CONCORD, N.C. — NationsGuard will be showcased as the primary sponsor aboard Corey LaJoie’s No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Chevrolet when the NASCAR Cup Series makes its highly publicized debut at the famed Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for Sunday’s Busch Lite Clash at the Coliseum.
Every February since 1979, the annual pre-season NCS showcase has been hosted by Daytona Int’l Speedway. In September, NASCAR announced it would move the race from the 2.5-mile Daytona Beach superspeedway to a purpose-built, quarter-mile oval, constructed inside the two-time site of the Summer Olympics (1932 and 1984) and the home of the University of Southern California Trojans football team.
The inaugural Busch Lite Clash at the Coliseum will mark Lajoie’s first attempt at the pre-season special, situated in LA’s famed Exposition Park.
While 36 teams have filed entries only 23 will earn the right to race in the 150-lap feature.
“The Clash at the Coliseum is set to be one of the biggest events in NASCAR’s history,” said LaJoie. “With the debut of the NextGen car, there are so many unknowns going into this race car but that gives me a lot of confidence. I’m a short track guy at heart. I’ve won in the old K&N Series at Bowman Gray Stadium, so I can’t wait to get my elbows up at the L.A. Coliseum.”
The NationsGuard livery will adorn both the team’s Nos. 7 and 77 Chevrolets in multiple races throughout 2022 and serve as a major associate sponsor for the entire season.
“We’re eager to get the 2022 season started and pair NationsGuard with Corey LaJoie in the Busch Lite Clash at the L.A. Coliseum,” said Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson. “Mr. Hendrick and the NationsGuard team have supported our program from the drawing board to the race track so it’s gratifying to start the season with that collective support.
“Aside from that, NASCAR has done an incredible job creating a first-of-its-kind race in one of the most significant markets anywhere in the world. To take a race that has been rooted in Daytona Beach since 1979 and move it to southern California is more than bold. That’s a forward-thinking undertaking and we’re proud to participate.”