Emotions Deserved: Ryan Preece Earns First Win In NASCAR Cup Series Car At Bowman Gray Stadium

After multiple delays following a historic snowstorm in Winston-Salem, North Carolina that pushed the race to a Wednesday night, the unofficial start to the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium is finally in the books, with Ryan Preece holding off the likes of a late-race charging William Byron and Ryan Blaney to get his first-ever victory in a NASCAR Cup Series car, at the start of his seventh full-time season in the series. It was a truly emotional night, that included a night of racing that will be remembered by fans for years to come.

(Image/Racimg America)

After a night of racing that was supposed to originally happen Sunday night that was pushed all the way to Wednesday night, that included a Clash record 17 caution flags that produced well over 100 caution laps that didn't count towards the official lap total due to Clash rules stating only green flag laps are counted, Ryan Preece got the jump on the final restart on Lap 156 of 200, giving him the lead of the race that he never gave up again.

There were excellent efforts from drivers such as William Byron and Ryan Blaney, who were charging up through the field late in the race. However, neither of them had the speed to get to Preece before the checkered flag flew.

Following the race, Preece said to Fox Sports; “To be honest with you, it’s been a (expletive) long road. It’s the Clash. But man, it’s just been years and years of grinding."

Preece joined the NASCAR Cup Series full-time for the first time in 2019. Since joining the Cup Series full-time that year, he has raced for JTG Daugherty Racing, Rick Ware Racing, Stewat-Haas Racing, and Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing. He has 30 top ten finishes and two poles to his name in 223 points race starts in the Cup Series.

Though the win at the 2026 Cook Out Clash doesn't officially goes on Ryan Preece's Record, it will go into the hearts of fans and Preece himself alike, as Preece finally gets to celebrate his first win in a Cup car.