When NASCAR made its triumphant comeback at the Bowman Gray Stadium with the Clash this year, the racing community was left wanting for more. But just after the race, there were questions: Will NASCAR return to the Madhouse after 2025? Now, short track racing is notorious for flared tempers and bent fenders, and Bowman Gray did reveal its ugly side with the first event of Street Stock racing at the historic half-mile.
Driver Zack Staley and Justin Alverson were involved in a physical altercation after the two drivers made contact during the cool-down lap. Staley was the one who ignited the beef by ramming his #7 car into the rear of Alverson’s ride and spun him across the racetrack. Staley got out of the car, took off his helmet and gloves and was ready to throw punches. One of the track officials tried his best to contain the raging driver. But when everyone thought everything was fine, Alverson came flying from his race car and pounced on his rival. It was ugly, both drivers were involved in a brawl, piled up in mud and grass. This incident even warranted law enforcement’s intervention to get things under control.
Now, it’s not just Street Stock car racers who have lost their cool on a short track. Just take a look back at the Xfinity Series Martinsville race; it was borderline demolition derby, with drivers racing with a no-holds-barred approach. Sammy Smith on the last lap knew that he wasn’t going to win, so he decided the wreck the entire field. Is there a remedy to these chaotic short-track races, and yes, where can we fight clean and drama-less racing? Well, Landon Huffman just might have the answer to this question.
Huffman recently visited the Newport Speedway, which hosted its first race since 2017, and he was among the crowds and witnessed the race first-hand. “No stupid fights & wasted racecars, just a packed house in the Tennessee mountains at revival of a racetrack that sat unoccupied for 8 years Short track racing is alive.” Soon, the comments section lit up, and the racing enthusiasts started making bids for the track to be a part of the CARS Tour or ARCA Series races.
No stupid fights & wasted racecars, just a packed house in the Tennessee mountains at revival of a racetrack that sat unoccupied for 8 years
Short track racing is alive pic.twitter.com/uoNKE9yaZ8
— Landon Huffman (@LandonHuffman) April 21, 2025
Even Dale Earnhardt Jr. acknowledged this positive energy from the short-track fanatics and re-shared Huffman’s post on his X account. He has been an advocate for short-track racing in the premier series, and it was his efforts that gave North Wilkesboro Speedway a new lifeline. So, if there’s anyone who can bring another short-track to life, it is Dale Jr. Well, keep an eye on this racetrack, as it might feature in the CARS Tour, if everything turns out well.
But, there is a possibility of Clash moving away from Bowman Gray. Although recent reports suggest the Madhouse will retain its place for 2026, beyond that, NASCAR might need to search for a new venue.
Could Rockingham Speedway replace the Bowman Gray Stadium for the Clash?
Well, 2025 has seen the return of some of the iconic tracks to NASCAR. Not just Bowman Gray, the Rock also hosted its first NASCAR race in over a decade. While the NASCAR Cup Series took the Easter weekend off, the Xfinity and Truck Series roared back on the 0.94-mile track. And it’s fair to say that the venue lived up to its billing after undergoing a major revamp under the new ownership.
The thing is, NASCAR is on the lookout for a track to host its pre-season race. They tried the LA Coliseum experiment twice, and did manage to create a buzz and awareness about the sport. But, now NASCAR wants something that is connected to its history, which can host a mega event. Although the sanctioning body has now gained ownership of Bowman Gray, the facility isn’t best suited to host a Cup Series event. And this is where Rockingham Speeday fits right in.
It is a historic race track where Richard Petty notched 11 wins, and it is located in Richmond County, North Carolina. The North Carolina General Assembly released $9 million, which saw major restoration and repavement of the racetrack. So, the old track is headed in the right direction, and NASCAR won’t have to shell money out of its pocket to promote the race. Not just fans, even the veteran driver, Kasey Kahne, who returned to racing after 2018, hopes that Rock is able to host a Cup Series race.
“I mean, the Cup race could probably be really good here. It used to be, I used to enjoy watching it or being a part of it, the one year. I was thinking on this on the way down this morning, that there’s so many racetracks with a pretty close span, like maybe six or seven. Understandable at the time that they wanted to go to California or Vegas or some of those tracks more, but yeah, I think this could be a really good track for NASCAR.” Kahne said after the race.
Now, it is tough to fit Rockingham in an already jam-packed Cup Series schedule. But, a clash or an All-Star event is possible if the stars align.
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