The 2026 NASCAR season starts here with the Cook Out Clash
The 2026 NASCAR season starts here with the Cook Out Clash
Catch all the action from practice to race day — here’s your full weekend viewing guide.
The Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium kicks off the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season this weekend in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, with the race airing on Fox on Sunday, Feb. 1 at 8 p.m. ET. It’s an exhibition race, so no points are on the line, but don’t let that fool you. Bowman Gray is tight, loud, and chaotic in the best way, and it gives us our first real look at new cars, new paint schemes, and new storylines heading into the season. With a revamped Chase format debuting later this year and plenty of fresh faces trying to make an early statement, this weekend is all about setting the tone. You can stream all the action, including Saturday’s practice, qualifying, and heat races, with 50% off a subscription to Sling TV.
How to watch the 2026 Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray
- When: Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET
- TV: Race on FOX, practice, qualifying, and heat races on FS1
- Stream: Watch with a subscription to Sling TV.
- From anywhere: Watch with a subscription to a VPN.
Everything you need to know about the 2026 Cook Out Clash:
What is the broadcast schedule for the 2026 NASCAR Cook Out Clash?
| Date | Time (ET) | Event | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, Jan. 31 | 6:10 p.m. | Practice & Qualifying | FS1 |
| 8:30 p.m. | Heat Races | FS1 | |
| Sunday, Feb. 1 | 6 p.m. | Last Chance Qualifying Race | FOX |
| 8 p.m. | Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray | FOX |
Why we like Sling TV for watching NASCAR Cook Out Clash
If you’re juggling NASCAR, football, live events, and weekly TV, Sling TV is one of the easiest ways to watch everything without overspending. It’s still one of the cheapest major live TV streaming services out there, and it carries the key broadcast and cable channels you need for races, games, and big events.
Sling is also running a solid promo right now. The service normally costs $46 per month, but you can grab 50% off your first month, which cuts the price to $23. You can sign up for Sling Orange or Sling Blue, or bundle both. That bundle usually runs $61 per month, but with the discount, your first month comes in at $30.50, which is still cheaper than most live TV streaming options.
And if you’re only tuning in for this weekend’s race or a single event, Sling also has short-term day, weekend, and week-long passes, so you’re not locked into a full month. Just keep in mind that Fox is only available in certain markets, so it’s worth double-checking availability where you live before signing up.
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Chicago
- Dallas/Fort Worth
- Detroit
- Gainesville
- Houston
- Los Angeles
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis/St. Paul
- New York
- Orlando/Daytona/Melbourne
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa/St. Petersburg
- Washington, DC
Sling TV
Sling TV is The Streamable’s choice for cord-cutters on a budget. Sling is a live TV streaming service with multiple channel packages. The $45.99/month Sling Orange plan offers about 30 channels, including Disney Channel and ESPN. The $45.99/month Sling Blue plan offers about 40 channels, including ABC, Fox, and NBC in major markets.
You can combine Orange+Blue for a total of $60.99 / month. Sling also offers many channel add-on packages starting at $6/month.
Can you watch the NASCAR Cook Out Clash for free?
If you’re trying to watch the Cook Out Clash without committing to a full live TV subscription, there are a few services that offer free trials. That said, not all trials are created equal. DIRECTV STREAM, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, and YouTube TV all advertise trial options, but how long those trials last can vary quite a bit.
The safest bet is DIRECTV STREAM. It consistently offers a five-day free trial, which gives you more than enough time to stream the race without paying anything. Hulu is another solid option, typically offering a three-day free trial for new users, which works well if you only need access for race weekend.
Fubo is a little less predictable. As The Streamable’s David Satin has noted, the length of its free trial isn’t always clear even during sign-up. Some viewers end up with just a single day, while others may get as many as seven.
YouTube TV can be similarly inconsistent. While the service often promotes trials lasting “up to two weeks,” some users report receiving only two days which can make planning a bit tricky.
| DIRECTV | Fubo | Hulu | Philo | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Free 3-Day Trial | Free Trial | Save with Sling | Free Trial | |||||
| $20.99 | $9.99 | $28.99 | $25 | $19.99 | $29.99 | $45.99 | $45.99 | $64.99 | ||
| Fox | + $19 | + $59 | + $61 | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| FS1 | + $24 | + $59 | + $61 | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
Watch the season preview for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series:
About the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out Clash
The NASCAR Cup Series opens the 2026 season at historic Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, with the Cook Out Clash serving as the sport’s annual preseason showcase. The race doesn’t award points, but it’s far from meaningless. Bowman Gray is one of the tightest, loudest, and most unforgiving tracks NASCAR visits, and it offers the first real on-track look at new cars, new paint schemes, and new team combinations heading into the year.
Often called “The Madhouse,” Bowman Gray’s quarter-mile layout leaves no room to hide. Lapped traffic comes fast, tempers flare quicker, and even the smallest mistake can turn into a pileup. While the Clash is technically an exhibition, performances here tend to matter, especially on short tracks later in the season. With a revamped Chase format looming in 2026 and several key storylines already taking shape, this weekend is less about points and more about setting the tone for the long season ahead.
How to watch the 2026 NASCAR Cook Out Clash from anywhere
If you’ll be away from home and can’t watch the 2026 NASCAR Cook Out Clash as you normally would, you can still catch all of the action no matter where you are in the world, with a VPN. A VPN can be used on your phone, tablet, or computer and make you appear to be back home — even when you’re not — making sure you feel at home no matter where you are. A VPN is a safe and secure way to stay protected online while streaming your favorite sports, movies, and shows on the go. Keep in mind that you will still need to be subscribed to Sling TV in order to stream the race with a VPN.
NordVPN is one of the best providers around, at one of the best prices. I use it every single day to surf the web. Currently, you can get two full years of protection for just $3.59 per month — plus you’ll get three extra months FREE. A high-speed VPN with best-in-class security that can be used on up to 10 devices at once — what more could you ask for? Simply sign up, install the software on your device of choice, and start streaming just as you would back home. It couldn’t be easier!
While NordVPN is our recommendation for the best VPN to use while you are traveling (and my preferred option), there are a number of other high-quality options available depending on what you are looking for.
- Best Features: ExpressVPN | Starting at $5 per month
- Best Budget Option: Surfshark | Starting at $2.50 per month
- Best Free Option: Proton VPN | Free plan available