Ben Kennedy: The Clash at Bowman Gray is ‘next evolution’ of event
NASCAR Executive Vice President Ben Kennedy says bringing the exhibition race to historic Bowman Gray Stadium blends superstar drivers with regional roots.
Transcript
00:00Alex, we were here joined by Ben Kennedy. Bowman Gray has a special place in NASCAR history.
00:05I understand we have some exciting news involving the Madhouse for 2025.
00:10Yeah, we're going back to the Madhouse in Bowman Gray Stadium and bringing our Cup Series there
00:15for the first time since the 1970s. So excited to see us go back to Bowman Gray. You know,
00:21we announced earlier this year that we're going to take on the lease at Bowman Gray and begin
00:27operating it, which we did for the first time this year, and we're bringing the class there
00:33next year. We're going to Bowman Gray Stadium, but it's also an opportunity to celebrate our roots,
00:39celebrate our history, and celebrate our NASCAR Regional Series and our Weekly Series.
00:43Yeah, you mentioned that NASCAR took over those operations at Bowman Gray.
00:48We all know the track at the LA Coliseum was your brainchild, and you have pulled into Victory Lane
00:53at Bowman Gray. So how long has this been kind of up there in your mind if we want to bring the
00:59Cup Series back to Bowman Gray? Yeah, so we've talked about this for a while. You know, to your
01:05point, we had a few years at the Coliseum, a huge opportunity for us to go into a major metro market,
01:12a ton of new fans that came out to that event, and this is the next evolution of the clash for us.
01:18You know, as we started to make some of these changes in the schedule, one of the areas where
01:22we feel like there's an opportunity for us to continue to switch it up and go to new markets
01:28and go to new venues is an exhibition race, and it is a clash. So we've been talking about this
01:34for quite a while now. You know, the first conversation I had with Gray was actually at a
01:40test session at Bowman Gray getting ready for our first race at the Coliseum, I think in November or
01:45December of 21, and that was originally talking about taking on the lease of Bowman Gray.
01:51But I would say as, you know, we think about talking about the clash, actually going to Bowman
01:55Gray, that's been, you know, in the back of our minds for quite a while now. But as things came
02:00to fruition and to light earlier this year, we felt like this is such a natural opportunity for
02:05us to make that shift next year. Well, we know the history at Bowman Gray and NASCAR, but we look back
02:10to two years ago. We go to North Wilkesboro, and now Bowman Gray is on the schedule. It feels like
02:16there's an emphasis not only in our future and building the sport, but connecting to NASCAR's
02:22roots as well. So with this strong connection in the weekly series, can you talk a little bit about
02:26Bowman Gray and what that will do for NASCAR's history? Yeah, it's a big part of our history
02:34as a sport, for sure. You know, the track was built in the 1930s. It's the longest running
02:38weekly NASCAR track that we have and has been our partner in operating since 1949. So
02:47if you think about Bowman Gray, I mean, you had what was our cup series there for the first,
02:52you know, couple decades racing at Bowman Gray. You had the convertible series there for a number
02:57of years, and you've had weekly series there ever since. I mean, they made a TV show on it for a
03:01while. So in a lot of ways, it is the heartbeat of our grassroots racing and where we began as a
03:09sport. And again, to bring the cup series there is going to be really special, but then, you know,
03:14to be able to make a big nod to our weekly series in and around that weekend is going to be a big
03:20part of it too. So excited about it, and I really think, you know, this blending of our biggest
03:25names and our biggest drivers on that Sunday night while celebrating kind of our roots and
03:31our history is going to be a special moment for us. Well, we know the Madhouse rocks out every
03:36week, so we're excited to have the NASCAR Cup Series. We'll kick off our 2025 season at Bowman
03:40Gray. Thanks, Ben. Thanks, Alex.