2022 Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum

The 2022 Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum was a NASCAR Cup Series race that was held on February 6, 2022, at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. Contested over 150 laps, it was the first exhibition race of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season.

Format and eligibility
On September 14, 2021, NASCAR announced that the Busch Clash will move to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. On November 9, 2021, the format for the 2022 Clash was announced:


 * The event is open for all teams and drivers for the first time in its history.
 * A total of 350 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 four drivers in each heat advance to the feature.
 * All non qualifying drivers are assigned to one of two 50 lap heat races. The top three drivers in each heat advance to the feature.
 * The highest driver in 2021 Cup Series points standings not in will also advance to the feature in the last position.
 * The feature is 150 laps.

Entry list

 * (R) denotes rookie driver.
 * (i) denotes driver who are ineligible for series driver points.

Practice
Chase Elliott was the fastest in the practice session with a time of 13.455 with an average speed of 66.890 mph .

Qualifying
Kyle Busch scored the pole for the first heat race with a time of 13.745 and a speed of 65.478 mph.

Qualifying heat races
Kyle Busch scored the pole for the race after winning the first qualifying heat race. Ty Dillon finished first in the second "Last Chance" qualifying race, however was disqualified for a restart violation, allowing Harrison Burton to qualify for the feature.

Race 1
The lineup for the first heat produced little passing as Kyle Busch ran away led all 25 laps with Daniel Suárez comfortably in 2nd. Denny Hamlin Hamlin worked his way up to 3rd, but then dropped back when the handle went away. The Top 4 finished the way they started sending Hamlin into the LCQ.

Race 2
The 2nd heat produced the type of action that was expected as drivers went three-wide in the early going. Some big names were relegated to the LCQ as passing is going to require exchanging some paint on the composite fenders of these new cars.

Race 3
Chase Elliott tried to race with the pole sitter, Justin Haley, starting on the outside of row one. Elliott passed on a chance to fall in behind the leader early in Heat #3, it was a costly decision. While Chase was able to grab the 4th spot in line and qualify for the feature his starting position will be well back in the pack.

Race 4
Ty Dillon brought out the first caution of the afternoon in Heat #4 when he experienced a gear failure with his race car. Caution laps do not count so the race was frozen after six laps restacking the field for a restart.

The “choose rule” is in effect for the Clash so drivers can select to restart on the low side or high side which shuffles the lineup on restarts. The first accident also took place in this heat as Kurt Busch punted Landon Cassill into Austin Cindric, causing the #2 Ford Mustang to go around.

"Last Chance" qualifying race 1
The fender bending action started early as Todd Gilliland hooked Aric Almirola and sent him into the outside wall and to the garage with heavy damage. Denny Hamlin, wanting no part of a bumper tag finish took off and easily qualified. Kevin Harvick moved to second and secured his way into the Clash. The battle for the final transfer position caused hurt feelings and bent fenders as A. J. Allmendinger bumped his way past Ross Chastain and Cody Ware to make the feature.

"Last Chance" qualifying race 2
A lot of talent is set to fight it out in the 2nd LCQ. Martin Truex Jr. pulling out will make one less challenger that guys coming from the back will have to get past. Bubba Wallace pulled away at the start, but Austin Cindric proved what happens when you get out of the groove as he dropped five positions before getting to the bottom of the track.

The mid-point of the 50 lap race signaled it was time to go and go they did. Positions changed every lap as the front bumper became the most effective tool in getting past the driver in front of you. As a result, the caution flag began to get a workout. Two yellow flags flew as positions swapped around.

Kurt Busch was the new leader as Ty Dillon had moved from the rear of the field into 2nd when Dillon jumped a restart and was penalized by being sent back to the rear. When Dillon resumed racing he caused two more cautions bumping his way back through the pack.

When the race restarted, chaos ensued. The entire running order was reshuffled and Kurt Busch got knocked out of the event. Harrison Burton led with Dillon back to 2nd, another wreck dislodged a concrete barrier bringing a break in the action with 5 laps to go as track made repairs.

With three laps to go, the Top 3 got into it again. Ryan Preece ran into Dillon who ran into the leader Harrison Burton spinning out the #21 car. With the few laps remaining Burton was not able to recover from the incident. Ty Dillon, Ryan Preece, and Bubba Wallace advanced to the feature.

Unfortunately, Ty Dillon was once again penalized for jumping the gun on the final restart and disqualified from the feature. Harrison Burton became the beneficiary of Dillon’s misfortune and he will be the last driver to qualify.

Race
Kyle Busch, the pole sitter, took the lead at the start but could only hold it for two laps. Tyler Reddick, who started on the outside of row one, fell in line directly behind Busch and managed to get underneath the #18 to make the pass for the lead.

Lapping cars at the rear of the field began quickly. Just 40 laps in Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Preece, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Bubba Wallace were all at least one lap down.

Tyler Reddick, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, Justin Haley, and Chase Briscoe were the Top 5 at the end of 50 Laps. The caution waved 53 laps in when Stenhouse spun off the bumper of Harrison Burton. During the caution laps, Denny Hamlin became the first car to retire with a steering issue. Chase Briscoe and the leader Tyler Reddick dropped out next, both with driveline problems.

Kyle Busch regained the lead when Tyler Reddick broke his transaxle and Busch began to drive away on the restart. Just 10 laps later Chase Elliott lost grip and spun out unassisted to bring out the 2nd caution.

Busch again rocketed to the lead on the restart followed by Joey Logano, Justin Haley, William Byron, and Kyle Larson with just 10 laps left until the mid-race break after Lap 75. Joey Logano gave Kyle Busch a big shot in the rear bumper causing the leader to get loose and allowing the Ford Mustang driver from Team Penske to sneak by. However, positions were locked before the pass so Busch led at the halfway point of the race.

Teams were allowed to make adjustments with limited crew members attending to their cars during the stoppage. A total of 20 cars will return to the race when the green drops on the restart.

Justin Haley and Kyle Larson got into a door-bashing battle on the restart from the Jones / Blaney incident. It ended with Larson driving Justin Haley into the inside wall completely destroying the front end of Justin’s vehicle. The yellow flag waved again.

With 34 laps to go, the restart had Joey Logano out front, Kyle Larson in 2nd, and Kyle Busch in 3rd. With 25 to go, Larson got loose off a corner allowing Busch to drive underneath and into 2nd. New names joined the Top 5 as Austin Dillon moved to 3rd just ahead of William Byron in 4th, and Erik Jones in 5th.

At the 10 laps to go mark Busch closed to the rear of Joey Logano’s car. These two drivers have history and no doubt Kyle Busch will not hesitate to move Logano out of the way. He never got the chance as Busch’s car seemed to tighten up over the final laps. Logano pulled away far enough to remain clear as he took the checkered flag.

Celebration
The racer, once nicknamed “The Kid”, is now the senior driver at Team Penske after Brad Keselowski left to become part-owner at RFK Racing. In his post-race interview with Fox announcer Jamie Little, Logano announced his wife Brittany will be giving birth to their third child tomorrow. On with the celebration so he can get home to momma.

Logano won the inaugural Bristol Dirt Race last season, now the Ford Mustang driver has another first with the Clash victory at the LA Coliseum.

Media
Fox covered the race on the television side; Mike Joy, Clint Bowyer and 3-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing Tony Stewart handled the call in the booth for the race; Pit reporters Jamie Little and Regan Smith as well as Larry McReynolds and Michael Waltrip handled interviews for the television side. Chris Myers and Jamie McMurray were the host and analyst in the studio.