NASCAR: The one driver who is already locked into the Clash
By Asher Fair
Even with the new format for the NASCAR Cup Series exhibition race, there is already one driver who is locked into the Busch Light Clash.
Just days after the 2021 Cup Series season finale at Phoenix Raceway, NASCAR announced a new competition format for the Busch Light Clash, the annual preseason exhibition event which is, for the first time ever, set to take place Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
The home of the USC Trojans is set to be converted to a quarter-mile race track for this event, which is scheduled to take place on Sunday, February 6, 2022. This date is two weeks before the new season starts with the 64th annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway and one week before Super Bowl LVI.
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The field will be open to 40 entrants, and 23 will get the opportunity to compete in the main event on Sunday night under the lights.
Each of these 40 entrants will make a qualifying run (single-car format) on Saturday, February 5, and the speeds will determine the starting orders for the four 10-car heat races on Sunday.
The top four drivers in each of the four heat races will advance to the main event (16 total), while the bottom six (24 total) will compete in one of two 12-car last chance qualifying races. The top three in each race (six total) will advance.
This brings us to 22 drivers in the main event. So what about the 23rd?
The 23rd spot goes to the driver who, among those not already locked in as one of the other 22, ranked highest in the 2021 standings.
This means that no matter what happens, 2021 Cup Series champion Kyle Larson is locked into the event.
Even if he doesn’t qualify by way of the heat races/last chance qualifying race, he can fall back on the fact that he finished in first place in the 2021 standings. Nobody can top him in that category.
With that being said, there are very few people who expect it to come down to that.
For a full rundown on the new format, click here.
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The four heat races and the two last chance qualifying races are set to be broadcast live on Fox beginning at 5:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 6, and the main event is set to be broadcast live on Fox Sports 1 beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET. Start your free trial of FuboTV today!