2024 Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum
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.
| Race details[1][2][3][4] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 1 of 2 exhibition races in the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series | |||
| Date | February 3, 2024 | ||
| Location | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California | ||
| Course |
Temporary race course in permanent stadium 0.25 mi (0.40 km) | ||
| Distance | 151 laps, 37.75 mi (60.4 km) | ||
| Scheduled Distance | 150 laps, 37.5 mi (60 km) | ||
| Average speed | 32.937 miles per hour (53.007 km/h) | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Joe Gibbs Racing | ||
| Most laps led | |||
| Driver | Ty Gibbs | Joe Gibbs Racing | |
| Laps | 84 | ||
| Winner | |||
| No. 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | |
| Television in the United States | |||
| Network | FS1 | ||
| Announcers | Mike Joy, Clint Bowyer, and Kevin Harvick | ||
| Radio in the United States | |||
| Radio | MRN | ||
| Booth Announcers | Alex Hayden and Jeff Striegle | ||
| Turn Announcers | Dan Hubbard (Backstretch) | ||
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.
Practice
Denny Hamlin was the fastest in the practice session with a time of 13.139 and a speed of 68.498 mph (110.237 km/h) .[8]
Practice results
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 13.139 | 68.498 |
| 2 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 13.250 | 67.925 |
| 3 | 54 | Ty Gibbs | Joe Gibbs Racing | 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 68.498 mph (110.237 km/h).[8]
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 | No. | 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 | No | 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.
| FS1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Booth announcers | Pit reporters | In-race analyst |
| Lap-by-lap: Mike Joy Color-commentator: Clint Bowyer Color-commentator: Kevin Harvick | Jamie Little Regan Smith | Larry McReynolds |
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.
| MRN Radio | ||
|---|---|---|
| Booth announcers | Turn announcers | Pit reporters |
| Lead announcer: Alex Hayden Announcer: Jeff Striegle | Backstretch: Dan Hubbard | Steve Post Kim Coon Brienne Pedigo Jason Toy |
References
- "2024 schedule". Jayski.com. Jayski's Silly Season Site. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
- "Entry List" (PDF). Jayski.com. Jayski's Silly Season Site. January 31, 2024. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- "Practice Results". NASCAR.com. NASCAR. February 3, 2024. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- "Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum Results". NASCAR.com. NASCAR. February 4, 2024. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
- "2022 Clash to be held at the Los Angeles Coliseum". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. September 14, 2021. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
- "Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum format announced". Jayski.com. Jayski's Silly Season Site. January 16, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
- Utter, Jim (February 3, 2024). "NASCAR to run L.A. Clash tonight to beat severe weather". Motorsport.com. Los Angeles, California: Motorsport Network. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- Utter, Jim (February 3, 2024). "Hamlin earns pole for NASCAR Clash in Los Angeles". Motorsport.com. Los Angeles: Motorsport Network. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- Utter, Jim (February 3, 2024). "NASCAR to run L.A. Clash tonight to beat severe weather". Motorsport.com. Los Angeles, California: Motorsport Network. Retrieved February 3, 2024.