Weekend Recap: NASCAR Delays, IndyCar D.C. Plans, Houston Supercross
- RCAP Staff
- 13 hours ago
- 4 min read
This motorsports weekend recap goes over major storylines across multiple disciplines, with weather, strategy, and resilience shaping the headlines. NASCAR’s preseason plans were disrupted by historic snowfall, IndyCar took a major step towards a street race in Washington, D.C., Supercross saw Cooper Webb rebound in Houston, and Formula E produced an amazing tactical battle in Miami.
NASCAR
Historic winter weather in North Carolina has forced NASCAR to postpone its preseason exhibition event once again. The Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium was originally scheduled to run across Saturday and Sunday, but a powerful bomb cyclone dumped nearly a foot of snow across the region, bringing much of the state to a standstill.
With overnight temperatures continuing to dip below freezing, clearing roads and surrounding infrastructure remains a challenge. As a result, NASCAR officially rescheduled the Cook Out Clash to Wednesday, February 4th, delaying the event by an additional two days. Track officials emphasized that safety for fans, teams, and the local community remains the top priority.
“Due to the impacts of historic winter weather across the North Carolina region, the #CookOutClash has been rescheduled to Wednesday, Feb. 4,” the track said in a statement, noting continued coordination with the City of Winston-Salem and the North Carolina Department of Transportation. According to weather sites, daytime temperatures are expected to climb into the low-to-mid 40s by Wednesday, though overnight freezing conditions and a chance of rain remain concerns.
IndyCar
IndyCar may be headed to the streets of Washington, D.C., in August following an executive order signed by President Donald Trump. The order directs the Departments of Interior and Transportation, in coordination with the D.C. mayor’s office, to design a street circuit near the National Mall as part of the United States’ 250th birthday celebrations.
The proposed event, named the “America250 Grand Prix,” is targeted for the weekend of August 21–23, with IndyCar confirming its willingness to organize and run the race alongside federal and local officials, in what would be one of the most ambitious street races in series history.
IndyCar owner Roger Penske called the opportunity a major honor for the sport, while D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser highlighted the potential economic boost from increased tourism, hotel occupancy, and national exposure. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Fox Sports CEO Eric Shanks also showed support for the event.
Despite the enthusiasm, significant hurdles remain. Establishing a temporary street circuit in the nation’s capital on only 8 months notice presents major challenges, and questions persist regarding advertising restrictions on Capitol grounds. A White House official stated the administration believes congressional approval will not be required and that solutions are being explored through the Department of Transportation.
In the Fall Mark Miles previously cast doubt on the feasibility of a D.C. race on such a compressed timeline, stating that a 2026 debut wasn't realistic given the complexity involved. Whether the America250 Grand Prix becomes reality in 2026 remains to be seen.
Supercross – Houston
The Houston round delivered one of the most unpredictable nights of the young Supercross season, as the first Triple Crown of the stadium campaign produced three different race winners in the 450SMX Class.
Reigning champion Cooper Webb claimed his first overall victory of the season with finishes of 4-2-3, earning nine total points and securing the 31st win of his career. The result came as a major morale boost after a difficult start to his title defense with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing.
Race 1 belonged to Ken Roczen, who grabbed the holeshot and led every lap en route to a wire-to-wire victory over Chase Sexton and Eli Tomac. Webb finished fourth, while Hunter Lawrence saw a potential podium slip away after a late mistake.
Race 2 saw Jorge Prado take the holeshot before Lawrence made a decisive late pass to earn the win. Webb charged forward to finish second, while Tomac crashed while running sixth and salvaged a 13th-place result.
The final race delivered the night’s most dramatic moments. Tomac rebounded with the holeshot and eventually took the win, but Webb’s relentless charge from outside the top five proved decisive. After late-race mistakes from both Roczen and Sexton, Webb moved into third, which secured him the overall victory.
Webb finished one point ahead of Lawrence, with Roczen completing the podium. Tomac’s win limited the damage to his championship lead, which now sits at just four points over Lawrence. Roczen moved within 12 points, while Webb’s victory vaulted him into fifth in the standings.
Formula E
The Formula E weekend saw Mitch Evans deliver a masterclass while earning his first points of the season after entering the weekend scoreless.
Pole-sitter Nico Müller and Felipe Drugovich led the early stages following a rolling start due to earlier rain, before a standing start reshuffled the order. Drugovich briefly controlled the race using early Attack Mode, while Müller, Stoffel Vandoorne, and Pascal Wehrlein positioned themselves for the long game.
As the race unfolded, aggressive energy usage at the front opened the door for others. Antonio Felix da Costa made a late charge into the lead, but Evans timed his Attack Mode perfectly, carving through the field before overtaking Müller with a decisive move.
Late contact between Drugovich and da Costa eliminated the Brazilian from contention, while Evans steadily built a gap at the front. By the closing laps, Evans had complete control, holding off the Porsche duo as the field cycled through final Attack Modes.
Evans took the checkered flag ahead of Müller and Wehrlein in a double podium for Porsche. Joel Eriksson narrowly missed out on the podium in an impressive showing, while Nyck de Vries led the Mahindra effort with a strong fifth-place finish.