NASCAR Returns to the Coliseum to Begin 2023 Season

The stars of the NASCAR Cup Series are gearing up to begin the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season. For the second year, NASCAR will begin with The Clash being hosted by the historic LA Coliseum. This famous sporting venue has hosted two Summer Olympics (and will host a third in 2028), as well as being the former home of the Las Angelous Rams and currently the home of USC football. 2022 saw the NASCAR Cup Series race on a quarter-mile short track built inside the stadium. Joey Logano etched his name into the record books as the first driver to win the Clash in the Coliseum. Now drivers set their eyes on joining Logano on this list.

CanonStarGal, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

A lot of changes took place over the NASCAR off season. Some of the highlights were Kyle Busch leaving Joe Gibbs Racing to drive the number eight car for Richard Childress Racing, Tyler Reddick joining 23XI Racing, Ryan Preece taking over SHR's 41 car, and the return of seven-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson to the sport. This being such a unique race, it is hard to pinpoint drivers who stand out as threats to win the Clash this year, but you have to look at defending champion Joey Logano as a massive threat. It could be a good omen for any other driver who wins the race with Logano winning the championship following his Clash win in 2022.

The format for the event remains roughly the same. On Saturday, drivers will qualify to determine their order in heat races. There will be four heats of 25 laps each (only green flag laps will count) with the top five in each heat moving on to the main event Sunday. The rest of the drivers will fight in two Last Chance Qualifiers where the top three drivers after 50 laps will advance to Sunday. At that point, 150 laps of racing will decide the winner of the 2023 NASCAR Clash at the Coliseum. The main event race on Sunday will begin at 7 pm (EST) and be broadcast on FOX and MRN. 2023 will be the 7th season of NASCAR and they look to start it off on a high note just like last year.