In-built 1937, the appropriately nicknamed ‘Madhouse’ was the positioning of points-paying NASCAR Cup Collection races from 1958 to 1971. 54 years later, it’s going to function the unofficial kick-off to the 2025 season. The occasion will happen on February 2 and be broadcasted by FOX Sports activities.
“Bowman Grey Stadium has a storied historical past in motorsports, so we stay up for bringing the Cup Collection again to this revered racetrack for the primary time since 1971,” mentioned Ben Kennedy, Govt Vice President and Chief Venue & Racing Innovation Officer, NASCAR.
“As NASCAR’s first weekly racetrack, Bowman Grey Stadium holds a particular place as the unique dwelling to grassroots racing. With a historical past of intense competitors, we’re proud to host The Conflict on the ‘The Madhouse.’”
It was additionally introduced that NASCAR Studios and FOX Sports activities Movies are producing a one-hour documentary entitled The Madhouse: NASCAR’s Return to Bowman Grey Stadium.
The NASCAR Conflict has has its personal storied historical past, relationship again to 1979. Initially a style of what was to return in that 12 months’s Daytona 500, the earlier 12 months’s pole-sitters would compete on the 2.5-mile superspeedway.
As the game entered the 2020s, the principles modified and the venue did too. They expanded the sector and tried to run it on the Daytona Street Course in 2021. The next 12 months, they actually swung for the fences by constructing a brief monitor contained in the L.A. Memorial Coliseum. The monitor was solely a quarter-mile in size, as is Bowman Grey.
One of many most important criticisms of the L.A. Conflict was the gap. Groups needed to journey all the best way to California for a race that did not even depend in direction of the championship. That will not be a problem with Bowman Grey Stadium, which sits simply an hour north of Charlotte, North Carolina. Nonetheless, it’s going to definitely be colder!
Operating from 2022-2024, the L.A. Conflict drew each crowds and rankings, however the newest race was marred by extreme climate. Earlier this 12 months, the sanctioning physique acquired Bowman Grey Stadium, however their plans for it have been unclear till now.
“The town of Winston-Salem may be very excited and grateful to NASCAR for choosing Bowman Grey Stadium as the positioning for The Conflict in 2025,” mentioned Metropolis of Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines. “This additional solidifies our metropolis’s relationship with NASCAR and the various followers within the area as we welcome the NASCAR Cup Collection again to Bowman Grey Stadium.”
Not like the lately resurrected North Wilkesboro Speedway, which now hosts the annual All-Star Race, Bowman Grey has been very a lot alive even with out the highest degree of NASCAR.
Present Cup drivers Kyle Larson, Alex Bowman, William Byron, Chase Elliott, Justin Haley, Corey LaJoie, Ryan Preece, Daniel Suarez, and Bubba Wallace have all competed there earlier than.