Denny Hamlin wins rescheduled Busch Light Clash from pole position: The final restart was the difference for Denny Hamlin. A day earlier than planned—the result of a devastating weather forecast for the Los Angeles area—Hamlin got the jump he needed on an overtime restart and won Saturday night’s third edition of the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum.[Read More]
#11-Denny Hamlin won the 2024 Busch Light Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday night. He started the race from the pole and led 58 of the 150 laps. He took the lead from #54-Gibbs with 8 laps remaining and held the lead during a green-white-checker finish.
#8-Kyle Busch finished 2nd followed by #12-Ryan Blaney, #22-Joey Logano, #5-Kyle Larson, #48-Alex Bowman, #14-Chase Briscoe, #6-Brad Keselowski, #19-Martin Truex, Jr, and #24-William Byron.
There were 7 lead changes among 4 drivers and 8 cautions.
The average speed of the race was: 32.937mph.
The race was moved up from Sunday evening due to the forecast of incoming inclement weather and out of concern for fan safety.
See Race Results and the penalty report.
Race Fast Facts – Busch Light Clash:
Denny Hamlin won the Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum, his fourth victory in the pre-season exhibition race.
His first three Clash wins came at Daytona International Speedway in 2006, 2014 and 2016.
This is Joe Gibbs Racing’s series-leading 12th Busch Light Clash win, and second in a row.
This is Toyota’s eighth Busch Light Clash win.
Kyle Busch finished second and received the Silver Medal, Ryan Blaney finished third and earned the Bronze Medal.
(NASCAR)
Race updates: 9:37pm/et: Top 10: #11-Hamlin, #8-Busch, #12-Blaney, #22-Logano, #5-Larson, #48-Bowman, #14-Briscoe, #6-Keselowski, #19-Truex, Jr., #24-Byron. 9:36pm/et: Green flag flies, #11-Hamlin holds the lead and gets the win at the 2024 Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum. 9:33pm/et: Top five under caution is: #11-Hamlin, #8-Busch, #12-Blaney, #22-Logano, and #23-Wallace. 9:31pm/et: Caution out with one lap remaining. #54-Gibbs spun. #11-Hamlin leads. 9:29pm/et: #11-Hamlin to the lead with 8 to go. 9:29pm/et: Green flag with 10 to go. #54-Gibbs leads #22-Logano, #11-Hamlin, #8-Busch, and #12-Blaney. 9:22pm/et: Caution is out with 10 laps to go. #34-McDowell turned around backwards after contact with #1-Chastain. 9:22pm/et: #51-Haley lost power and was able to get off the track. The race stays green. 9:21pm/et: 15 to go. #54-Gibbs leads #22-Logano by just over a second. 9:19pm/et: 25 laps remaining: #54-Gibbs, #22-Logano, #11-Hamlin, #8-Busch, #19-Truex Jr, #12-Blaney, #5-Larson, #14-Briscoe, #23-Wallace, and #24-Byron. 9:18pm/et: 30 laps to go. #54-Gibbs with a 1.4 second lead over #22-Logano. Gibbs has caught lap traffic and Logano is gaining. 9:16pm/et: #8-Busch is now up to 3rd, but 4.4 seconds behind #54 Gibbs. 9:13pm/et: 100 laps complete, 50 to go. #54-Gibbs with a 2.5 second lead over #22-Logano. #5-Larson, #19-Truex Jr, and #8-Busch round out the top 5. 9:08pm/et: #54-Gibbs takes the lead on the restart. 9:08pm/et: Back to green with 73 laps to go. 9:04pm/et: Restart violation for #45-Reddick on the restart. He will have to go to the rear. 9:03pm/et: Caution right back out for a spin by #1-Chastain. 9:02pm/et: Back to green with 77 laps complete #22-Logano, #5-Larson, and #54-Gibbs the top three. 9:01pm/et: #9-Elliott has a something broken on the suspension of the car after contact with the wall. The team is looking at the car, but he will not continue. 8:59pm/et: Caution out after #48-Bowman got into #45-Reddick, pushing him into the back of #23-Wallace and spinning him. 8:58pm/et: The race is green again. 75 laps remaining. #22-Logano leads #5-Larson. 8:54pm/et: Cars are rolling again following the halftime break and the race will be back underway shortly. 8:39pm/et: After one green flag lap, caution is now out for the halftime break: Top 10 now are #22-Logano, #5-Larson, #54-Gibbs, #24-Byron, #8-Busch, #11-Hamlin, #23-Wallace, #48-Bowman, #45-Reddick, and #1-Chastain. 8:35pm/et: Caution is out for a spin by #42-Nemechek with 74 laps complete.. Logano took the lead on the restart and Busch also got around Gibbs. 8:33pm/et: Back to green with 5 laps remaining until the halftime break. 8:26pm/et: Caution is out for a spin by #38-Gilliland. 70 laps complete. 8:21pm/et: 50 laps complete and 25 remaining until the halftime break. Current top 10: #54-Gibbs, who just took the lead from #11-Hamlin. Then #22-Logano, #8-Busch, #24-Byron, #5-Larson, #48-Bowman, #51-Haley, #23-Wallace, #9-Elliott 8:17pm/et: #10-Gragson is the first driver to lose a lap, 30 laps into the race. Hamlin still leads. 8:14pm/et: Clean and green through the first 20 laps. Top 5 are #11-Hamlin #54-Gibbs #22-Logano #24-Byron and #8-Busch. 8:10pm/et: Logano got by Hamlin to lead lap 1. 8:09pm/et: Green flag for the 2024 Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum. The race will be 150 laps with a half time break. Only green flag laps count. 8:05pm/et: Engines have been fired. 8:02pm/et: Drivers are being introduced as they drive into the Coliseum.
Green flag is scheduled for 8:10pm/et. The race will be on FS1.
Cars to the rear: None
#11-Denny Hamlin will start from the pole for the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum Saturday night. Starting positions were determined by practice speeds.
#22-Joey Logano will start the race in second, followed by #54-Ty Gibbs, #48-Alex Bowman, #8-Kyle Busch, #24-William Byron, #1-Ross Chastain, #5-Kyle Larson, #23-Bubba Wallace, and #51-Justin Haley.
22 drivers qualified for the race on speed. The 23rd spot was reserved for the driver highest in 2023 points that was not already in the race. That provisional had to be used by #12-Ryan Blaney.
Did not qualify for the Clash: #16-Josh Williams, #77-Carson Hocevar, #4-Josh Berry, #99-Daniel Suarez, #3-Austin Dillon, #43-Erik Jones, #17-Chris Buescher, #2-Austin Cindric, #31-Daniel Hemric, #20-Christopher Bell, #15-Kaz Grala, #21-Harrison Burton, #71-Zane Smith
See the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum Practice Results page. and the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum starting lineup page.
The previously scheduled heat races and LCQ have been cancelled.
Starting positions for The Clash will be determined by the fastest 22 speeds in the final practice. The 23rd position will be based on last year driver points.
Due to the forecast of incoming inclement weather and out of concern for fan safety, NASCAR has announced that its historic doubleheader, originally scheduled for Sunday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, will be run tonight.
The NASCAR Cup Series’ Busch Light Clash will now run at 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET on FS1, followed by the NASCAR Mexico Series’ King Taco LA Batalla en El Coliseo.
The entry list for the 2024 Busch Light Clash at the LA Memorial Coliseum is posted. The 36 chartered teams are entered.
23 drivers will complete in the feature event Sunday night.
See the complete list on the 2024 Busch Clash Entry List page.