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 would move to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. On January 16, 2024, the format for the 2024 Clash was announced:
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. There will be no pit stops in this 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.
Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.
Driver Team Manufacturer 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 2 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 4 Josh Berry (R) Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 8 Kyle Busch Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 10 Noah Gragson Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 14 Chase Briscoe Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 15 Kaz Grala (R) Rick Ware Racing Ford 16 Josh Williams (i) Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 17 Chris Buescher RFK Racing Ford 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 21 Harrison Burton Wood Brothers Racing Ford 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 31 Daniel Hemric Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 38 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 41 Ryan Preece Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 42 John Hunter Nemechek Legacy Motor Club Toyota 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Toyota 45 Tyler Reddick 23XI Racing Toyota 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 51 Justin Haley Rick Ware Racing Ford 54 Ty Gibbs Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 71 Zane Smith (R) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 77 Carson Hocevar (R) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing ChevroletOfficial entry list
Practice Denny Hamlin was the fastest in the practice session with a time of 13.139 and a speed of .
Practice results Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Time 1 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 13.139 68.498 2 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 13.250 67.925 3 54 Ty Gibbs Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 13.261 67.868Official practice results
Qualifying Denny Hamlin scored the pole for the race with a time of 13.139 and a speed of .
Qualifying results Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Time 1 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 13.139 2 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 13.250 3 54 Ty Gibbs Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 13.261 4 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 13.266 5 8 Kyle Busch Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 13.273 6 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 13.316 7 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 13.319 8 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 13.324 9 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 13.359 10 51 Justin Haley Rick Ware Racing Ford 13.369 11 45 Tyler Reddick 23XI Racing Toyota 13.376 12 41 Ryan Preece Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 13.378 13 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 13.388 14 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 13.401 15 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 13.429 16 38 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 13.429 17 10 Noah Gragson Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 13.433 18 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 13.434 19 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 13.453 20 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 13.459 21 42 John Hunter Nemechek Legacy Motor Club Toyota 13.474 22 14 Chase Briscoe Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 13.484 23 16 Josh Williams (i) Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 13.498 24 77 Carson Hocevar (R) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 13.499 25 4 Josh Berry (R) Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 13.513 26 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 13.514 27 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 13.524 28 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 13.535 29 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Toyota 13.570 30 17 Chris Buescher RFK Racing Ford 13.574 31 2 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 13.582 32 31 Daniel Hemric Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 13.592 33 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 13.593 34 15 Kaz Grala Rick Ware Racing Ford 13.605 35 21 Harrison Burton Wood Brothers Racing Ford 13.617 36 71 Zane Smith (R) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 13.704Official 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.
Starting lineup Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 2 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 3 54 Ty Gibbs Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 4 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 5 8 Kyle Busch Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 6 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 7 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 8 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 9 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 10 51 Justin Haley Rick Ware Racing Ford 11 45 Tyler Reddick 23XI Racing Toyota 12 41 Ryan Preece Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 13 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 14 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 15 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 16 38 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 17 10 Noah Gragson Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 18 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 19 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 21 42 John Hunter Nemechek Legacy Motor Club Toyota 22 14 Chase Briscoe Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 23 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford Official starting lineup
Race
Race results Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps1 1 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 151 2 5 8 Kyle Busch Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 151 3 23 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 151 4 2 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 151 5 8 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 151 6 4 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 151 7 22 14 Chase Briscoe Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 151 8 13 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 151 9 19 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 151 10 5 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 151 11 12 41 Ryan Preece Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 151 12 9 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 15113 11 45 Tyler Reddick 23XI Racing Toyota 15114 21 42 John Hunter Nemechek Legacy Motor Club Toyota 150 15 7 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 150 16 20 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 150 17 18 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 150 18 3 54 Ty Gibbs Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 150 19 15 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 149 20 17 10 Noah Gragson Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 147 21 10 51 Justin Haley Rick Ware Racing Ford 13522 14 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 77 23 16 38 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 68 Official 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.
FS1Booth announcersPit reportersIn-race analyst Lap-by-lap: Mike JoyColor-commentator: Clint BowyerColor-commentator: Kevin Harvick Jamie LittleRegan Smith Larry McReynolds
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 RadioBooth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Alex HaydenAnnouncer: Jeff Striegle Backstretch: Dan Hubbard Steve PostKim CoonBrienne PedigoJason Toy
References