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.

Joey Logano 7th – Austin Cindric 10th – Chris Buescher 11th – Ryan Preece 13th – Josh Berry 14th – Todd Gilliland 20th – Noah Gragson 21st – Brad Keselowski JOEY LOGANO AND RYAN BLANEY POST-RACE PRESS CONFERENCE JOEY LOGANO,

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.