NASCAR: Clash leaves fans asking for one big change

The first ever NASCAR Cup Series race at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum has led to a call to change another NASCAR exhibition event.

For the first time in the 44-year history of the Busch Light Clash, the NASCAR Cup Series season-opening exhibition race was contested at a venue other than Daytona International Speedway.

For 42 years from 1979 to 2020, it was contested at the Daytona Beach, Florida track’s four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) high-banked oval. Then last year, it was contested at the track’s 14-turn, 3.61-mile (5.810-kilometer) road course.

NASCAR has shown a willingness to try some bold new things in recent years, and this year’s Clash sits atop that list.

This year’s race was contested inside Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on a purpose-built, quarter-mile track.

While there were the usual complaints and skepticism when this change was announced in September, the event turned out to be a hit among fans, drivers and NASCAR executives alike.

Fans are already talking about what other venues may be able to host the Busch Light Clash in the future, even if NASCAR does decide to continue its deal with Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and return in 2023 and/or 2024.

But one subject that keeps coming up is the All-Star Race, the other annual NASCAR exhibition race.

Why not run the All-Star Race at a football stadium as well — or possibly instead?

Given NASCAR’s willingness to switch things up, this discussion makes perfect sense. While the All-Star Race has only ever been contested at tracks that are already on the regular Cup Series schedule, NASCAR has already switched some things up in this regard in recent years as well.

Prior to 2020, the race had only been contested at 1.5-mile tracks, with Charlotte Motor Speedway hosting the race 33 years in a row and 34 times out of 35 (Atlanta Motor Speedway hosted the other in 1986).

But in 2020, the race was moved to the Bristol Motor Speedway short track, a change that would have never been made if not for restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, it was moved to Texas Motor Speedway, which is where it is scheduled to take place this year as well.

Let’s also not forget the fact that, prior to 2022, the first 43 runnings of the Clash were contested at tracks already on the regular schedule as well. It’s almost as though it’s a matter of when, not if, a similar change is made to the All-Star event.

Plus, this could potentially open up the possibility of NASCAR running a race inside an NFL stadium. Due to schedule crossover with the NFL season and the NASCAR season in January and February, running the Busch Light Clash at an NFL stadium simply isn’t possible for logistical reasons alone.

But with the All-Star Race being a late spring/summer event, don’t rule this out.

Where will future runnings of the Busch Light Clash and the All-Star Race be contested? Will NASCAR continue the non-traditional approach by switching things up on a regular basis?