NASCAR to make changes at Bowman Gray Stadium ahead of 2025 Clash

Believe it or not, we are only 80 days away from the NASCAR Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium and the beginning of the 2025 season. We just crowned a champion a week ago and now we are already planning for the next 36 races.

To call the NASCAR offseason an offseason is a bit of an understatement. There are a ton of talented drivers without rides and we will only be getting more information on how the 2025 season will look as the days and weeks go by.

Before anything happens in 2025, NASCAR is updating Bowman Gray Stadium to make it a modern and safer race track. Get ready for some upgrades at the Madhouse!

According to Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports, NASCAR is installing SAFER barriers as well as a new catchfence at Bowman Gray. The stadium will also receive new lighting which is going to be paid for by pandemic funds.

NASCAR will install SAFER barrier and a new catchfence at Bowman Gray for the Clash. There also will be new lighting, which will be funded by the 2022 pandemic recovery grant Winston-Salem received as part of the North Carolina Motorsports Relief Fund.

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) November 14, 2024

Bowman Gray is one of the historic tracks in not just North Carolina but America. It is the Madhouse.

Whenever you see a viral video of two grassroots drivers sprinting at one another to fight in the middle of what looks like a football field – that’s Bowman Gray! Well, most of the time it is.

The only way to describe the small quarter-mile track is an Old West saloon of sorts. Fights break out between crew members, drivers, fans, and just about anyone else at the track. Of course, there is a lot of good racing that leads to a packed house and a lot of tension.

Getting the track up to date and ready for the NASCAR Clash won’t be easy. There is limited time. But if NASCAR can put a race track in LA Coliseum, they can put on a show at Bowman Gray.

NASCAR returns to Bowman Gray after Bobby Allison win

Bowman Gray has been in NASCAR news a lot lately. A few weeks ago, before Bobby Allison passed away, the track came up again. Allison was finally awarded his 85th Cup Series win following recognition from the sanctioning body of his 1971 victory at the Madhouse.

The big contention for 53 years was the fact NASCAR was using the Grand National cars and the Grand American cars in the same race. It was a marketing ploy to promote both series and the drivers in them.

Richard Petty would go on to win the pole award in his Grand National 1970 Plymouth. However, Bobby Allison and his 1970 Mustang were able to take the corners much better than the Grand National cars. It led to a three-second victory for Allison over Petty.

Due to disagreement from Petty and others over whether this should be a win for Allison in his Grand American car or a win for Petty as the first Grand National car to cross the line. At the time, there was no rule about multi-series races having results separated. Allison always insisted that he won that race and should be credited for it.

Thankfully, NASCAR gave Allison his win at Bowman Gray at the end of October. Allison passed away last week before the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship race. Will we see any more controversy when the Cup Series returns to the Madhouse?