The NASCAR Cup Series will return to the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for the 2024 Busch Light Clash on Feb 3. Although it is an exhibition race, the clash will mark the first time we see the Cup cars in competition in 2024.
The format consists of a 150-lap race around the short track with a timed break at Lap 75. The break will serve as a “halftime” for the competing teams to adjust and change their cars before the final 75-lap shootout.
This year, the NASCAR Mexico Series joins the Cup Series as they will also be racing inside the prestigious venue. La Batalla, the name given to the Mexico Series Clash. The race will begin following the Busch Light Clash at 5 p.m. PST.
La Batalla will feature a familiar face in Cup Series driver Daniel Suarez, who will make his return to the series. Suarez will be running double duty with his Trackhouse Racing team that weekend as they hope to put up great results in La Batalla and the Busch Light Clash.
The fun is spread over the weekend as celebrities and big names attend. Dillon Francis will be a live DJ throughout the race action, with Machine Gun Kelly providing a race break performance. Gabriel Iglesias will be the grand marshal for La Batalla, while Mexican boxing icon Saul “Canelo” Alvarez will serve as the grand marshal for the Busch Light Clash.
The Busch Light Clash serves as the first slice of competition for the year and a chance for teams to get familiar with themselves. Especially ones with new faces behind the wheel. Josh Berry, Noah Gragson, John Hunter Nemechek, and Zane Smith are among some of the names who find themselves in a new home for the 2024 season. It will be an excellent opportunity for these teams to build race weekend chemistry before we head to Daytona.
Defending race winner and short track ace Martin Truex Jr. will look to provide a performance reminiscent of last year inside the Coliseum. After debating retirement, Truex Jr. is back with the No. 19 car on the Joe Gibbs Racing team for the 2024 season and will look to improve from last year’s 11th place points standing finish. A repeat of last year’s outcome here for Truex Jr. can be the boost of confidence his team can use going into the regular season.
Ryan Blaney will enter the NASCAR Cup Series season as the defending champion for the first time in his career. Fresh off his championship triumph at Phoenix in November of 2023, Blaney, the No. 12 car on the Penske Team, will be eager to put up a season repeat of 2023. The former Cup champions on the field joining Blaney are Kyle Larson, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, Truex Jr, and Joey Logano.
The event at the Coliseum marks NASCAR’s third consecutive visit and the second time the Cup race is under the night lights.
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The Busch Light Clash goes down on Feb 3 at 5 p.m. PST.
