Completed Busch Light 2023 Coliseum-formatted Clash with Extended Field | NASCAR

The second annual Clash at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is 45 days away, marking the first event on the calendar for the upcoming season. And the field for the non-points-paying event increased to 27 cars, compared to 23 in last year’s inaugural race. Eligibility for the unique event includes all current charter flight team drivers and owners. Other owners and drivers are entitled to compete for the four additional positions.

There aren’t many other major changes to the format, as the field will once again be divided into three different groups for practice. Qualifying will follow, which will include 25-lap heat races where only green flag laps count. The four drivers fastest in qualifying will start on pole in each heat race.

Last Chance Qualifiers (50 laps each) will give the drivers one last chance to advance to the 150-lap main event. The 27th and final place in the field is reserved for the driver with the highest position in the 2022 season points standings who has not already secured a starting position in the Clash. This ensures that Joey Logano (2022 Cup Champion) is actually locked into the feature.

Here is a full breakdown of the entire 2023 Busch Light Clash.

Push Light Clash in the Colosseum Qualifiers:

• A single vehicle qualifier will take place on Saturday, February 4th after scheduled practice.
• Qualifying will be one vehicle one (1) lap, 3 laps, one (1) warm-up, two (2) timers.
• The qualifying ranking by 2022 will be determined by owner points (lowest to highest).
• If there are more than 40 entries in the event, the four (4) fastest open teams will move to the heat races.

Heat Races – 4 heat races / 25 laps each

• Only completed green flag laps will count toward the official race distance
• The lineups for the heat races will be determined by qualifying
  • Fastest Qualifier – Heating Pole 1
  • Second Fastest Qualifier – Pole Heat 2
  • Third fastest qualifier – pole heat 3
  • Fourth Fastest Qualifier – Pole Heat 4, etc
• The top five (5) of each race advance to The Clash
• Five (5) remaining finishing positions from each heat continue through to Last Chance Qualifier Race 1 and Last Chance Qualifier Race 2 with the starting position determined by where they finished in their respective heat races.

Last Chance Races – 2 LCQ races / 50 laps each

• Only completed green flag laps will count toward the official race distance

Last Chance Qualifying Race 1

• Those who did not advance from Heat 1 and 3.
• He will be the sixth-place finisher of the first round on pole.
• He will be the sixth-place finisher of Heat 3 on the outside pole.
• Lineup – Inside row positions 6-10 from Heat #1. Outside row positions 6-10 from Heat #3

Last Chance Qualifier Race 2

• Those who did not advance from Heat 2 and 4.
• He will be the sixth-place finisher of Heat 2 on pole.
• He will be the sixth-place finisher of Heat 4 on the outside pole.
• Line up – Inner row positions 6-10 from heat 2. Outer row positions 6-10 from heat 4

LCQ 1 and 2

• The top three (3) from each of LCQ 1 and LCQ 2 advance to The Clash.
• The remaining drivers are eliminated from the remainder of the event.

engagement

• Only completed green flag laps will count toward the official race distance
• 27 drivers will start The Clash main event.
  • The 26 starting drivers are secured by their finishes in the heat races, LCQ 1 and LCQ 2.
  • The 27th and final place is reserved for the driver with the highest points finish in the 2022 season who has not already secured a starting position in The Clash.

Construction crews have already begun work preparing a quarter-mile course inside the Colosseum. Workers will grade 9,200 cubic yards of aggregate and fill material atop the 130,000 square feet of Visqueen and plywood covering the United Airlines field within the iconic site. Paving should begin January 4, and installation of barriers and fencing from Auto Club Speedway and Long Beach Grand Prix is ​​scheduled to be completed by January 20.

Coverage of the Busch Light Clash begins Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on FOX. Speedweeks begin at Daytona International Speedway on February 16th with the 65th running of the Daytona 500 kicking off on February 19th.