Let's talk all things Busch Light Clash. Kim Coon and Skip Flores break down everything you need to know before cars hit the track at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
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00:00 As we mentioned earlier, this week has a unique set of challenges because not every Cup Series driver will get to race in the main event.
00:07 So Ryan, what's the first step in getting yourself into the main?
00:11 Kim, we're talking about practice.
00:13 And with three groups and three rounds of practice, with the final round being qualifying is going to be so important.
00:20 Unlike other years where it's been one lap, best lap qualifying, you're going to have time to work on your car and get a good lap down that's going to set you up for the ever important heat races.
00:29 And as we talk about the heat races, the five top finishing drivers in each heat move on to the main.
00:34 There are 23 spots though, so the next two spots go to the LCQ.
00:39 You're racing yourself, how do you feel about the LCQ?
00:42 There's nothing more nerve-wracking than lining up for a last chance qualifier, especially when they're only taking two cars.
00:48 So you can see a lot of beating and banging, you're going to see who really wants to be in this field.
00:52 And then there's one more spot, and lucky for your driver Ryan Blaney, if he doesn't make it in the heats or the LCQ,
00:58 he's guaranteed a spot because he's the reigning Cup Series champ, but if he makes it in, it goes to the next highest finisher.
01:04 So any driver who does not move on via heat or LCQ, and they're the highest finishing in points in the 2023 season, finds that last important spot in the main.
01:13 Yeah, it's great, we reward the 2023 season, and I'm excited to get out to LA and see who makes this field and who doesn't.
01:20 Yeah, so as you can see, the format presents some challenges, but the track itself has its own set of challenges.
01:25 Let's take a deeper dive.
01:26 The NASCAR Cup Series kicks off its 76th season at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for the Bushlight Clash.
01:33 This event is like no other on the schedule. For starters, the race itself is on a purpose-built track inside of a stadium.
01:40 This quarter mile paved oval is also the shortest track on the schedule, meaning there's absolutely nowhere to hide once the green flag drops.
01:50 The corners are very flat with only 2.5 degrees of banking. Efficient braking, finding grip in the tires to rotate the car, and launching back off the corners onto the straightaways will be key factors in speed, much like any other short track.
02:05 The bottom is the preferred lane, and we'll likely see a lot of hard-fought battles trying to get to the bottom when drivers are caught on the outside.
02:12 The atmosphere and spectacle of racing inside a Coliseum is something that drivers and fans have come to enjoy.
02:19 The setting of a racetrack inside of a stadium or Coliseum type arena is really unlike any other.
02:26 It really, the second you walk in, blows you away to see all the fans, all the stands and accommodations, and a racetrack right in the middle.
02:35 So not only is this the shortest track on the NASCAR Cup Series circuit, it's the only track without a pit road, so it's time for the money stop of the week.
02:43 We've got to talk about damaged cars. What happens if a car gets damaged at the Coliseum?
02:48 Let's be honest. If you want something done fast, it's the pit crew that's going to help you out. But if you need something done right, it's the road crew.
02:55 Thankfully for these drivers, they are going to be there this weekend. You're going to see a lot of bent toe links, maybe some steering arms that are bent, and some body work.
03:03 You're just going to pull the body work out of the way, but these guys have gotten so fast at fixing these toe links, watch for them to get their driver right back out on the track.
03:10 And this actually happened last year. Ryan Blaney got damaged and needed his car fixed.
03:13 Yeah, well he didn't think he was going to get it fixed. He went out on the back stretch and threw his Hansa device, and I think they had to go borrow one from one of his teammates.
03:20 These guys are the best in the world at what they do, the best mechanics in the world, and we'll be able to see some cars that we think are done get back out on the track for sure.