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The 2023 Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on February 5, 2023, at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. Contested over 150 laps, it was the first exhibition race of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season.
| Race details[1][2][3][4][5][6] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 1 of 2 exhibition races in the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series | |||
 | |||
| Date | February 5, 2023 | ||
| Location | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California | ||
| Course |
Temporary race course in permanent stadium 0.25 mi (0.40 km) | ||
| Distance | 150 laps, 37.5 mi (60 km) | ||
| Average speed | 21.831 miles per hour (35.134 km/h) | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Stewart-Haas Racing | ||
| Most laps led | |||
| Driver | Ryan Preece | Stewart-Haas Racing | |
| Laps | 43 | ||
| Winner | |||
| No. 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | |
| Television in the United States | |||
| Network | Fox | ||
| Announcers | Mike Joy, Clint Bowyer, and Tony Stewart | ||
| Radio in the United States | |||
| Radio | MRN | ||
| Booth Announcers | Alex Hayden and Jeff Striegle | ||
| Turn Announcers | Dan Hubbard (Backstretch) | ||
On September 14, 2021, NASCAR announced that the Busch Clash would move to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.[7] On December 22, 2022, the format for the 2023 Clash was announced:[8]
- The event is open for all teams and drivers.
- A total of 350 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 of two 50 lap heat races. The top three drivers in each heat advance to the feature.
- The highest driver in 2022 Cup Series points standings not in will also advance to the feature in the last position.
- The feature is 150 laps and will have 27 cars start the race.
Entry list
- (R) denotes rookie driver.
- (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.
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Martin Truex Jr. was the fastest in the practice session with a time of 13.361 with an average speed of 67.360 mph (108.405 km/h) .[9]
Practice results
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 13.361 | 67.360 |
| 2 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 13.371 | 67.310 |
| 3 | 14 | Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 13.383 | 67.250 |
| Official practice results | ||||||
Justin Haley scored the pole for the first heat race with a time of 13.413 and a speed of 67.099 mph (107.985 km/h).[10]
Qualifying results
Aric Almirola scored the pole for the race after winning the first qualifying heat race.[11]
Race 1
| Pos | Grid | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 25 |
| 2 | 3 | 48 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 25 |
| 3 | 1 | 31 | Justin Haley | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 25 |
| 4 | 6 | 42 | Noah Gragson (R) | Legacy Motor Club | Chevrolet | 25 |
| 5 | 5 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 25 |
| 6 | 7 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 25 |
| 7 | 4 | 21 | Harrison Burton | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 25 |
| 8 | 9 | 77 | Ty Dillon | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 25 |
| 9 | 8 | 17 | Chris Buescher | RFK Racing | Ford | 25 |
| Official heat race 1 results | ||||||
Race 2
| Pos | Grid | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 25 |
| 2 | 1 | 8 | Kyle Busch | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 25 |
| 3 | 2 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 25 |
| 4 | 3 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 25 |
| 5 | 4 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 25 |
| 6 | 8 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 25 |
| 7 | 5 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 25 |
| 8 | 7 | 2 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford | 25 |
| 9 | 9 | 78 | B. J. McLeod | Live Fast Motorsports | Chevrolet | 25 |
| Official heat race 2 results | ||||||
Race 3
| Pos | Grid | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 25 |
| 2 | 4 | 14 | Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 25 |
| 3 | 5 | 45 | Tyler Reddick | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 25 |
| 4 | 9 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford | 25 |
| 5 | 3 | 99 | Daniel Suárez | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet | 25 |
| 6 | 1 | 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 25 |
| 7 | 7 | 38 | Todd Gilliland | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 25 |
| 8 | 6 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racing | Ford | 25 |
| 9 | 8 | 15 | J. J. Yeley | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 25 |
| Official heat race 3 results | ||||||
Race 4
| Pos | Grid | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 25 |
| 2 | 4 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 25 |
| 3 | 3 | 1 | Ross Chastain | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet | 25 |
| 4 | 6 | 41 | Ryan Preece | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 25 |
| 5 | 5 | 43 | Erik Jones | Legacy Motor Club | Chevrolet | 25 |
| 6 | 2 | 16 | A. J. Allmendinger | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 25 |
| 7 | 9 | 54 | Ty Gibbs (R) | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 25 |
| 8 | 7 | 7 | Corey LaJoie | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 25 |
| 9 | 8 | 51 | Cody Ware | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 25 |
| Official heat race 4 results | ||||||
"Last Chance" qualifying race 1
| Pos | Grid | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 50 |
| 2 | 2 | 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 50 |
| 3 | 4 | 38 | Todd Gilliland | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 50 |
| 4 | 3 | 21 | Harrison Burton | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 50 |
| 5 | 6 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racing | Ford | 50 |
| 6 | 5 | 77 | Ty Dillon | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 50 |
| 7 | 7 | 17 | Chris Buescher | RFK Racing | Ford | 50 |
| 8 | 8 | 15 | J. J. Yeley | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 49 |
| Official last chance race 1 results | ||||||
"Last Chance" qualifying race 2
| Pos | Grid | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 50 |
| 2 | 2 | 54 | Ty Gibbs (R) | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 50 |
| 3 | 4 | 16 | A. J. Allmendinger | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 50 |
| 4 | 3 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 50 |
| 5 | 5 | 2 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford | 50 |
| 6 | 6 | 7 | Corey LaJoie | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 50 |
| 7 | 8 | 51 | Cody Ware | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 49 |
| 8 | 7 | 78 | B. J. McLeod | Live Fast Motorsports | Chevrolet | 48 |
| Official last chance race 2 results | ||||||
Starting lineup
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Race results
| Pos | Grid | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 150 |
| 2 | 10 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 150 |
| 3 | 6 | 8 | Kyle Busch | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 150 |
| 4 | 5 | 48 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 150 |
| 5 | 14 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 150 |
| 6 | 11 | 45 | Tyler Reddick | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 150 |
| 7 | 16 | 41 | Ryan Preece | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 150 |
| 8 | 12 | 1 | Ross Chastain | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet | 150 |
| 9 | 3 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 150 |
| 10 | 4 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 150 |
| 11 | 9 | 31 | Justin Haley | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 150 |
| 12 | 18 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 150 |
| 13 | 23 | 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 150 |
| 14 | 13 | 42 | Noah Gragson (R) | Legacy Motor Club | Chevrolet | 150 |
| 15 | 7 | 14 | Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 150 |
| 16 | 17 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 150 |
| 17 | 15 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford | 150 |
| 18 | 1 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 150 |
| 19 | 19 | 99 | Daniel Suárez | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet | 150 |
| 20 | 26 | 16 | A. J. Allmendinger | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 150 |
| 21 | 22 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 150 |
| 22 | 8 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 150 |
| 23 | 25 | 38 | Todd Gilliland | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 140 |
| 24 | 21 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 137 |
| 25 | 27 | 2 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford | 106 |
| 26 | 24 | 54 | Ty Gibbs (R) | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 81 |
| 27 | 20 | 43 | Erik Jones | Legacy Motor Club | Chevrolet | 16 |
| Official race results | ||||||
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Television
Fox covered the race on the television side. Mike Joy, Clint Bowyer, and three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing Tony Stewart[12] handled the call in the booth for the race, while pit reporters Jamie Little and Regan Smith as well as Larry McReynolds handled interviews. Chris Myers and Jamie McMurray were the host and analyst in the studio.
| Fox | ||
|---|---|---|
| Booth announcers | Reporters | Studio |
| Lap-by-lap: Mike Joy Color-commentator: Clint Bowyer Color-commentator: Tony Stewart | Jamie Little Regan Smith Larry McReynolds | Host: Chris Myers Analyst: Jamie McMurray |
Radio
MRN covered the radio call for the race, which was also 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 |
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