Weather Forces Changes to the Busch Light Clash in Los Angeles

Fireworks and lighting of the Olympic Torch at the start of the Busch Light CLASH.
Image Credit: 2024 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Weather Forces Changes to the Busch Light CLASH

Words and Images By:  Brandon O'Brien, unless otherwise stated

That old saying goes, "it never rains in California".  That may be true most of the time but when it does, it pours.  Prior to the third gathering of the NASCAR Busch Light CLASH at the LA Coliseum the weather forecasters had been predicting a weeks' worth of heavy rain thanks to the approaching "Pineapple Express"

Qualifying for the CLASH was scheduled for Saturday afternoon with the race to be held Sunday afternoon. With both the Teams and media questioning how NASCAR was going to handle a rain delayed event  NASCAR announced that the CLASH would take place on Saturday night at 8:00pm. The decision to reschedule the exhibition race, "was made by NASCAR in conjunction with FOX Sports television and the management of the Los Angeles Coliseum due to the impending inclement weather and concern for fan safety".  

2nd Place finisher Kyle Busch in the #8 Morgan & Morgan Chevrolet Camaro praised NASCAR for being proactive in rescheduling the CLASH due to the impending severe weather.  Image Credit: 2024 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Instead of the normal heat-races to determine the twenty-two qualifying spots, those positions were  determined by earlier practice times.  Pole position would be held by Denny Hamlin in the #11 Sports Clips Haircut Toyota, followed by Joey Logano in the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford Mustang and Ty Gibbs in the #45 Monster Energy Toyota Camry.  The 23rd starting position was taken by the 2023 Cup Series Champion Ryan Blaney in the #12 Menards/Great Lakes Flooring Ford Mustang.

The top two qualifying positions went to Denny Hamlin in the #11 SportClips Haircuts Toyota Camry and to Ryan Larson in the #22 Pennzoil Ford Mustang.  

Ryan Blaney during morning practice in the #12 Menards Ford Mustang.  He could not make the field on time but started in the 23rd spot as the 2023 Cup Series champion. He ended the race in 3rd place.   Image Credit: 2024 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Under threatening skies the race started without incident.  Unlike the past two-years the race went for 70-laps prior to the first caution being brought out when #38 Todd Gilliland spun into the wall between turns 1 & 2.  During the first half of the race the lead changed between three drivers: Logano, Hamlin, and Gibbs.  Caution laps do not count in this race so once the #38 was removed and the track cleaned the field raced to the 75-lap mark for the mid-race break. During the final restart Logano was able to pass Gibbs for the lead.

Ty Gibbs in the #45 Monster Energy Toyota Camry door-to-door with #8 Kyle Busch.  Image Credit: 2024 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

During the second half of the race there were an additional 6 caution periods brought out primarily by single car spins.  Front brake cooling issues took their toll throughout the field as the race wore on.  These cautions allowed other drivers to make up positions, at the restart, due to which lane they chose to restart in. This would influence the outcome of the race.

The restart following the sixth caution on lap 141 allowed Hamlin to take the lead. With two laps to go Gibbs spun out in Turn 4 after contact with Larson forcing the seventh caution.  Hamlin was able to maintain his lead on Busch for the two-lap shootout to the finish.

The race ended with Denny Hamlin winning by 0.610 seconds in the #11 Sports Clips Haircuts Toyota Camry followed by Kyle Busch in the #8 Morgan & Morgan Chevrolet Camaro.  Ryan Blaney went from the back of the field to third in the #12 Menards/Great Lakes Flooring Ford Mustang, much of this due to his team restart strategy.  The average race speed was 32.937 mph.

CLASH winner Denny Hamlin surrounded in tire smoke as he celebrated his CLASH win.  Image Credit: 2024 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

2nd Place finisher Kyle Busch is out of his #8 Morgan & Morgan Chevrolet Camaro prior to being interviewed.  Image Credit: 2024 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Ty Gibbs probably had the quickest car in the race but his inexperience, especially on restarts,  and his spin in turn 4 may have cost him his first win.

Fortunately the heavy rain held off for the rest of the scheduled events.  

TAGS: Brandon O'Brien, Busch Light, CLASH,  Cup Series, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Kyle Busch, LA Coliseum, Los Angeles Coliseum,  NASCAR,  Motor Driven Images, Ryan Blaney, Ty Gibbs