Ryan Blaney has approved NASCAR's return to Bowman Gray Stadium for the 2026 Clash. While the announcement reignited fan discourse on social media about the quarter-mile Winston-Salem oval, Blaney has backed the event.Blaney's endorsement is rooted in nostalgia and the 2025 success of the race. Ahead of this weekend's race at Dover, the Team Penske driver said (via Peter Stratta):"I'm excited it's going back to Winston Salem. Growing up around that area, it meant a lot to me. High Point, Wednesday in Greensboro—I spent a lot of time in those areas and saw a lot of people that I grew up with that came after that race. It's good for the community." (0.09 onwards)The 2025 Cook Out Clash marked the first Cup Series event at Bowman Gray in over five decades. NASCAR heavily invested in the track, adding SAFER barriers and red MUSCO lighting. Chase Elliott led 171 of 200 laps to win in front of a full house in an old-school format that also drew large television numbers.Ryan Blaney finished a hard-fought second in the 22-car field, which was preceded by heat races and a last-chance qualifier. When asked if he'd change anything about the 2026 edition, Blaney added:"I don't really know. I thought it put on a great show. I liked that we're there with the Mods (Modified cars)... I don't really think I would change much about it. Honestly, I thought it put on a better race than the Coliseum—like just the raceability of guys passing people and tire fall-off, and I think that's good." (0:28 onwards)Before 2025, the Busch Light Clash took place at the 1/4-mile Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum track for three years. The format was largely the same since 2022, with a final provisional spot for the highest points finisher not already locked in. But even its novelty began to wear thin by 2024.While innovative, the L.A. layout drew criticism over time for its lack of competitive passing. In contrast, Bowman Gray's 2025 success has now given NASCAR a blueprint rooted in its heritage."That would be neat": Ryan Blaney reacts to potential San Diego race amid NASCAR's shifting 2026 calendarRyan Blaney (12) in the NASCAR Cup Series Viva Mexico 250 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Source: GettyEven as the Clash finds solid ground at Bowman Gray, NASCAR's broader 2026 calendar continues to evolve. Reports this week have claimed that both Mexico City and Chicago will not return next season, leaving a vacancy in the road course rotation. And according to RACER.com, that gap might soon be filled by a first-time event in Southern California.The sport has reportedly finalized plans for a new race in San Diego, at a temporary street circuit in Coronado. If confirmed, the race would mark NASCAR's return to the SoCal region for the first time since 2023, when Auto Club Speedway (Fontana) last hosted a points-paying event before short track renovation plans put it on hiatus.Ryan Blaney was optimistic when asked about the San Diego rumors:"That's circulating more and more—that it might be a possibility, and it might happen. And that would be neat. They've proven that they can do it. They've done it with Chicago, and they've been able to do it with these places that they can build race tracks. I think now NASCAR's gotten their arms wrapped around it." (1:15 onwards)NASCAR's recent experiments with temporary venues have yielded mixed results but undeniable logistical growth. The inaugural Chicago Street Race in 2023 demonstrated that the sport could execute high-profile urban events with strong broadcast returns and commercial upside. And that learning curve, Ryan Blaney believes, is now an asset.Todd Gilliland (34) and Ryan Blaney (12) during the Grant Park 165 at Chicago Street Race. Source: ImagnWith NASCAR confirming that Mexico and Chicago are not set to return in 2026, the San Diego event will fit into the 2026 schedule. If the event becomes official in the coming months, it will represent NASCAR's latest evolution of balancing its grassroots revival with a new-age footprint.