Tag: Busch Light Clash

  • Busch Light Clash weekend schedule and format

    Busch Light Clash weekend schedule and format

    Please Note: NASCAR Schedule Change – The Cup Series practice and qualifying for the NASCAR Busch Light Clash have been moved to 5:35 p.m. ET. The Busch Light Clash will be at 8 p.m. ET tonight on FS1. The Mexico Series race will take place tonight following the Busch Light Clash on FS2. Heat Races and the Last Chance Qualifying Race have been canceled. The lineup (22 drivers) will be set by the fastest laps in final practice which will be televised on FS1. The 23rd position will be based on 2023 driver points.

    NASCAR travels to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for the Busch Light Clash on Feb. 4. The exhibition race on the 0.25-mile asphalt oval will feature 36 Cup Series drivers vying for 23 spots and the opportunity to claim the trophy in this historic venue.

    The race will consist of 150 laps, only green flag laps will count and the race must finish under green.

    There will be three practice sessions on Saturday, set by 2023 owner points. The 2023 Cup Series champion (Ryan Blaney) will be in the third group, the driver second in points (Kyle Larson) will be in the second group, the driver third in points (William Byron) in the first group, and so on throughout the field.

    Group 1: William Byron, Tyler Reddick, Ross Chastain, Joey Logano, Michael McDowell, Ty Gibbs, Josh Williams, Austin Cindric, Erik Jones, Chase Briscoe, Carson Hocevar and Zane Smith

    Group 2: Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch, Bubba Wallace, Alex Bowman, Ryan Preece, Corey LaJoie, Austin Dillon, John Hunter Nemechek and Justin Haley

    Group 3: Ryan Blaney, Christopher Bell, Chris Buescher, Chase Elliott, Josh Berry, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Daniel Suarez, Noah Gragson, Daniel Hemric, Todd Gilliland, Harrison Burton and Kaz Grala

    Each driver’s fastest lap time from their final practice session will be used to determine the starting lineup for the four heat races.

    The four heat races will be 25 laps each with up to 10 drivers per heat. The lineup is set by practice times. The driver with the fastest practice time will claim the pole position in Heat 1, the second-fastest will start on the pole for Heat 2, the third-fastest on the pole for Heat 3, the fourth-fastest in practice will be on the pole for Heat 4 and so on throughout the field. Only green-flag laps will count in the heat races with no overtime.

    The top five finishers in each heat will advance to the Busch Light Clash while the drivers who finish below fifth will compete in the 75-lap Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ). The starting positions are determined by the finishing order in the heat races. The top two finishers in the LCQ advance to the Clash and start in positions 21 and 22. Again, only green-flag laps will count with no overtime.

    The final position is reserved for the driver who finished highest in the 2023 season points standings and did not transfer in the heat races or LCQ. Ryan Blaney, the 2023 Cup Series champion, is automatically locked into the Busch Light Clash.

    This year, the NASCAR Mexico Series will also compete in the famed Los Angeles Coliseum. NASCAR Cup Series regular, Daniel Suárez, a former participant in the Mexico Series, will drive a Jimmy Morales entry in the Mexico Series exhibition race with crew chief, José Blasco-Figueroa.

    The Clash at The Coliseum is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 4 at 8 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on FOX with radio coverage provided by MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

    All times are Eastern.

    Saturday, Feb. 3

    1:15 p.m.: Mexico Series Practice 1 – No TV
    2:45 p.m.: Mexico Series Practice 2 – No TV
    4:30 p.m.: Mexico Series Qualifying – FS1

    6 p.m.: Cup Series Practice – FS1/MRN/SiriusXM
    8:30 p.m.: Cup Series Heat Race 1 – FS1/MRN/SiriusXM
    8:45 p.m.: Cup Series Heat Race 2 – FS1/MRN/SiriusXM
    9 p.m.: Cup Series Heat Race 3 – FS1/MRN/SiriusXM
    9:15 p.m.: Cup Series Heat Race 4 – FS1/MRN/SiriusXM

    Sunday, Feb. 4

    4:30 p.m.: Mexico Series King Taco La Batalla en El Coliseo
    FS1/FOX Deportes/MRN/SiriusXM
    Distance: 37.5 miles (150 laps), 60 Minute Time Limit

    6:30 p.m.: Cup Series Last Chance Qualifying Race – FOX/MRN/SiriusXM
    Distance: 37.5 miles (150 green flag laps), Stage Break: Lap 75

    8 p.m.: Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum – FOX/MRN/SiriusXM
    Distance: 37.5 miles (150 laps) Stage Break: Lap 75
    The Purse: $2,210,000

    Post Race: NASCAR PressPass

    The starting lineup:

    1. Heat 1 winner
    2. Heat 2 winner
    3. Heat 3 winner
    4. Heat 4 winner
    5. Heat 1 – second place
    6. Heat 2 – second place
    7. Heat 3 – second place
    8. Heat 4 – second place
    9. Heat 1 – third place
    10. Heat 2 – third place
    11. Heat 3 – third place
    12. Heat 4 – third place
    13. Heat 1 – fourth place
    14. Heat 2 – fourth place
    15. Heat 3 – fourth place
    16. Heat 4 – fourth place
    17. Heat 1 – fifth place
    18. Heat 2 – fifth place
    19. Heat 3 – fifth place
    20. Heat 4 – fifth place
    21. Last Chance Qualifier Winner
    22. Last Chance Second Place
    23. Points Provisional – The driver who finished highest in the 2023 season points standings and did not transfer via the heat races or LCQ
  • Weekend schedule and format for Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum

    Weekend schedule and format for Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum

    NASCAR’S Busch Light Clash exhibition race will have a new look in 2022. Since 1979 this event has been held at Daytona International Speedway as a prelude to the regular season. This year, for the first time, the 150-lap event will be held on a 0.25-mile asphalt oval that has been constructed inside the renowned Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

    There will not be any regular pit stops during the Busch Light Clash but there will be a break at the halfway point of the race on Lap 75. At this time, teams will have a six-minute window to make adjustments. Caution laps during the race will not count.

    Kyle Busch, the returning Busch Light Clash winner, also won in 2012. Dale Earnhardt holds the all-time record with six victories.

    The FORMAT

    Only 23 drivers will advance to the main event on Sunday with 36 drivers currently vying for one of those spots. Qualifying will be held Saturday and the order will be set by the final 2021 Cup Series owner points, from lowest in owner points to highest.

    Every car entered in the Clash will participate in one of the four heat races Sunday afternoon. There will be 10 drivers in each heat race and the top-four finishers in each heat race (16 drivers) will automatically advance to the main event.

    The fastest driver from Saturday’s qualifying session will start on the pole in the first heat race and the second-fastest will start on the pole for the second heat race with this formula continuing through each heat race, as shown below.

    Heat Race 1 Lineup

    1. Fastest in qualifying

    2. Fifth fastest

    3. Ninth fastest

    4. 13th fastest

    Heat Race 2 Lineup

    1. Second fastest in qualifying

    2. Sixth fastest

    3. 10th fastest

    4. 14th fastest

    After the heat races, there will be a final opportunity to qualify for entry into the Clash with two Last Chance Qualifiers comprised of 50 laps each. The top three finishers in each LCQ race (6 drivers) will advance to the Busch Light Clash.

    The last position (23rd) will go to the driver who finished the highest in the 2021 points standings but did not earn a spot in the heat races or the Last Chance Qualifiers.

    The Schedule

    Saturday, Feb. 5

    12:30 – 2:30 p.m.: – Cup Series practice – The teams will be divided into three groups and each group will have three 8-minute practice sessions – FS2/MRN

    8:30 – 9:30 p.m.: – Cup Series qualifying – single-car, three laps – FS1/MRN

    Sunday, Feb. 6

    3 p.m. ET: – Busch Light Clash qualifying heat races (Four heat races – 25 laps each – FOX/MRN

    4:10 p.m. ET (time approximate): Two last-chance qualifiers – 50 laps each – FOX/MRN

    6 p.m. ET: – Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum, 150 laps – FOX/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

    Entry List:

    EntryCar No.DriverTeamCrew ChiefManufacturer
    11Ross ChastainTrackhouse Racing TeamPhil SurgenChevrolet
    22Austin CindricTeam PenskeJeremy BullinsFord
    33Austin DillonRichard Childress RacingJustin AlexanderChevrolet
    44Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingRodney ChildersFord
    55Kyle LarsonHendrick MotorsportsCliff DanielsChevrolet
    66Brad KeselowskiRoush Fenway Keselowski RacingMatt McCallFord
    77Corey LaJoieSpire MotorsportsRyan SparksChevrolet
    88Tyler ReddickRichard Childress RacingRandall BurnettChevrolet
    99Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsAlan GustafsonChevrolet
    1010Aric AlmirolaStewart-Haas RacingDrew BlickensderferFord
    1111Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingChris GabehartToyota
    1212Ryan BlaneyTeam PenskeJonathan HasslerFord
    1314Chase BriscoeStewart-Haas RacingJohnny KlausmeierFord
    1415Ryan PreeceRick Ware RacingJason HoughtalingFord
    1516AJ AllmendingerKaulig RacingMatt SwiderskiChevrolet
    1617Chris BuescherRoush Fenway Keselowski RacingScott GravesFord
    1718Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingSeth ChavkaToyota
    1819Martin Truex Jr.Joe Gibbs RacingJames SmallToyota
    1920Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingAdam StevensToyota
    2021Harrison BurtonWood Brothers RacingBrian WilsonFord
    2122Joey LoganoTeam PenskePaul WolfeFord
    2223Bubba Wallace23XI RacingBootie BarkerToyota
    2324William ByronHendrick MotorsportsRyan FugleChevrolet
    2431Justin HaleyKaulig RacingTrent OwensChevrolet
    2534Michael McDowellFront Row MotorsportsBlake HarrisFord
    2638Todd GillilandFront Row MotorsportsSeth BarbourFord
    2741Cole CusterStewart-Haas RacingMike ShiplettFord
    2842Ty DillonPetty GMS RacingJerame DonleyChevrolet
    2943Erik JonesPetty GMS RacingDave ElenzChevrolet
    3045Kurt Busch23XI RacingBilly ScottToyota
    3147Ricky Stenhouse Jr.JTG Daugherty RacingBrian PattieChevrolet
    3248Alex BowmanHendrick MotorsportsGreg IvesChevrolet
    3351Cody WareRick Ware RacingBilly PlourdeFord
    3477Landon CassillSpire MotorsportsKevin BellicourtChevrolet
    3578BJ McLeodLive Fast MotorsportsLee LeslieFord
    3699Daniel SuarezTrackHouse Racing TeamTravis MackChevrolet