In a dramatic season opener at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, Ryan Preece won NASCAR's preseason Clash, overcoming sleet, a wet track, and a high number of cautions to capture his first Cup Series victory.

Preece’s victory places him among a select group—joining Jeff Gordon and Denny Hamlin—as Clash champions who had not yet earned a points-paying Cup victory at the time of their Clash win.

Driving the RFK Racing Ford with support from co-owner Brad Keselowski, Preece seizes momentum for the upcoming Daytona 500 as one of the few to win The Clash before a points race.

William Byron finished second, with Ryan Blaney third and Daniel Suárez fourth in his debut for Spire Motorsports, while Denny Hamlin completed the top five.

Kyle Larson led the most laps but finished 16th; the race featured a mix of champions and title contenders in the top ranks, including Byron, Blaney, Suarez, and Hamlin.

The finish was tense due to fuel concerns and a lengthy delay, with the race resuming after a pit stop for fuel and continued coverage on the broadcast.

Connor Zilisch finished 18th amid a chaotic wet-to-dry transition, early speed in the dry, and setbacks from wrecks and restarts.

Kyle Busch ended up 19th, citing early grip issues and later damage from on-track contact as focus shifted toward Daytona.

Fuel strategy sparked controversy as NASCAR temporarily allowed all cars to refuel, prompting mixed reactions from teams and frustration from Chase Briscoe and his crew chief James Small.

The race featured multiple crashes, tire management challenges, fuel shortages, and a late-race stackup that reshaped the leaderboard, with Byron narrowly missing the win as Preece held the lead.

The Clash, originally scheduled for Sunday, was postponed twice due to snow, featured record cautions, sleet, and a switch to wet-weather Goodyear tires, with drivers reporting visibility issues.

The event included high-profile incidents, including Hamlin colliding with Larson and multiple spins, as teams fought through weather and fuel concerns.