Home » Latest News » NASCAR relationship with HBCU on display at The Clash

NASCAR relationship with HBCU on display at The Clash

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — NASCAR opened its 2025 season in historic fashion at Bowman Gray Stadium, home to Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) football and located just across the street from the HBCU’s campus. The race not only marked NASCAR’s return to the quarter-mile track after more than five decades but also celebrated its growing partnership with WSSU and the HBCU community.  

The event featured a pre-race performance by WSSU’s renowned Red Sea of Sound Marching Band, electrifying the sold-out crowd before the green flag dropped. NASCAR has increasingly embraced HBCU culture, and this collaboration further highlighted the connection between the sport and historically Black colleges and universities.  

Pole winner Chase Elliott delivered a masterful performance, leading 171 of the 200 laps to secure his first Cook Out Clash victory. As Elliott maneuvered through lapped traffic in the final stretch, Ryan Blaney mounted a charge but ultimately fell short, finishing second. The night was filled with excitement, not only on the track but in the stands, including the performance of the WSSU Red Sea of Sound.

NASCAR, HBCU, WSSU
Photo Courtesy: WSSU

“This environment is special,” Elliott said post-race. “This is a place that has a deep history in NASCAR. I think they deserve this event, truthfully.”

Blaney, who started last, made a remarkable run to the front but couldn’t match Elliott’s late-race speed. Meanwhile, Bubba Wallace, the sport’s most prominent Black driver, put on a show, charging from 14th to finish fifth in front of a crowd that embraced NASCAR’s continued outreach to HBCUs.  NASCAR Craftsman Driver Rajah Caruth, who graduated from the HBCU in December, was among those in attendance. 

With NASCAR and WSSU deepening their relationship, this season-opening event symbolized the sport’s ongoing efforts to engage with HBCU culture, ensuring that the legacy of racing at Bowman Gray Stadium continues for generations to come.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

X