The second Busch Light Clash will boast an increased field, as the Feb. 5 race at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum will now hold 27 cars instead of the 23 entries that were featured during this year’s inaugural running.
Joey Logano claimed victory in the 150-lap feature in 2022, and will be returning in the No. 22 Team Penske Ford Mustang to defend his win.
Eligibility for the one-of-a-kind stadium race includes all 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Charter team owners and associated Cup drivers. This year, NASCAR Cup Series Open team owners and associated Cup drivers are eligible to enter and compete for the four additional starting positions in this year’s field.
The format of the upcoming Clash at the Coliseum is largely unchanged. On Saturday, Feb. 4, the field will be split into three groups for practice, with each group receiving three sessions to dial in their cars. Following practice, single-round and single-car qualifying will begin to set the starting lineups of Sunday’s heat races — four 25-lap contests in which only green-flag laps will count.
In qualifying, each driver gets three laps — one warm-up lap and two timed circuits.
Teams will go out for qualifying based on the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series owner points standings from lowest to highest. If there are more than 40 entries to this event, the fastest four open teams will transfer into the heat races.
Saturday’s fastest qualifier will earn the pole position in Heat 1, with the second-fastest qualifier earning pole for Heat 2; third-fastest on pole for Heat 3; and fourth-fastest on pole for Heat 4, etc. The heat races will determine both the field for the main event, alongside the starting lineup.
The top five finishers in each heat race will automatically advance to the main event, setting the top 20 starting positions.
Drivers who finish their heat races outside the top five will fight to advance into the main event through the Last Chance Qualifiers, two 50-lap dashes to officially set the Clash field. The first LCQ will feature those who finished sixth-10th in Heats 1 and 3; the second LCQ hosts those who finished sixth-10th in Heats 2 and 4. The top three drivers in each LCQ will advance and compete in the Clash.
The 27th and final spot in the field is reserved for the driver who finished the highest in the 2022 season points standings and who did not already earn a starting position in the Clash.
That means Logano, this year’s NASCAR Cup Series champion, is locked into the field.