WINSTON-SALEM -- The 2025 NASCAR season unofficially gets underway on Sunday night, as some of the top drivers head to the legendary Bowman Gray Stadium for the Cook Out Clash. After three years racing at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, NASCAR elected to move its premier preseason event to a more traditional venue.

The field was grouped into four heat races based on speed, and it came easily for the Hendrick Motorsports star who returned to the playoffs. Elliott held off the pack in an eventful opening heat race, earning the pole position for the Clash at Bowman Gray that is scheduled to go green at around 8:20 p.m. Sunday.