2024 Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum

2024 Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum

Race details[1][2][3][4]
Race 1 of 2 exhibition races in the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series
Date	February 3, 2024 (2024-02-03)
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	Denny Hamlin	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)

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.

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

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

Race

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.

References