The drivers weren’t even strapped into their cars. A lap had yet to be run on Sunday at Bowman Gray Stadium. However, speculation, by way of the Sports Business Journal mentioning Brazil, had started about where NASCAR will contest its preseason Clash event next year.

Although it’s the nature of the business, it felt like a quick rush toward looking to the future when Bowman Gray had not yet made its case for consideration. And after the show put on Sunday between the Last Chance Qualifying race and the Cook Out Clash, a strong argument was made that Bowman Gray Stadium deserves more than one year as the host facility. The sport needs more of what it got over the weekend, and the atmosphere seemed to indicate an immediate desire to see it again in 2026.

All the boxes were checked: The passion of the fans. A good racing product. The use of bumpers on a short track. A facility rooted in NASCAR history. And everyone from the fans to the drivers and teams having a good time. The latter, honestly, is hard to come by.