City employees in Winston-Salem are getting ready for the Cook Out Clash, which will be the first NASCAR Cup series event to take place at Bowman Gray Stadium in over 50 years. The event has been held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for the past three years. Joseph Dennewitz, the managing director of NASCAR regional, told city council that Winston-Salem was chosen as the new host city over a number of other options nationwide because “the opportunity to shine a national spotlight on short track racing and the magic of Bowman Gray Stadium was simply too good to pass up.” Bowman Gray last hosted a Cup series event in 1971. The Cook Out Clash is already sold out, with 15,000 spectators from 44 states and five countries are set to descend on the city February 2.
Over the past few months, staff have been working with NASCAR to figure out the logistics, including shoring up the track, handling concessions, and ensuring there is enough parking. “They’ve had to figure out how to locate around Bowman Gray Stadium, which is the smallest footprint that they’ve raced at,” says assistant city manager Ben Rowe. “They expect the event to have a major economic impact on the city, with out-of-state visitors staying overnight and checking out local businesses.” Those who were unable to purchase tickets can still watch the event, as it will be televised on Fox during prime time.
