Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum: What to know, how to watch NASCAR exhibition race

By wazup on February 4, 2024 Comments Closed / 74 views

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The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season is set to begin this weekend when racing returns to a legendary Los Angeles venue for the Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum.

In the season-opening exhibition race, drivers will race inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, home to the University of Southern California Trojans football team and multiple Olympic Games.

The race was originally scheduled for Sunday, but the weather forecast forced NASCAR to move it up a day to Saturday.

The 2024 Clash is the 46th running of the event, but this marks the third consecutive year the race is being held outside of Daytona International Speedway since its inception in 1979. It has been held at the L.A. Coliseum for the previous two years and was held at the Daytona road course in 2021.

Dale Earnhardt Sr. holds the record for most victories in The Clash with six. Among active drivers, Denny Hamlin leads with three victories, while Joey Logano and Kyle Busch have each won The Clash twice.

Here is everything you need to know about the exhibition race:

NASCAR SCHEDULE: How to watch Cup Series races in 2024

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When is the Busch Light Clash?

The race takes place Saturday, Feb. 3 at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. local), immediately followed by the King Taco La Batalla en El Coliseo NASCAR Mexico Series race.

It was originally scheduled for Sunday night, but weather forced NASCAR to reschedule.

Where is the Busch Light Clash?

The race is being held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, home of the USC football team and the main stadium for the 1932, 1984 and 2028 summer Olympics.

How can I watch the Busch Light Clash on TV?

Saturday’s race will be televised on Fox Sports 1.

Will there be a live stream of the Busch Light Clash?

The race can be streamed on FoxSports.com and the Fox Sports app.

What is the format of the Busch Light Clash?

The Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum will feature 23 drivers competing in a 150-lap race atop a 0.25-mile asphalt oval inside the stadium. But not every car entered will qualify.

Due to the schedule change, all heat races were canceled and the 23-car field will be set by speeds in one single practice session. The lineup will be set by the fastest 22 cars in practice, with the final spot in the field to be based off of last year’s Cup Series standings.

Who won the 2023 Busch Light Clash?

Martin Truex Jr. won last year’s race, a sloppy extravaganza that featured 25 cautions. Austin Dillon and Kyle Busch finished second and third, respectively. They joined Truex on a podium for a NASCAR-first medal ceremony held below the Coliseum’s famed peristyle.