2024 Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum explained

Year:	2024
Details Ref:	^[1] ^[2] ^[3] ^[4]
Type:	CUST
Race Name:	Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum
Description:	Race 1 of 2 exhibition races in the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series
Location:	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California
Course:	Temporary race course in permanent stadium
Course Mi:	0.25
Course Km:	0.40
Distance Laps:	151
Distance Mi:	37.75
Distance Km:	60.4
Scheduled Laps:	150
Scheduled Mi:	37.5
Scheduled Km:	60
Avg:	32.937mph
Pole Driver:	Denny Hamlin
Pole Team:	Joe Gibbs Racing
Most Driver:	Ty Gibbs
Most Team:	Joe Gibbs Racing
Most Laps:	84
Car:	11
First Driver:	Denny Hamlin
First Team:	Joe Gibbs Racing
Network:	FS1
Announcers:	Mike Joy, Clint Bowyer, and Kevin Harvick
Radio:	MRN
Booth Ann:	Alex Hayden and Jeff Striegle
Turn Ann:	Dan Hubbard (Backstretch)

The 2024 Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on February 3, 2024, at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. Contested over 151 laps — extended from 150 laps due to an overtime finish, it was the first exhibition race of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season.

Format and eligibility

On September 14, 2021, NASCAR announced that the Busch Clash will move to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.^[5] On January 16, 2024, the format for the 2024 Clash was announced:^[6]

• The event is open for all teams and drivers.
• A total of 325 laps in six races.
• The 36 charter teams and up to four open teams will participate in qualifying. Should more than 40 teams enter the race, it is unknown if qualifying will determine who advances to heat races.
• Based on lap times, cars are put in one of four heat races of 25 laps each. The top five drivers in each heat advance to the feature.
• All non-qualifying drivers are assigned to one 75 lap heat races. The top two drivers from the heat race advance to the feature.
• The highest driver in 2023 Cup Series points standings not in will also advance to the feature in the last position.
• The feature is 150 laps and will have 23 cars start the race.

On February 3, NASCAR moved up the Clash to that day from February 4, due to the incoming threat of life-threatening flooding from a massive atmospheric river. The heat races were cancelled and the starting lineup would be determined by the fastest 22 drivers in qualifying with the final spot being determined by whoever placed the highest in the 2023 Owners Point Standings.^[7]

Entry list

• (R) denotes rookie driver.
• (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.

	Driver	Team	Manufacturer
1			Chevrolet
2			Ford
3			Chevrolet
4	Josh Berry (R)		Ford
5			Chevrolet
6			Ford
7			Chevrolet
8			Chevrolet
9			Chevrolet
10			Ford
11			Toyota
12			Ford
14			Ford
15			Ford
16	Josh Williams (i)		Chevrolet
17			Ford
19			Toyota
20			Toyota
21			Ford
22			Ford
23			Toyota
24			Chevrolet
31			Chevrolet
34			Ford
38			Ford
41			Ford
42			Toyota
43			Toyota
45			Toyota
47			Chevrolet
48			Chevrolet
51			Ford
54			Toyota
71	Zane Smith (R)		Chevrolet
77	Carson Hocevar (R)		Chevrolet
99			Chevrolet
Official entry list

Practice

Denny Hamlin was the fastest in the practice session with a time of 13.139 and a speed of 68.498mph.^[8]

Practice results

Pos		Driver	Team	Manufacturer	Time
1	11			Toyota	13.139	68.498
2	22			Ford	13.250	67.925
3	54			Toyota	13.261	67.868
Official practice results

Qualifying

Denny Hamlin scored the pole for the race with a time of 13.139 and a speed of 68.498mph.

Qualifying results

Pos		Driver	Team	Manufacturer	Time
1	11			Toyota	13.139
2	22			Ford	13.250
3	54			Toyota	13.261
4	48			Chevrolet	13.266
5	8			Chevrolet	13.273
6	24			Chevrolet	13.316
7	1			Chevrolet	13.319
8	5			Chevrolet	13.324
9	23			Toyota	13.359
10	51			Ford	13.369
11	45			Toyota	13.376
12	41			Ford	13.378
13	6			Ford	13.388
14	9			Chevrolet	13.401
15	34			Ford	13.429
16	38			Ford	13.429
17	10			Ford	13.433
18	7			Chevrolet	13.434
19	19			Toyota	13.453
20	47			Chevrolet	13.459
21	42			Toyota	13.474
22	14			Ford	13.484
23	16	Josh Williams (i)		Chevrolet	13.498
24	77	Carson Hocevar (R)		Chevrolet	13.499
25	4	Josh Berry (R)		Ford	13.513
26	12			Ford	13.514
27	99			Chevrolet	13.524
28	3			Chevrolet	13.535
29	43			Toyota	13.570
30	17			Ford	13.574
31	2			Ford	13.582
32	31			Chevrolet	13.592
33	20			Toyota	13.593
34	15			Ford	13.605
35	21			Ford	13.617
36	71	Zane Smith (R)		Chevrolet	13.704
Official qualifying results

Qualifying heat races

Due to the incoming threat of life-threatening flooding from an atmospheric river, NASCAR moved up the Clash to Saturday night, cancelling all heat races.^[9]

Starting lineup

Pos		Driver	Team	Manufacturer
1	11	Denny Hamlin	Joe Gibbs Racing	Toyota
2	22	Joey Logano	Team Penske	Ford
3	54	Ty Gibbs	Joe Gibbs Racing	Toyota
4	48	Alex Bowman	Hendrick Motorsports	Chevrolet
5	8	Kyle Busch	Richard Childress Racing	Chevrolet
6	24	William Byron	Hendrick Motorsports	Chevrolet
7	1	Ross Chastain	Trackhouse Racing	Chevrolet
8	5	Kyle Larson	Hendrick Motorsports	Chevrolet
9	23	Bubba Wallace	23XI Racing	Toyota
10	51	Justin Haley	Rick Ware Racing	Ford
11	45	Tyler Reddick	23XI Racing	Toyota
12	41	Ryan Preece	Stewart–Haas Racing	Ford
13	6	Brad Keselowski	RFK Racing	Ford
14	9	Chase Elliott	Hendrick Motorsports	Chevrolet
15	34	Michael McDowell	Front Row Motorsports	Ford
16	38	Todd Gilliland	Front Row Motorsports	Ford
17	10	Noah Gragson	Stewart–Haas Racing	Ford
18	7	Corey LaJoie	Spire Motorsports	Chevrolet
19	19	Martin Truex Jr.	Joe Gibbs Racing	Toyota
20	47	Ricky Stenhouse Jr.	JTG Daugherty Racing	Chevrolet
21	42	John Hunter Nemechek	Legacy Motor Club	Toyota
22	14	Chase Briscoe	Stewart–Haas Racing	Ford
23	12	Ryan Blaney	Team Penske	Ford
Official starting lineup

Race

Race results

Pos	Grid		Driver	Team	Manufacturer	Laps
1	1	11	Denny Hamlin	Joe Gibbs Racing	Toyota	151
2	5	8	Kyle Busch	Richard Childress Racing	Chevrolet	151
3	23	12	Ryan Blaney	Team Penske	Ford	151
4	2	22	Joey Logano	Team Penske	Ford	151
5	8	5	Kyle Larson	Hendrick Motorsports	Chevrolet	151
6	4	48	Alex Bowman	Hendrick Motorsports	Chevrolet	151
7	22	14	Chase Briscoe	Stewart–Haas Racing	Ford	151
8	13	6	Brad Keselowski	RFK Racing	Ford	151
9	19	19	Martin Truex Jr.	Joe Gibbs Racing	Toyota	151
10	5	24	William Byron	Hendrick Motorsports	Chevrolet	151
11	12	41	Ryan Preece	Stewart–Haas Racing	Ford	151
12	9	23	Bubba Wallace	23XI Racing	Toyota	151
13	11	45	Tyler Reddick	23XI Racing	Toyota	151
14	21	42	John Hunter Nemechek	Legacy Motor Club	Toyota	150
15	7	1	Ross Chastain	Trackhouse Racing	Chevrolet	150
16	20	47	Ricky Stenhouse Jr.	JTG Daugherty Racing	Chevrolet	150
17	18	7	Corey LaJoie	Spire Motorsports	Chevrolet	150
18	3	54	Ty Gibbs	Joe Gibbs Racing	Toyota	150
19	15	34	Michael McDowell	Front Row Motorsports	Ford	149
20	17	10	Noah Gragson	Stewart–Haas Racing	Ford	147
21	10	51	Justin Haley	Rick Ware Racing	Ford	135
22	14	9	Chase Elliott	Hendrick Motorsports	Chevrolet	77
23	16	38	Todd Gilliland	Front Row Motorsports	Ford	68
Official race results

Media

Television

FS1 covered the race on the television side. Mike Joy, Clint Bowyer, and three-time Clash winner Kevin Harvick handled the call in the booth for the race. Jamie Little and Regan Smith handled the pit road duties, and Larry McReynolds provided insight from the Fox Sports studio in Charlotte.

Radio

MRN covered the radio call for the race, which will also be simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden and Jeff Striegle called the action from the broadcast booth when the field raced down the front straightaway. Dan Hubbard called the action for MRN when the field raced down the backstretch. Steve Post, Kim Coon, Brienne Pedigo, and Jason Toy covered the action for MRN on pit lane.

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2024 schedule . Jayski.com. . January 17, 2024.
2. Web site: Entry List. Jayski.com. Jayski's Silly Season Site. January 31, 2024. January 31, 2024.
3. Web site: Practice Results. NASCAR.com. NASCAR. February 3, 2024. February 3, 2024.
4. Web site: Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum Results. NASCAR.com. NASCAR. February 4, 2024. February 4, 2024.
5. Web site: 2022 Clash to be held at the Los Angeles Coliseum . . NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. . September 14, 2021 . December 27, 2022.
6. Web site: Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum format announced. Jayski.com. . January 16, 2024 . January 17, 2024.
7. Web site: Utter. Jim. NASCAR to run L.A. Clash tonight to beat severe weather. Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. February 3, 2024. Los Angeles, California. February 3, 2024.
8. Web site: Utter. Jim. Hamlin earns pole for NASCAR Clash in Los Angeles. Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. February 3, 2024. Los Angeles. February 3, 2024.
9. Web site: Utter. Jim. NASCAR to run L.A. Clash tonight to beat severe weather. Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. February 3, 2024. Los Angeles, California. February 3, 2024.