Daily Fantasy NASCAR DraftKings Forecast: 2024 Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum

Well, it’s that time again. Time for the NASCAR Cup Series season to start, and with it the daily fantasy NASCAR DraftKings forecast.

For the third year in a row, the Busch Light Clash will be at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (airing Saturday, Feb. 3 at 8 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1).

The format is slightly different this time around, as just 23 drivers will run the main 150-lap event. Since the final spot is reserved for the driver highest in points in 2023, Ryan Blaney has already secured his place in the field.

Practice starts at 5:35 p.m. ET on Saturday (Feb. 3).

However, there is rain in the forecast for Sunday and perhaps part of Saturday as well, so it’s not exactly known how that will affect the schedule. If you do decide to play on DraftKings, proceed with caution and keep checking for updates on the weather.

UPDATE: The race will run Saturday night, with just practice (no heat races).

Like last season, points will be awarded on DraftKings for finishing position, position differential, fastest laps and laps led. The driver who wins the race scores 45 fantasy points, while second gets 42 points, third gets 41 points and so on, at least through the top 10. The 11th-place finisher scores 32 points, 21st gets 21 points and 31st gets 10 points.

Also, however many spots they gain (or lose) on the racetrack is added to or subtracted from the score. Then, if the driver leads a lap, they will earn 0.25 points for each lap led, as well as 0.45 points for each fastest lap.

Here are the DraftKings Scoring Rules

Now, here are some drivers I’m considering on DraftKings for the Clash:

DraftKings Picks

Kyle Larson ($10,400)
Career at Clash at LA Coliseum: 2 starts, 0 wins, 2 top fives, 2 top 10s
Average finish at LA Coliseum: 5.0

Kyle Larson may have not had the flashiest runs in the Clash the last two years, but he has finished fifth in both events at the Coliseum. Last year, he began 14th, gaining nine spots (which isn’t easy to do on a quarter-mile flat racetrack).

The No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports driver, who placed second in points in 2023, also had some good results on the short, flat tracks last season. Larson won at both Richmond Raceway and Martinsville Speedway in the spring. Then, in the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway, he dominated. At New Hampshire Motor Speedway, he advanced from 15th to third. And to close out the season, he finished sixth at Martinsville and third at Phoenix Raceway.

Larson may be the most expensive driver on DraftKings this week, but it could be worth it if he performs similarly to last year’s run.

Kyle Busch ($9,500)
Career at Clash at LA Coliseum: 2 starts, 0 wins, 2 top fives, 2 top 10s
Average finish at LA Coliseum: 2.5

While Larson’s results the last couple years were great, Kyle Busch’s were even better. In 2022, he finished runner up to Joey Logano after leading 64 laps. Last year, he placed third behind Richard Childress Racing teammate Austin Dillon. Busch seems to have really adjusted well to this temporary track.

Unfortunately, aside from an eighth at Phoenix in the spring, Busch struggled on the short tracks last season. Will that continue through this year? Well, I would look at the practice times before I make my final decision on whether to place him in my DraftKings lineup or not.

Bubba Wallace ($7,600)
Career at Clash at LA Coliseum: 2 starts, 0 wins, 0 top fives, 0 top 10s
Average finish at LA Coliseum: 20.0

Now, you may see that average finish and wonder why I’m choosing a driver who’s finished in the back. Well, I see some potential in Bubba Wallace, as he led 40 laps in the middle part of the race last year. If it wasn’t for an accident toward the end of the race, he would have finished up front.

The 23XI Racing pilot also had some top 10s at some short tracks last season. At Martinsville in the spring, he finished ninth, while at New Hampshire, he came home eighth. Wallace also ended 2023 with a top 10 at Phoenix.

If Wallace is fast in practice, look for him to run up front once again.

Michael McDowell ($6,400)
Career at Clash at LA Coliseum: 2 starts, 0 wins, 0 top fives, 0 top 10s
Average finish at LA Coliseum: 20.0

Similar to Wallace, Michael McDowell’s run last season at the Clash ended early after both he and Front Row Motorsports teammate Todd Gilliland ran out of fuel with a little over 10 laps left. But the main reason why I chose McDowell is because he made the main event in 2022 and 2023. Why is that important? Well, very few drivers in this range even make the Clash, so having someone actually there to score points is good. 

Although McDowell didn’t do so well at the Coliseum, there were other racetracks where he earned top 10s or 15s. For example, at Richmond in the spring, he gained nine positions to finish in sixth place; he earned another sixth at Bristol Motor Speedway in the fall. Then at Phoenix, he finished ninth, gaining 10 spots on the track.

His salary will help you fit some of the pricier drivers in your lineup.