NASCAR Clash at the Coliseum: Martin Truex Jr. wins chaotic main event ahead of Austin Dillon, Kyle Busch (2024)

A new NASCAR Cup Series season is nearly upon us as its annual preseason exhibition returns to Southern California this weekend. The Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum will be run for the second straight year on the temporary quarter-mile track laid down over the pitch at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Originally contested as a pseudo All-Star race to launch Daytona Speedweeks in 1979, the event now serves as a preseason showcase open to all drivers and complete with musical performances and celebrity guests in the entertainment industry capital.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum:

Format for the Clash at the Coliseum

Saturday night’s qualifying session set the starting grids for Sunday’s heat races. The overall fastest time set by Justin Haley won pole for Heat 1, Kyle Busch pole for Heat 2, third fastest wins the pole for Heat 3 and the fourth-fastest time wins pole for Heat 4. The remaining starting spots for each race will follow that pattern.

Each heat race will be 25 laps of green-flag running (caution laps will not count this year) with the top five finishers in each automatically advancing to the main event. Everyone else will be split into two 50-lap “last-chance qualifier” races with the top-three finishers from each advancing into the main. The 27th and final starting spot for the main will be the highest points finisher from 2022 that has not yet advanced.

The main event, the Clash, will be a 150-lap race with just green-flag laps counting and the winner bringing home a purse of more than $2 million.

Clash at the Coliseum results

Martin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Alex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota
Ryan Preece (41), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Noah Gragson (42), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford
Ryan Blaney (12), Team Penske Ford
Aric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Daniel Suarez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
A.J. Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Chase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Chevrolet
Todd Gilliland (38), Front Row Motorsports Ford
Michael McDowell (34), Front Row Motorsports Ford
Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford
Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Erik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

Clash at the Coliseum heat race starting grids

Grid spot	Heat 1	Heat 2	Heat 3	Heat 4
1	Justin Haley	Kyle Busch	Christopher Bell	William Byron
2	Aric Almirola	Austin Dillon	Denny Hamlin	A.J. Allmendinger
3	Alex Bowman	Kyle Larson	Daniel Suarez	Ross Chastain
4	Harrison Burton	Kevin Harvick	Chase Briscoe	Bubba Wallace
5	Joey Logano	Ricky Stenhouse Jr.	Tyler Reddick	Erik Jones
6	Noah Gragson	Martin Truex Jr.	Brad Keselowski	Ryan Preece
7	Michael McDowell	Austin Cindric	Todd Gilliland	Corey Lajoie
8	Chris Buescher	Chase Elliott	J.J. Yeley	Cody Ware
9	Ty Dillon	B.J. McLeod	Ryan Blaney	Ty Gibbs

Top drivers and best bets for the Clash at the Coliseum

Defending series champion Joey Logano won the only prior event on this track last year and is considered a favorite to repeat in the Clash. This being the shortest track the Cup cars run by a wide margin (the next-shortest is Virginia's Martinsville Speedway at just over half a mile), one would tend to favor drivers who excel on the short tracks. That logic is borne out in the betting lines at BetMGM as the six drivers with 10-to-1 or better odds all rank in the top 10 among active drivers on tracks shorter than one mile.

Best odds to win the Clash at the Coliseum:

Chase Elliott +800
Kyle Larson +800
Joey Logano +800
Kyle Busch +800
Christopher Bell +900
Ryan Blaney +1000

NASCAR Clash at the Coliseum: Martin Truex Jr. wins chaotic main event ahead of Austin Dillon, Kyle Busch (1)

NASCAR Clash track profile and history

At a quarter mile with no true straightaways due to the usable space at the Coliseum, this temporary track is not only the shortest these cars run, but also the most unique. The shortness of the track and lack of banking (the corners are only 2.5 degrees compared to Martinsville's 12.5) puts the racing much more in the drivers' hands and nullifies any aero or horsepower advantage a certain team or manufacturer might have.

Prior to 2022, the Clash was run on the high banks (31 degrees) of the Daytona International Speedway. While restrictor plate racing requires a separate skill set and plenty of nerves, short-track racing is traditionally a more accurate test of a driver's skill and part of why NASCAR wants these showcase events on shorter courses — the midseason All-Star race will be at the .625-mile North Wilkesboro Speedway.

Celebrity involvement in the Clash at the Coliseum

Actor Rob Lowe will deliver the command to start engines for the Clash as the event’s grand marshal while USC quarterback Caleb Williams is the honorary starter and will wave the green flag to begin the race. Southern California hip-hop icons Cypress Hill will perform between the last-chance qualifiers and the Clash, while Wiz Khalifa is set to perform at the feature’s mid-race break.

Weather for the Clash at the Coliseum

The forecast calls for sunshine and a high of 71 degrees for qualifying on Saturday, while it will be overcast with a 42 percent chance of precipitation on Sunday. Cup cars are equipped to run in light rain and a damp track would certainly add a wild element to race day as last year’s race run under sunshine already had its share of incidents with five caution flags over the 150 laps of the feature race.

Entry list for the Clash at the Coliseum

Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford
Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Brad Keselowski (6), RFK Racing Ford
Corey Lajoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Chase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Aric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ryan Blaney (12), Team Penske Ford
Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
J.J. Yeley (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford
A.J. Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Chris Buescher (17), RFK Racing Ford
Martin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Harrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing Ford
Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford
Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Chevrolet
William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Michael McDowell (34), Front Row Motorsports Ford
Todd Gilliland (38), Front Row Motorsports Ford
Ryan Preece (41), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Noah Gragson (42), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Erik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
Alex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
B.J. McLeod (78), Live Fast Motorsports Ford
Daniel Suarez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

NASCAR Clash at the Coliseum: Martin Truex Jr. wins chaotic main event ahead of Austin Dillon, Kyle Busch (2024)

FAQs

Does Martin Truex Jr. have a brother? ›

Ryan Truex always dreamed of celebrating in victory lane. He witnessed his older brother, Martin Truex Jr., win some of Nascar's biggest races and the 2017 Nascar Cup Series championship. But the younger Truex never pulled into the winner's circle himself in any of the top three national touring divisions.

Tell Me More ›

Does Martin Truex have a son? ›

Personal life. He is the younger brother of 2017 Cup Series champion and two-time Busch Series champion Martin Truex Jr., and the son of former Busch Series driver Martin Truex Sr.

Was Martin Truex Jr. penalized? ›

Martin Truex Jr. done in at Martinsville by pit-road speeding penalty - NBC Sports.

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What happened to Martin Truex Jr wife? ›

Sherry Pollex, a philanthropist and longtime girlfriend of NASCAR Cup Series star Martin Truex Jr. died on Sunday at 44 after a nine-year battle with ovarian cancer, according to NASCAR.

Who is the oldest NASCAR driver still alive? ›

Well, in the 2022 Cup Series season, the oldest full-time driver is Harvick at 46 years old. However, he's by no means the oldest active NASCAR racer. For that accolade, we must turn to 70-year-old racer Norm Benning.

Get More Info Here ›

Who is the owner of Martin Truex Jr? ›

Martin Truex Jr. Motorsports is solely owned by Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver, Martin Truex Jr. We have an exceptional team that manages Martin's career and business here at MTJ Motorsports. If you have any requests, questions or constructive comments, please don't hesitate to contact us via our retail store.

Get More Info Here ›

Is Sherry Pollex still alive? ›

Sherry Pollex, a beloved figure within the NASCAR community, died Sunday following a nine-year battle with ovarian cancer. She was 44. Pollex was the longtime girlfriend of 2017 NASCAR Cup champion Martin Truex Jr. and daughter of PPC Racing team owner Greg Pollex.

Did Martin Truex retire? ›

The 43-year-old Truex mulled retirement last year until he signed a one-year contract extension with Joe Gibbs Racing in August. A year earlier, Truex made his announcement in June. Truex still has one big goal to reach: winning the Daytona 500.

Why was Martin Truex mad? ›

Truex wasn't just mad that he lost the race lead on pit road under the final caution of the race, which came out with two laps remaining after an incident between Kyle Larson and Bubba Wallace. That stung, but Truex was upset with Hamlin's decisions on the final restart of the race.

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Why was Truex mad? ›

Martin Truex Jr. said he didn't appreciate his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate and race winner Denny Hamlin racing him the way he did on the restart late in the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond. Kyle Larson said he thought Truex's anger began on the restart when he thought Hamlin “used him up.”

Keep Reading ›

Did Joey Logano get penalized? ›

Luckily for Logano, the caution came out during his pass-through and he remained on the lead lap instead of ending up likely two laps down. He then was fined $10,000 — the same fine NASCAR has issued in the past for not wearing a head sock (another safety equipment violation). So were the penalties enough?

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Who is the richest retired NASCAR driver? ›

1. Dale Earnhardt Jr. With an approximate net worth of $300 million as of 2023, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is regarded as one of the wealthiest NASCAR drivers. His racing journey commenced in the late 1990s, propelling him to legendary status within the racing community.

Did Martin Truex Jr split with his wife? ›

and Sherry Pollex Split Up Just Months Before Her Death.

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How many siblings does Martin Truex Jr. have? ›

Natalie is the younger sister of Martin Truex Jr., and the older sister of Ryan Truex. Natalie didn't mind being the 'middle child' in her family.

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Is Ryan Truex related to Truex Jr? ›

“I can't believe it, our car was just good at the end when it mattered, I was so loose all day,” said Truex, 32, the younger brother of NASCAR Cup Series driver Martin Truex Jr.