Time, TV, format for Saturday race
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The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season is set to begin this weekend when racing returns to a legendary Los Angeles venue for the Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum.
In the season-opening exhibition race, drivers will race inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, home to the University of Southern California Trojans football team and multiple Olympic Games.
The race was originally scheduled for Sunday, but the weather forecast forced NASCAR to move it up a day to Saturday.
The 2024 Clash is the 46th running of the event, but this marks the third consecutive year the race is being held outside of Daytona International Speedway since its inception in 1979. It has been held at the L.A. Coliseum for the previous two years and was held at the Daytona road course in 2021.
Dale Earnhardt Sr. holds the record for most victories in The Clash with six. Among active drivers, Denny Hamlin leads with three victories, while Joey Logano and Kyle Busch have each won The Clash twice.
Here is everything you need to know about the exhibition race:
NASCAR SCHEDULE: How to watch Cup Series races in 2024
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When is the Busch Light Clash?
The race takes place Saturday, Feb. 3 at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. local), immediately followed by the King Taco La Batalla en El Coliseo NASCAR Mexico Series race.
It was originally scheduled for Sunday night, but weather forced NASCAR to reschedule.
Where is the Busch Light Clash?
The race is being held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, home of the USC football team and the main stadium for the 1932, 1984 and 2028 summer Olympics.
How can I watch the Busch Light Clash on TV?
Saturday’s race will be televised on Fox Sports 1.
Will there be a live stream of the Busch Light Clash?
The race can be streamed on FoxSports.com and the Fox Sports app.
What is the format of the Busch Light Clash?
The Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum will feature 23 drivers competing in a 150-lap race atop a 0.25-mile asphalt oval inside the stadium. But not every car entered will qualify.
Due to the schedule change, all heat races were canceled and the 23-car field will be set by speeds in one single practice session. The lineup will be set by the fastest 22 cars in practice, with the final spot in the field to be based off of last year’s Cup Series standings.
Who won the 2023 Busch Light Clash?
Martin Truex Jr. won last year’s race, a sloppy extravaganza that featured 25 cautions. Austin Dillon and Kyle Busch finished second and third, respectively. They joined Truex on a podium for a NASCAR-first medal ceremony held below the Coliseum’s famed peristyle.
What is the entry list for the Busch Light Clash?
There are 36 entries for the heat races (with driver’s names, car number in parentheses, car manufacturer and team).
1. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, Trackhouse Racing
2. (2) Austin Cindric, Ford, Team Penske
3. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing
4. (4) Josh Berry, Ford, Stewart Haas Racing
5. (5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
6. (6) Brad Keselowski, Ford, RFK Racing
7. (7) Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet, Spire Motorsports
8. (8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing
9. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
10. (10) Noah Gragson, Ford, Stewart Haas Racing
11. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
12. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford, Team Penske
13. (14) Chase Briscoe, Ford, Stewart Haas Racing
14. (15) Kaz Grala, Ford, Rick Ware Racing
15. (16) Josh Williams, Chevrolet, Kaulig Racing
16. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford, RFK Racing
17. (19) Martin Truex, Jr., Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
18. (20) Christopher Bell, Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
19. (21) Harrison Burton, Ford, Wood Brothers Racing
20. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, Team Penske
21. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 23XI Racing
22. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
23. (31) Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet, Kaulig Racing
24. (34) Michael McDowell, Ford, Front Row Motorsports
25. (38) Todd Gilliland, Ford, Front Row Motorsports
26. (41) Ryan Preece, Ford, Stewart Haas Racing
27. (42) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota, Legacy Motor Club
28. (43) Erik Jones, Toyota, Legacy Motor Club
29. (45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota, 23XI Racing
30. (47) Ricky Stenhouse, Chevrolet, JTG Daugherty Racing
31. (48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
32. (51) Justin Haley, Ford, Rick Ware Racing
33. (54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
34. (71) Zane Smith, Chevrolet, Spire Motorsports
35. (77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet, Spire Motorsports
36. (99) Daniel Suárez, Chevrolet, Trackhouse Racing
