Two NASCAR Cup Series stars turned up unexpectedly at Bowman Gray on Monday morning to help out with the cleanup operation.
While the track is already looking pretty clear after historic snowfall in North Carolina, the stands and other spectator areas are still thick with layers of snow and ice. With NASCAR insisting that their reasoning for pushing the race all the way back to Wednesday was that it would mean more fans could attend, that means a major cleanup is still ongoing.
Cup Series stars Todd Gilliland and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. turned up at the track on Monday, with FOX Sports' Bob Pockrass there to catch the pair getting busy with a pair of shovels and chat to them briefly.
Pockrass joking floated the idea of the pair being given a 'snow removal provisional' spot in Wednesday night's main event, rather than having to go through qualifying and/or the Last Chance Qualifier.
Stenhouse: Fans make this event
Gilliland admitted he wouldn't turn that down – and revealed that the pressure's on him, with his wife having some friends round to the house to watch the race.
He said: "My wife said she's not letting me back in the house if I don't make the field. She's having a few people over, and she said I can't crash their party."
Stenhouse took some time to explain his reasons for coming down to help clear off the seats, saying: "It's very important, especially in this market and what Bowman Gray's all about. This has always been about hard racing and great race fans.
"Yeah, I had other plans this week that I would be doing on Wednesday night, but I think it's more important to race with the fans. Coming to do a Clash with no fans wouldn't be as much fun for us drivers either.
"I know the team's got a lot of work to do to get ready for Daytona, so they're back at the shop Monday and Tuesday digging in as hard as they can on that stuff, but I think for our sport and for the Clash it's more important to have the fans here."
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