat races and compressed the event into a one-day schedule on Sunday. Temperatures at the Winston-Salem quarter-mile short track are expected to barely rise above the 20s Fahrenheit, with nighttime lows dropping into the teens, making this one of the coldest NASCAR events held at this venue.
Bell discussed his perspective on how these frigid conditions could affect the race during an interview with Fox Sports reporter Bob Pockrass. He emphasized the difficulty of warming up cars gradually to avoid mechanical problems on a cold short track.
“You’ll want to make sure that you get temperature in them slowly, and that can be really problematic even whenever we go to a normal temperature short track. You have to be careful of just hammering the brakes right whenever you get out there. So that’s certainly going to be a factor, at least whenever we first get on track,” Christopher Bell said.
“I think once the race gets rolling, it’s not going to be really any different at all from, the on-track side of things,” he added.
Last year, Bell finished 12th at the Cook Out Clash, which was dominated by Chase Elliott, providing a benchmark of his past performance coming into this challenging event.
Adjusting to Delays and Uncertainty Amid Weather Challenges
Snowfall around Bowman Gray Stadium, including nearby intersections, was documented by NASCAR insider Bozi Tatarevic on Saturday morning, confirming the harsh winter conditions impacting the race weekend. Despite these challenges, Bell and his No. 20 Cup team remain prepared to compete at any point NASCAR schedules the race, whether that be Monday, Tuesday, or later in the week.
“NASCAR told us that basically we’re going to race it as soon as we can. We’re treating it like rain delay. And so I’m good with that,” Christopher Bell told Pockrass.
The continuously evolving schedule now lists practice and qualifying from 2 to 4 p.m. Eastern Time, followed by the Last Chance Qualifier at 6 p.m. NASCAR Race Day coverage will begin at 7:30 p.m., with the main Cook Out Clash event starting at 8 p.m. Meanwhile, NASCAR’s official season opener, the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, remains on track for mid-February.
Potential Implications for Drivers and Teams Facing Extreme Cold
The frigid conditions at Bowman Gray Stadium present unique mechanical and strategic challenges for drivers and crew alike. Bell’s warning about the importance of gradually warming vehicles without overusing brakes underscores the potential for early-race difficulties that could affect performance and safety. Teams will need to be especially cautious during initial laps to prevent damage and maintain vehicle control.
This event will test the adaptability of both drivers and crew in one of the most challenging winter races in NASCAR history. Given the uncertainty around the schedule caused by weather, maintaining focus and readiness will be crucial to success.
How these cold weather conditions impact the race outcomes and whether any new strategies emerge could provide valuable insights for teams as the NASCAR Cup Series season officially begins with the Daytona 500. Drivers like Christopher Bell, who has experience on this short track and acknowledges the cold challenges, may have an edge in managing these difficulties.
About a half-inch of snow has fallen here in Winston-Salem and expected to resume later this morning with 4-to-9 inches predicted. Christopher Bell, speaking yesterday, on how the cold could impact brakes and on any impact on Daytona preparations if the race gets delayed. pic.twitter.com/ubp89FeBnB
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) January 31, 2026
Current conditions at Bowman Gray Stadium. pic.twitter.com/UdkuZUCJon
— Bozi Tatarevic (@BoziTatarevic) January 31, 2026
