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The NASCAR Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum. From 2023.
Last weekend’s Clash at the Coliseum was hastily rescheduled to Saturday to avoid a downpour in Los Angeles. The show must go on, after all. Besides, it’s mostly a made-for-television race, anyways.
The race took place. The bigger question, though, is does the Clash have a future?
The answer is, probably. But probably not at the Los Angeles Coliseum. Which means NASCAR may have to put on hold its big dreams of establishing roots in the nation’s second-largest city.
Despite the region’s prominent car culture, Los Angeles is not a traditional market for NASCAR. Besides, most fans, and probably most teams, are thinking about Daytona in 2 weeks. To complicate matters, the Clash offers no points, few stakes. The race takes place on short track not purpose-built for NASCAR — or any racing. For a sport with such deep roots, the Clash has become rootless.
Where will the Clash go next?
Will there be another Clash?
Speaking to the Associated Press, NASCAR’s Ben Kennedy, who oversees the Clash at the Coliseum event, stated that“the interest is still strong. The first year, it was new and novel and we’d never done anything like that before, and frankly I don’t think anyone has ever built a temporary racetrack inside a stadium that is a century old.”
Just like the NFL, which sought for decades to gain traction in the nation’s second-largest city, only to suddenly be blessed with two teams in the City of Angels, NASCAR has similar goals. Big money, new fans, made-for-television, massive viewing audience — even if not necessarily the best version of the sport.
That said, the Clash itself has a worthy history.
The NASCAR Clash got its start in 1979, in Daytona. Buddy Baker won the first Clash. Dale Earnhardt won his sixth Busch Light Clash in 1995, and still holds the record for most Clash victories. The Clash was moved to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 2022, where it has remained since. Except, 2024 is the final year of a 3-year agreement between NASCAR and the Los Angeles Coliseum.
The Clash is suddenly facing a future in doubt.
With no agreement in place, it appears unlikely there will be a Clash at the Coliseum in 2025. This may be for the best, as NASCAR looks to both extend beyond its traditional demographic — and grow its audience outside the United States.
NASCAR is reportedly looking at moving the Clash to Montreal, Canada, or to Mexico City or Guadalajara — with NASCAR using the exhibition to help grow their Latin audience.
From theathletic.com
NASCAR Fans Want the Clash to Move Around
There’s a new idea floating around among NASCAR fans that could bring some excitement to the Clash. Instead of keeping the race at one track, fans are suggesting that it should move each year to a different historic short track. This would not only allow NASCAR to reconnect with its roots but also give fans who can’t attend races in person the opportunity to watch one in their own hometown.
However, this idea doesn’t align with NASCAR’s goal of expanding its market and reaching a wider demographic. That’s why it’s more likely that the Clash will be moved to locations like Montreal or Mexico City. This would allow NASCAR to attract a new and growing audience, rather than just catering to traditional fans. From a business perspective, this makes a lot of sense.
Kyle Larson, a well-known NASCAR driver, agrees with this idea. He believes that there is a place for this type of event in the sport, especially if it moves around to different states or countries. Larson also thinks that the Clash has the potential to attract new fans and broaden the fan base.
In conclusion, NASCAR fans are eager to see the Clash race move around to different tracks. While some may prefer keeping it at historic short tracks, the reality is that NASCAR needs to expand its reach and attract a wider audience. Moving the Clash to locations like Montreal or Mexico City could be the key to achieving this goal.