The 2024 NASCAR season is getting off to a roaring start by already making changes to the schedule for The Clash and Mexico Series races.  Mother Nature has steeped in and caused some major changes.  The two day event is now a one day event with The Clash running first; followed by the Miexico Series race.

The drivers are divided into groups for a short practice session before making a qualifying run.

As the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion, Ryan Blaney is the only driver guaranteed a spot in The Clash main event.

During the first practice session, several of the drivers have issues with locking up the brakes.

With severe weather including torrential rains moving in; the heat races have been cancelled.  The 36 drivers will “qualify” in the final four minute practice session, with the top 22 drivers moving on to The Clash race plus one provisional – highest ranking driver in last year’s points not already in the race.  Drivers will “qualify” with six drivers in a group.

Chase Briscoe leads group one.

Joey Logano leads group two

Alex Bowman leads group three.

Denny Hamlin leads group four.

Todd Gilliland leads group five.

Chase Elliott leads group six.

Denny Hamlin earns the pole with a time of 13.139 seconds.

The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney is the provisional driver for the race.

The starting lineup for The Busch Light Clash:
Denny Hamlin
Joey Logano
Ty Gibbs
Alex Bowman
Kyle Busch
William Byron
Ross Chastain
Kyle Larson
Bubba Wallace
Justin Haley
Tyler Reddick
Ryan Preece
Brad Keselowski
Chase Elliott
Michael McDowell
Todd Gilliland
Noah Gragson
Corey LaJoie
Martin Truex Jr
Ricky Stenhouse Jr
John Hunter Nemechek
Chase Briscoe
Ryan Blaney

The drivers who failed to make the race:
Josh Williams
Carson Hocevar
Josh Berry
Daniel Suarez
Austin Dillon
Erik Jones
Chris Buescher
Austin Cindric
Daniel Hemric
Christopher Bell
Kaz Grala
Harrison Burton
Zane Smith

The 2024 Busch Light Clash main event is 150 green flag laps around the quarter mile track with a break halfway through the race.  Rock artist Machine Gun Kelly will provide some musical entertainment during the “half-time” event.

Even before the race begins, the cars are showing signs of beating and banging against the wall.

Denny Hamlin brings the field down for the green flag start of the race with Joey Logano alongside.  Joey Logano edges out Denny Hamlin from the outside lane to take the lead but Hamlin stays close and continues to battle.

Lap three, Denny Hamlin takes the lead from Joey Logano.

Lap six, the top five are Denny Hamlin, Ty Gibbs, Joey Logano, William Byron, and Alex Bowman.

Lap 12, it will not be long before leader Denny Hamlin will reach the slower traffic.

Lap 14, Denny Hamlin has pulled out to a half second lead on Ty Gibbs; Joey Logano, William Byron, and Kyle Busch round out the top five.

Lap 23, Denny Hamlin has a lead of over half a second on Ty Gibbs; Joey Logano, William Byron, and Kyle Busch round out the top five.  Leader Hamlin is about a third of a lap from reaching slower traffic.

Lap 36, Denny Hamlin has led nearly every lap so far with Ty Gibbs, Joey Logano, William Byron, and Kyle Busch continuing to round out the top five.

Lap 42, Denny Hamlin has begun lapping the slower cars.  Hamlin is getting a lot of pressure from second place driver Ty Gibbs.

Lap 49, Denny Hamlin and Ty Gibbs are in a side by side battle for the lead.

Lap 51, Ty Gibbs takes the lead.  Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano battle side by side for second with Kyle Busch lurking in fourth.

Lap 56, this is the longest green flag run in Coliseum history in the Cup Series.

Lap 59, Joey Logano has gotten around Denny Hamlin for second with Kyle Busch taking third; Kyle Larson and William Byron round out the top five.

Lap 62 Ty Gibbs leads the race with 18 cars on the lead lap.

Lap 65, Ty Gibbs has a lead of nearly three seconds on Joey Logano; Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson, and William Byron round out the top five.

Ty Gibbs has passed Brad Keselowski to put the number six a lap down.

The caution flag comes out on lap 71 when Todd Gilliland gets into the wall after spinning out.  He was reporting brake issues in the car.  TV cameras show that his brake rotors are glowing red.

With just five laps remaining until half time, Ty Gibbs brings the field down for the green flag restart with Joey Logano alongside.  Kyle Busch makes it a three wide battle with Joey Logano getting out in front for the lead; Ty Gibbs is in third with Kyle Larson and William Byron rounding out the top five.

Halfway – Joey Logano leads with Kye Busch in second; Ty Gibbs, Kyle Larson, and William round out the top five.

John Hunter Nemechek spins out just before the caution flag to end the first half.

The crews will have 10 minutes to make adjustments to the cars.

NASCAR reports that the caution flag came out just one lap before the halfway mark.  Joey Logano will bring the field down for the one lap green flag shootout. 

Todd Gilliland has been checked and released from the infield care center.

Joey Logano is on the inside with Kyle Busch on the outside; Logano and Busch are side by side before Logano gets out in front.  It’s a three way battle for second with Kyle Busch, Ty Gibbs, and Kyle Larson.

The top five at halfway are: Joey Logano, Kyle Larson, Ty Gibbs, William Byron, and Kyle Busch.

After the break the drivers are back on the track, preparing to start racing once again…and the rains are on the way!  Joey Logano brings the field down for the green flag restart with Ty Gibbs alongside.  Logano and Kyle Larson go side by side in a battle for the lead. 

The caution flag comes out on lap 78 when Bubba Wallace, Ross Chastain, Corey LaJoie, Alex Bowman, Michael McDowll, and Tyler Reddick get tangled up.

Chase Elliott was stopped on the track with a broken suspension rod.

Joey Logano brings the field down for the green flag restart with Ty Gibbs alongside.  Ross Chastain and Ricky Stenhouse Jr bring out the caution flag on lap 78.

Tyler Reddick was charged with a restart violation and will have to restart the race from the back of the field.

Todd Gilliland and Chase Elliott are out of the race with John Hunter Nemechek and Noah Gragson are laps down.

After numerous caution laps, Joey Logano brings the field down for the green flag restart with Ty Gibbs on the inside.  Ty Gibbs gets out in front for the lead with Joey Logano in second; Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr, and Denny Hamlin round out the top five.  Kyle Busch passes Denny Hamlin for fifth.

Lap 81, Ty Gibbs quickly jumps out to a lead of over two seconds on Joey Logano;  Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr, and Kyle Busch round out the top five.

Lap 88, Ty Gibbs is now over two and a half seconds out in front of the field.

Lap 93, Ty Gibbs has a lead of over two seconds on Joey Logano; Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr, and Kyle Busch round out the top five.

Lap 100, Ty Gibbs has a lead of over two and a half seconds on Joey Logano.  He is quickly approaching the slower traffic.  Joey Logano, Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch, and Denny Hamlin round out the top five.

Lap 106, Kyle Busch passes Kyle Larson for third.  Larson and Denny Hamlin battle for fourth.

Lap 109, Ty Gibbs has a near three second lead on Joey Logano; Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, and Martin Truex Jr round out the top five with 19 cars on the lead lap.

Lap 113, Ty Gibbs has caught the slower traffic.

Lap 117, Denny Hamlin passes Kyle Busch for third.

Dealing with slower traffic, leader Ty Gibbs lead is down to under a second and a half..  There are 18 cars on the lead lap.

With 26 laps remaining in the race, Ty Gibbs lead is down to a second with Joey Logano in second; Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, and Martin Truex Jr round out the top five.

With 22 laps to go, there are 15 cars on the lead lap.

Just 17 laps to go; leader Ty Gibbs is mired in traffic and Joey Logano has closed the gap on the leader; Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, and Ryan Blaney round out the top five.

Justin Haley is off the track with a mechanical issue.  Haley reports that the car “just blew up”.

Just 12 laps to go, Ty Gibbs has a lead of under a second on Joey Logano.

Michael McDowell gets into the wall and brings out the caution flag with  just 10 laps remaining in the race.  McDowell and Ross Chastain made contact before his spin.

There are only 12 cars on the lead lap.

Ty Gibbs brings the field down for the green flag restart with just 10 laps remaining in the race with Joey Logano alongside.  Ty Gibbs gets out in front when Joey Logano gets locked up.  Denny Hamlin passes Gibbs for the lead; Kyle Busch takes third.

Five to go, Denny Hamlin has the lead with Ty Gibbs continuing to battle for the lead.  Kyle Busch and Ty Gibbs battles for second

Two to go with Denny Hamlin in the lead  and Kyle Busch in second.

Ty Gibbs brings out the caution flag on the final lap when he crashes.

The race officially goes into overtime…

Denny Hamlin has a bad tire and keeps sliding up the track.

Denny Hamlin brings the field down for the green/white/checker shootout with Ryan Blaney on the inside. Hamlin jumps out in front for the lead. 

Denny Hamlin takes the white flag with Kye Busch in second.

Denny Hamlin wins the race.  Hamlin blows at tire during his burnout.

After the flag waved, Ross Chastain sent Tyler Reddick into the wall.

The unofficial results of The Clash:
Denny Hamlin
Kyle Busch
Ryan Blaney
Joey Logano
Kyle Larson
Alex Bowman
Chase Briscoe
Brad Keselowski
Martin Truex Jr
William Byron
Ryan Preece
Bubba Wallace
Tyler Reddick
John Hunter Nemechek
Ross Chastain
Ricky Stenhouse Jr
Corey LaJoie
Ty Gibbs
Michael McDowell
Noah Gragson
Justin Haley
Chase Elliott
Todd Gilliland