2024 Busch Light Clash Format
NASCAR officials unveiled the format for the 2024 Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum on Tuesday morning.
The Cup Series’ third annual trip to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum culminates in a 150-lap exhibition feature on Feb. 4 with 23 drivers set to bang fenders in the battle for preseason glory, all atop a 0.25-mile short asphalt oval located in the same arena that has hosted Super Bowls, World Series games and the Olympics.
On-track festivities for the non-points event begin with three practice sessions on Saturday, with up to 40 entrants split into three groups. Each competitor’s fastest lap time from their final practice session will determine the starting lineup for the four heat races, the first significant alteration of this event’s format after prior years featured single-round, single-car qualifying to set heat lineups.
Saturday’s four 25-lap heat races will have up to 10 drivers per heat. The fastest practice time in the final sessions earns pole position in Heat 1, second-fastest on pole for Heat 2, third-fastest on pole for Heat 3 and fourth-fastest in practice on pole for Heat 4, and so on. Only green-flag laps will count in each of the heat races, with no overtime allotment.
The top five finishers in each heat will automatically advance to Sunday night’s main event, while the drivers who finish below fifth in each heat will advance to Sunday afternoon’s 75-lap Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ). Starting position for the LCQ will be determined by finishing the order from the heat races. The top two finishers in the LCQ will advance to the Clash and start 21st and 22nd, respectively. Like the heat races, only green-flag laps will count with no overtime.
The 23rd and final position in the grid for the Clash is reserved for the driver who finished highest in the 2023 season points standings and did not transfer via the heat races or LCQ. Ryan Blaney, the defending NASCAR Cup Series champion, is locked into the main event.
That sets the stage for the 2024 rendition, scheduled for 150 laps under the lights in the heart of Los Angeles (8 p.m. ET, Feb. 4 on FOX, MRN, SiriusXM). Below is how the starting lineup will be set for the 23-car field, a return to the grid size for the inaugural Clash at The Coliseum:
| POSITION | CRITERIA |
|---|---|
| 1 | Heat 1 winner |
| 2 | Heat 2 winner |
| 3 | Heat 3 winner |
| 4 | Heat 4 winner |
| 5 | Heat 1 second place |
| 6 | Heat 2 second place |
| 7 | Heat 3 second place |
| 8 | Heat 4 second place |
| 9 | Heat 1 third place |
| 10 | Heat 2 third place |
| 11 | Heat 3 third place |
| 12 | Heat 4 third place |
| 13 | Heat 1 fourth place |
| 14 | Heat 2 fourth place |
| 15 | Heat 3 fourth place |
| 16 | Heat 4 fourth place |
| 17 | Heat 1 fifth place |
| 18 | Heat 2 fifth place |
| 19 | Heat 3 fifth place |
| 20 | Heat 4 fifth place |
| 21 | LCQ winner |
| 22 | LCQ second place |
| 23 | 2023 Points Provisional |
Tune into the Clash at The Coliseum on Sunday, Feb. 4 at 8 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Courtesy of NASCAR
