NASCAR: 3 biggest takeaways from the Busch Light Clash

NASCAR took to the City of Angels to run the annual preseason exhibition race, the Busch Light Clash, at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. With a new car and a change of scenery, stock car racing was shown in a whole new light. Here are the three biggest takeaways from NASCAR in L.A.

NASCAR set out to put on a show when they took their preseason exhibition race, the Busch Light Clash, to Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for the first time in the race’s 44-year history.

With a track built inside one of the most historic sport venues in the United States, there were high expectations from the start. Home of Super Bowls, Olympic Games, sold-out concerts and more, it was on NASCAR to deliver, and they delivered.

Here are the three biggest takeaways from the event.

Takeaway No. 1 – The turnout was just what NASCAR needed

“If you build it, they will come.” Truer words could not have been said when it came to NASCAR building a short track inside of a football stadium, reversing what was done when a football field was placed inside Bristol Motor Speedway in 2016. Roughly 50,000 fans, including many new faces, were in attendance for Sunday’s race.

Attendance has been a growing issue in NASCAR and the last two years haven’t helped. With several tracks having to limit capacity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NASCAR needed an event with a large turnout to kick off 2022, and the Busch Light Clash served as that event.

In addition to attendance, TV viewership presented outstanding numbers as well. FOX Sports reporter Bob Pockrass reported the viewership increase.

Different demographics across the board were represented at the Clash, breathing a whole new life into NASCAR’s fanbase. While NASCAR, or anyone, knows that no one thing can universally please everyone, the sport did its best to offer a little bit of everything for racing fans, old and new. What NASCAR offered delivered in the best way possible.