Martin Truex Jr. wins wild Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum: In front of a large, enthusiastic crowd in one of the most iconic venues in sports, Martin Truex Jr. earned his first NASCAR Cup Series victory in more than a season in a rough-and-tumble all-thrills Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum Sunday night at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Truex’s No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota held off Austin Dillon’s No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet by a mere .786-second leading the final 25 laps of the 150-lap annual non-points exhibition event marking the start of the NASCAR season. It was the former series champion Truex’s first career Busch Light Clash victory.[Read More](2-5-2023)

#19-Martin Truex, Jr. won the 2023 Busch Light Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
#3-Dillon finished 2nd followed by #8-Busch, #48-Bowman, #5-Larson, #45-Reddick, #41-Preece, #1-Chastain, #11-Hamlin, and #24-Byron.
Pole sitter #10-Almirola finished 18th.
There were 4 lead changes among 5 drivers and 16 cautions.
The average speed of the race was: 21.831mph.
See Race Results and the penalty report.

Race Fast Facts – Busch Light Clash:
Martin Truex Jr. has won the 45th running of the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum (1979-2023), and will receive the gold medal for the victory.
Martin Truex Jr. is the 25th different driver to win the Busch Light Clash.
This is Martin Truex Jr.’s first Busch Light Clash victory (2023 L.A. Memorial Coliseum).
This is Joe Gibbs Racing’s series-leading 11th Busch Light Clash victory.
This is the seventh time Toyota has won the Busch Light Clash.
Austin Dillon has finished runner-up in the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum and will receive the silver medal.
Kyle Busch has finished third in the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum and will receive the bronze medal.
(NASCAR)

Cars to the rear: None

#10-Aric Almirola will start from the pole for the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum. Starting positions were determined by four heat races and two last chance races.
#19-Truex, Jr. will start the race in second, followed by #11-Hamlin, #24-Byron, #48-Bowman, #8-Busch, #14-Briscoe, #23-Wallace, #31-Haley, #3-Dillon, #45-Reddick and #1-Chastain.
The field was set by four heat races and two last chance qualifying races.
27 drivers will competed in the Clash. Not advancing to the feature: #21-Burton, #47-Stenhouse, Jr, #6-Keselowski, #7-LaJoie, #77-Dillon, #51-Ware, #17-Buescher, #15-Yeley, #78-McLeod.
For the lineup, see the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum starting lineup page.
Also see Last Chance Race Results and Heat Race Results.

Complete Last Chance Race Results

Last Chance Race 2 Results (top 3 advance): #9-Elliott, #54-Gibbs,  #16-Allmendinger, #47-Stenhouse, Jr, #2-Cindric, #7-LaJoie, #51-Ware, #78-McLeod.

Last Chance Race 1 Results (top 3 advance): #34-McDowell, #20-Bell, #38-Gilliland, #21-Burton, #6-Keselowski, #77-Dillon, #17-Buescher, #15-Yeley.

Last Chance Race 2 Lineup: #9-Elliott, #54-Gibbs,  #47-Stenhouse, Jr, #16-Allmendinger, #2-Cindric, #7-LaJoie, #78-McLeod, #51-Ware.

Last Chance Race 1 Lineup: #34-McDowell, #20-Bell, #21-Burton, #38-Gilliland, #77-Dillon, #6-Keselowski ,#17-Buescher, #15-Yeley.

Complete Heat Race Results

Heat 1 Results: #10-Almirola, #48-Bowman, #31-Haley, #42-Gragson, #22-Logano, #34-McDowell, #21-Burton, #77-Dillon, #17-Buescher.

Heat 2 Results: #19-Truex, Jr.,  #8-Busch, #3-Dillon, #5-Larson, #4-Harvick, #9-Elliott, #47-Stenhouse, Jr., #2-Cindric, #78-McLeod.

Heat 3 Results: #11-Hamlin, #45-Reddick, #14-Briscoe, #12-Blaney, #99-Suarez,  #20-Bell, #38-Gilliland, #15-Yeley, #6-Keselowski.

Heat 4 Results: #24-Byron, #23-Wallace, #1-Chastain, #41-Preece, #43-Jones,  #54-Gibbs, #16-Allmendinger, #7-LaJoie, #51-Ware.

Clash at the Coliseum Paint Schemes

Heat 1 Lineup: #31-Haley, #10-Almirola, #48-Bowman, #21-Burton, #22-Logano, #42-Gragson, #34-McDowell, #17-Buescher, #77-Dillon.

Heat 2 Lineup: #8-Busch, #3-Dillon, #5-Larson, #4-Harvick, #47-Stenhouse, Jr., #19-Truex, Jr., #2-Cindric, #9-Elliott, #78-McLeod.

Heat 3 Lineup: #20-Bell, #11-Hamlin, #99-Suarez, #14-Briscoe, #45-Reddick, #6-Keselowski, #38-Gilliland, #15-Yeley, #12-Blaney.

Heat 4 Lineup: #24-Byron, #16-Allmendinger, #1-Chastain, #23-Wallace, #43-Jones, #41-Preece, #7-LaJoie, #51-Ware, #54-Gibbs.

Heat Race Lineups

Qualifying is complete for the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum. #31-Haley was fastest at 37.099mph.  He was followed by: #8-Busch, #20-Bell, #24-Byron, #10-Almirola, #3-Dillon, #11-Hamlin, #16-Allmendinger, #48-Bowman, and #5-Larson.
Qualifying set the lineups for Sunday’s heat races, which will determine the starting lineup for the Clash.
#31-Haley will start from the pole for the first race, #8-Busch for the second, #20-Bell for the third, and #24-Byron for the fourth.
See qualifying results on the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum qualifying results page.

Qualifying Order

Practice for the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum is over. The results:
#19-Truex, Jr. 67.360
#23-Wallace 67.309
#14-Briscoe 67.249
#48-Bowman 67.214
#12-Blaney 67.214
Slowest: #78-McLeod 64.152
Best 10 lap average (of 36 drivers): #23-Wallace, 66.950mph
Most laps run: #45-Reddick, 117 laps.
Notes: Drivers went out for three sessions in three different groups.  Qualifying is tonight at 8:30pm/et and will be used to set the lineups for tomorrow’s heat races.
#54-Gibbs’ car caught fire during his second practice session, likely as the result of tire dust buildup.  He got out of the car and the fire was extinguished.
#14-Briscoe was pushed into the wall by #16-Allmendinger after they fought over track position.
#22-Logano spun during his final practice but did no damage to the car.
See the fastest speeds, best 10 consecutive lap average, laps run on the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum Practice Results page.

Drivers will be split into three groups for practice Saturday at the Clash. See the groups on the Clash Practice Groups page.

Crew rosters

The entry list for the 2023 Busch Light Clash at the LA Memorial Coliseum is posted. There are 36 drivers entered.
27 drivers will complete in the feature event.
See the complete list on the 2023 Busch Clash Entry List page.

Goodyear Tire Notes

Cup Series Edition: TandemDraft Stats – Busch Light Clash

Eligibility and Format announcement