Chase Elliott takes pole position for NASCAR Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray

p>Chase Elliott secured the top spot on the starting grid for the Cook Out Clash, set to take place on Sunday at Bowman Gray Stadium. The NASCAR driver, known for his strong fan following, posted the fastest time in the final four-minute practice session and won the first heat race, leading from start to finish.

Strategy and Track Position

Elliott, who will share the front row with Chris Buescher, emphasized the importance of track position, especially on the tight quarter-mile oval at Bowman Gray. “It will be tough to win from the third or fourth row,” Elliott noted, highlighting the advantages the front row provides in terms of race control and pace setting.

Chris Buescher, who won the second heat race, led every lap and held off Chase Briscoe to secure the second spot on the starting grid. Buescher was also optimistic about his performance after a successful adjustment to his No. 17 Ford from Round Fenway Keselowski Racing, which improved his car’s handling following a challenging initial practice session.

The Challenge of Front-Row Starts

In total, the top five drivers from each heat race advanced directly to Sunday’s main event. Denny Hamlin and Tyler Reddick, winners of heats 3 and 4, will start from the third and fourth positions on the grid.

Unlike previous editions, qualifying appears to be even more crucial for this event, as all heat race winners posted the fastest times in the final practice, further solidifying the importance of starting positions.

Drivers who did not secure a direct qualification spot will have one last chance to make it to the main event. Ryan Blaney, who missed a direct spot, currently holds the provisional 23rd position due to his 2024 championship points. Among those still needing to fight for a spot in the **Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ)** is Kyle Larson, who finished eighth in his heat race and will now seek to secure his place through this second opportunity.

Final Practice Results NASCAR Clash 2025

Posición	Piloto	Tiempo	Diferencia	Mejor vuelta
1	Chase Elliott	14.115	—	—
2	Chris Buescher	14.146	-0.031	14.146
3	Denny Hamlin	14.151	-0.036	14.151
4	Tyler Reddick	14.163	-0.048	14.163
5	Brad Keselowski	14.170	-0.055	14.170
6	Chase Briscoe	14.173	-0.058	14.173
7	Christopher Bell	14.194	-0.079	14.194
8	Joey Logano	14.194	-0.079	14.194
9	Ryan Blaney	14.215	-0.100	14.215
10	Shane Van Gisbergen	14.217	-0.102	14.217
11	William Byron	14.226	-0.111	14.226
12	Austin Cindric	14.232	-0.117	14.232
13	Justin Haley	14.236	-0.121	14.236
14	Zane Smith	14.245	-0.130	14.245
15	Alex Bowman	14.246	-0.131	14.246
16	Cole Custer	14.247	-0.132	14.247
17	Ross Chastain	14.248	-0.133	14.248
18	Bubba Wallace	14.261	-0.146	14.261
19	Carson Hocevar	14.274	-0.159	14.274
20	Todd Gilliland	14.281	-0.166	14.281