The NASCAR season gets underway Sunday with the annual Busch Light Clash. For the second straight year, the Clash has left its Daytona roots and will be run at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Clash at the Coliseum returns, and Joey Logano is seeking to start 2023 the same way he started 2022.

NASCAR CLASH FORMAT

There will be 27 cars in this year’s clash, up from 23 in 2022. There will be four heat races featuring nine drivers each. The top five in each heat after 25 green flag laps will advance to the finals. After the four heats, there will be two 50 lap Last Chance Qualifier races. The top three in each of these races will advance to the finals as well. The 27th driver will be the driver who hasn’t qualified yet who finished the highest in the 2022 final points standings. Those 27 will then compete in the 150 lap Clash at the Coliseum.

NASCAR CLASH HISTORY

From 1979 to 2020, the Clash was run at the Daytona International Speedway the weekend before the Daytona 500. It has had several different formats over the years and has featured some impressive winners. Buddy Baker won the inaugural Clash in 1979. Twelve drivers won the Clash on multiple occasions. Dale Earnhardt holds the record with six victories in the race. That’s twice as many as the four drivers tied for second most.

Starting in 2021, NASCAR decided to alter the exhibition race. In 2021, the race was still in Daytona but held on the Daytona road course. Kyle Busch won that year. In 2022, the Clash moved to the Coliseum. Joey Logano started the year in victory lane, the same way he would finish 2022.

NASCAR FUTURE CLASHES

I like the idea of switching up this exhibition race that welcomes NASCAR back to television each year. NASCAR should alternate the types of tracks the Clash is run on. They should incorporate a dirt track like Eldora and traditional road courses like Circuit of the Americas. NASCAR likes to go international. Run the Clash in Canada, Mexico or Japan. Bring in former tracks no longer on the circuit like North Wilkesboro or Rockingham. The Clash is a fun exhibition for race fans. Continue expanding it beyond Daytona or Los Angeles.

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