The NASCAR Cup Series season informally began with the Cook Out Clash exhibition race on Sunday at the quarter-mile Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C., and the best of stock car racing was on display.

Ryan Blaney was in the last-chance qualifier for The Clash at Bowman Gray but was already guaranteed a place in the main event.

In Sunday's Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, Blaney would be faced with one of the most difficult drives of his career, but the 2023 champion stepped up and nearly put together one of the most impressive runs in the 46-year history of the Clash.

Ryan Blaney slams NASCAR’s new rulebook, questioning its impact on teamwork and creating confusion among drivers. The debate over race manipulation heats up.

Ryan Blaney is all smiles after coming from the back to the front to score a runner-up finish at Bowman Gray Stadium.

Ryan Blaney has made a recent habit of dramatic charges in the preseason Clash exhibition, with 2025 being the latest instance. In this case, this year’s drive from the back of the pack put him squarely behind old friend Chase Elliott.