Weekend schedule and format for the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum

This weekend NASCAR travels to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to kick off the 2023 season with The Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum.

It will be a star-studded event to usher in NASCAR’s 75th anniversary season. Actor Rob Lowe will be there as the Grand Marshal to start the race by giving the command, “Drivers, start your engines.” Caleb Williams, the 2022 winner of the Heisman Trophy will serve as the Honorary Starter with entertainment provided by Cypress Hill and Wiz Khalifa.

The entry list for the exhibition race will be comprised of 23 drivers from the NASCAR Cup Series Charter teams. Four additional drivers from the Open teams will also compete to make up the 27-car field.

The eligible drivers will hit the track Saturday evening at 6 p.m. ET for practice. They will be divided into three groups and each group will have three practice sessions.
Single-car and single-round qualifying will follow practice at 8 p.m. ET. There will be four 25-lap heat races (only green-flag laps will count).

Each driver will have one warm-up lap and two timed laps. The qualifying order will be based on the 2022 Cup Series owner points standings, from lowest to highest. The fastest qualifier will start on the pole for Heat 1, the second fastest will earn the pole for Heat 2, etc.

The top-five finishers in each of the four heat races will automatically transfer to the Clash (20 drivers).
The remaining drivers who finished outside the top five in their heat race will advance to the 50-lap Last Chance Qualifiers.

The first Last Chance Qualifier will consist of the drivers who finished sixth-10th in Heats 1 and 3. The final Last Chance Qualifier will include the drivers who finished sixth-10th in Heats 2 and 4.

The top three drivers in each of the Last Chance Qualifier races will advance to compete in the Clash (6 drivers).

The final spot (27th) will be awarded to the driver who finished the highest in the 2022 season points standings but did not qualify for a starting position in the Clash.

Saturday, Feb. 4 (All events on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM)
6 p.m.: Practice (Groups 1, 2, 3) Three timed sessions per Group
8:30 p.m.: Qualifying (Single Vehicle/Three Laps All Positions)

Sunday, Feb. 5 (All events on FOX/MRN/SiriusXM)
5 p.m.: Qualifying Heat 1
5:15 p.m.: Qualifying Heat 2
5:30 p.m.: Qualifying Heat 3
5:45 p.m.: Qualifying Heat 4
6:10 p.m.: Last Chance Qualifying – Race 1
6:35 p.m.: Last Chance Qualifying – Race 2
7:05 p.m.: Pre-Race Concert
7:50 p.m.: Driver Intros
8 p.m.: Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum

*All times are Eastern

Entry List