The format for the 2024 Busch Light Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is here.
NASCAR revealed Jan. 16 the 2024 format for the NASCAR Cup Series’ third visit to the makeshift track that kicks off the season.
The exhibition event will feature 23 cars in its main event, 22 from pre-race qualifying heat races and a 23rd reserved for the highest-finishing driver in 2023 points who hadn’t already made the field.
Those heat races — four in all — are set by the times each driver clocks in a practice session on Feb. 3, with drivers split into three practice groups. The heats will then be contested later that day — 25 laps for each race. The top five from each will advance to the main event.
On Feb. 4, a last-chance qualifier featuring all drivers who had not already advanced will be contested. The 75-lap event’s winner and runner-up finisher will make the the Clash.
The Clash itself is 150 laps long and will be contested on Feb. 4 as well.
In all races throughout the week, only green-flag laps will count. The heats and last-chance qualifier cannot end in overtime, while the Clash has to end under green-flag conditions.
Up to 40 teams can compete in the Clash, though since the event’s move to the Coliseum, only the 36 chartered teams have actually entered.
Practice and the heats will be broadcast Feb. 3 on FOX Sports 1, while the last-chance qualifier and Clash will be seen Feb. 4 on FOX at 8 p.m. ET.
Kevin Rutherford is the executive editor of Frontstretch, a position he gained in 2025 after being the managing editor since 2015, and serving on the editing staff since 2013.
At his day job, he's a journalist covering music and rock charts at Billboard. He lives in New York City, but his heart is in Ohio -- you know, like that Hawthorne Heights song.
Stupid race but, since there haven’t been cars on track since early November, you got to take what you can get.
Too bad you don’t like the race. All I can say is don’t watch! I’ll be watching with a HUGE smiile on my face routing for my fav boy, Joey!
You’d probably have a HUGE smile on your face watching Joey sort laundry. Good for you.
ha ha at Bill B, yes I think that’s the opinion of many race fans. I agree with you. Plus last year when I watched part of it, it was all about the celebrities.
I wouldn’t miss a good party to watch it, but I don’t party like used to. I’ll probably watch it.
I don’t remember anything about it but I watched the whole race with a detached amusement. There were shiny cars, going around in a circle, at a moderate speed compared to most tracks. It’s just a dog and pony show to whet everyone’s appetite for the upcoming season.
But does it? If you need a racing fix, why not look for and watch one of the old races that are posted out on YT? Those are more entertaining to me – plus you get to hear and see a lot of people from when the sport was worth spending a Sunday afternoon to tune in.
I’m with you, Jeremy. I’ll see if I can find an old race to watch instead. I tuned in last year for part of it. As Carl mentioned, I’ll have to see what other options I have this year.
Why isn’t anybody talking about the “NO FANS ON SATURDAY” story? Seems like a big story that most sites are ignoring!!!
I’m guessing because you’d have to care about the race to begin with.