The 2023 NASCAR season is about to get underway with great anticipation as several teams feature new drivers and crew lineups.  The annual Busch Light Clash is a non-points exhibition race that gives the winner a big paycheck and bragging rights for the year.

The 2023 Clash takes place from the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum where a quarter mile track has been built on the football field on February 5; but first the drivers get their first taste of the track on Saturday afternoon before single car qualifying will set the field for the heat races on Sunday.

The Clash is a new addition to the wet weather approved races this season; as a result, the teams are all required to carry the full wet weather package which includes a windshield wiper and red visibility lights on the rear of the cars.  While wet weather tires are also a part of the package, the teams will not make use of those unless the track is under wet conditions.

The drivers have been divided into three groups of 12 cars each for practice.  Each group get three sessions of eight minutes each.

During his second round of practice, Ty Gibbs number 54 car caught on fire and brought out the red flag.  The report on Ty Gibbs’ car fire is that the required foam in side the door is what caught on fire, NOT anything related to the issue that NASCAR addressed after Kevin Harvick’s car caught on fire last year.  Crews are working feverishly to get the car repaired and ready for a qualifying run.  Joe Gibbs Racing has four cars in the race but has brought only two backup cars.

With the Memorial Coliseum being in Los Angeles, NASCAR has made a few adjustments to the cars; rerouting the exhaust pipes and rocker boxes to install a muffler to “take the edge off” of the noise.  While still loud, the cars will be six to 10 decibels quieter than those from last year.

Clint Bowyer and Tony Stewart were discussing the installation of the mufflers and liked the idea saying that it took the high pitch sound away; leaving the full throaty sound of the cars.

Practice is over and the track is over 15 degrees cooler as sunset approaches.  The drivers will make two qualifying laps to set the field for the four het races to start The Clash on February 5.

The first driver out on the track to make a qualifying run is BJ McLeod in the 78 car.  McLeod is the last owner/driver remaining in NASCAR.  He ran a time of 15.308 seconds.

In an update on Ty Gibbs’ car; NASCAR has ruled that Gibbs will not be allowed to make a qualifying run due to the team making some unapproved adjustments to the car in the course of making repairs.  The provisional position is determined by 2022 driver points.  As a rookie, Gibbs has not points to rely on.

Corey LaJoie is the first driver to break the 14 second mark with a time of 13.919 seconds around the track in his number seven car.

After bumping the wall, Michael McDowell is the first driver not to improve his time on the second lap.

Justin Haley posts a time of 13.41 seconds to be the best of the 15 cars that have run so far.

Martin Truex Jr gets the second half of qualifying started off with a time of 13,85 seconds.

Drivers are reporting that the track has not grip.

After stopping in the middle of a run to restart the lap after spinning out, Ryan Blaney’s time has been disallowed.  NASCAR no longer allows the drivers to restart the lap.

Justin Haley has the best time and is the overall pole sitter; Kyle Busch, Christopher Bell, and William Byron will all sit on the pole for their heat races.