{"id":41328,"date":"2023-02-04T19:30:05","date_gmt":"2023-02-05T01:30:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/?p=41328"},"modified":"2023-02-17T20:47:07","modified_gmt":"2023-02-18T02:47:07","slug":"nascar-weekend-notebook-l-a-memorial-coliseum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/2023\/02\/04\/nascar-weekend-notebook-l-a-memorial-coliseum\/","title":{"rendered":"NASCAR Weekend Notebook: L.A. Memorial Coliseum"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Holly Cain<\/em><\/p>\n

NASCAR Wire Service <\/em><\/p>\n

NASCAR is excited to return to Los Angeles’ quarter mile<\/b><\/p>\n

LOS ANGELES \u2013 As expected there was a lot of optimism exuded as the NASCAR Cup Series drivers arrived at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Saturday for opening practice and then qualifying for Sunday\u2019s Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum (8 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), the annual exhibition opener to the season.<\/p>\n

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A general view of practice for the NASCAR Clash at the Coliseum at Los Angeles Coliseum on February 04, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by James Gilbert\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Last year\u2019s Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum presented a fresh opportunity and challenge from the location \u2013 a paved quarter-mile track purposely built inside the University of Southern California\u2019s 100-year-old football stadium – to the brand-new Next Gen cars making their competitive debut.<\/p>\n

However, a sold-out stadium crowd \u2013 with estimates of 60-70 percent of the people attending their very first NASCAR race \u2013 ended up enjoying a highly-competitive NASCAR debut at the facility with Joey Logano taking the victory and setting the stage for what would be a series championship season.<\/p>\n

This year the teams, the cars, the drivers are all well-tested and extremely happy to be racing in downtown Los Angeles again this week.<\/p>\n

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Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, enters the track to practice for the NASCAR Clash at the Coliseum at Los Angeles Coliseum on February 04, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Drivers insisted Saturday that whatever pre-disposed thoughts they had for this unique event last year, they left Los Angeles not just satisfied with the event, but even thrilled with it.<\/p>\n

\u201cLast year honestly was probably the most amazing event I have ever been a part of with NASCAR,” Trackhouse Racing driver Daniel Suarez said, Saturday. \u201cThe fans were super amazing. The energy was unbelievable as well. I have never felt so much excitement of the fans like we did one year ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was a prevalent sentiment at the L.A. Coliseum this week.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen they told us the first time it was like, \u2018What? Where? How? With brand new cars?” defending race winner and reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano said. \u201cBut it worked out great and obviously that\u2019s why we\u2019re back again and not really many things have changed and the things that have make it even better for the fan experience.<\/p>\n

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Austin Cindric, driver of the #2 Freightliner Ford, enters the track during practice for the NASCAR Clash at the Coliseum at Los Angeles Coliseum on February 04, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Chris Graythen\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cThis is great. I think it\u2019s added something to the Clash in general. It was special when it was in Daytona, to win at Daytona is special, but I think last year after going through the whole weekend and being able to win the race, the excitement and the amount of eyeballs that were watching were far more than what it would have been at the Clash to where I would almost look at winning the Clash last year as one of my biggest victories and I don\u2019t think there\u2019s many non-points paying races that you\u2019d ever say that about.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut just the fact that it was an inaugural event at a place like this was just really cool.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

MARTIN TRUEX JR. TOPS CLASH PRACTICE<\/b><\/p>\n

Martin Truex Jr. set the early pace in opening practice for the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum, his No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota fastest in both the opening practices, setting the fastest lap of 67.360 mph on the quarter-mile track.<\/p>\n

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Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota, enters his car to qualify for the NASCAR Clash at the Coliseum at Los Angeles Coliseum on February 04, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Toyota teammate Bubba Wallace, who drives the No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota, was second fastest followed by Stewart-Haas Racing\u2019s Chase Briscoe in the No. 14 Ford. Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman in the No. 48 Chevrolet and Ryan Blaney in the No. 12 Team Penske Ford rounded out the top five in practice.<\/p>\n

Ty Gibbs\u2019 No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota was sixth fastest before the Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate had to park and make a quick exit as smoke poured out of his car. Gibbs was fine, the car taken to the garage and the team was able to make repairs so Gibbs could use it in qualifying later Saturday night.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a very fast Monster Energy Toyota TRD and I\u2019m very excited to be to here in L.A.,” Gibbs said. \u201cThe track is really cool. I feel like we have a lot of speed. Definitely sucks catching on fire but that\u2019s part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Briscoe, who was also fast Saturday, but had an incident with the wall between Turns 3 and 4 in the final practice session. While racing hard alongside A.J. Allmendinger\u2019s No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet for several laps, the two cars touched multiple times before Allmendinger nudged Briscoe\u2019s No. 14 SHR Ford into the wall. There wasn\u2019t any major damage and both cars continued.<\/p>\n

All but one car among the 36 entered this weekend turned practice laps faster than the pole-winning speed in 2022.<\/p>\n

Defending winner Logano was only 21st quickest in practice and spun out in the third session after contact with Tyler Reddick.<\/p>\n

Qualifying to set the four Heat Races is set for 8:30 p.m. ET Saturday night.<\/p>\n

ROSS CHASTAIN-ED<\/b><\/p>\n

Earlier this week NASCAR formally announced that Ross Chastain\u2019s famous last lap desperation move around the Martinsville (Va.) Speedway half-miler will not be allowed going forward.<\/p>\n

Chastain smiled when asked his feelings about the \u201cone-and-done\u201d nature of his move in the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet when he \u201cfloored\u201d the accelerator and hugged the outside wall to earn a position in the Championship 4 Round on the last lap of the October race.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was proud indeed that I was able to take advantage of that like I did,” said Chastain, who finished runner-up in the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series championship.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m proud of it. But I don\u2019t ever want to do it again.”<\/p>\n

JULIE GIESE GIVES CHICAGO STREET RACE UPDATE<\/b><\/p>\n

Julie Giese, president of the Chicago Street Course, is at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum for this week\u2019s Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum – open to picking up any tips for NASCAR\u2019s first summer street race also on a temporary circuit as with The Clash this Sunday, February 5 (8 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).<\/p>\n

\u201cDefinitely going to apply \u201cbest practices\u201d to Chicago,” Giese said, offering a smile.<\/p>\n

She reports that all work is moving forward in Chicago \u2013 where the race has official office space now \u2013 in preparation for the downtown event. The 2.2-mile racecourse will run around famed Grant Park alongside Lake Michigan.<\/p>\n

The event is being promoted as a two-day music and racing festival with major music acts – The Chainsmokers, Miranda Lambert, The Black Crowes and Charley Crockett \u2013 performing full concerts during the race weekend in addition to the NASCAR Xfinity Series race on July 1 followed by the NASCAR Cup Series on July 2.<\/p>\n

Giese said the logistics schedule for the months leading up to the race is up-to-date and on point. The efforts for this first-of-a-kind event also include educating the community, working with city leaders and making sure the entire Chicago area knows \u201cwhat [the race] will look like\u201d in its first-ever edition.<\/p>\n

Giese was integral in leading the \u201cDaytona RISING\u201d re-imagination of the sport\u2019s most famous venue Daytona International Speedway in 2016 and served as president of Phoenix Raceway which was renovated and remodeled in 2018.<\/p>\n

She said the Chicago community has been helpful and enthusiastic.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a tremendous amount of excitement and it\u2019s been really fun,” Giese said. \u201cIt\u2019s a big city but the outreach every day, I\u2019ve met with people who tell me so-and-so wants to be a part of this. The networking has been tremendous.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe more you talk to people and the more you help them understand what we\u2019re going to do and what it means for the city of Chicago with $113 million dollars of economic impact, it gets them excited. It\u2019s going to be very cool. It\u2019s going to be a very special moment for the city of Chicago.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Holly Cain NASCAR Wire Service  NASCAR is excited to return to Los Angeles’ quarter mile LOS ANGELES \u2013 As expected there was a lot of optimism exuded as the NASCAR Cup Series drivers arrived at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Saturday for opening practice and then qualifying for Sunday\u2019s Busch Light Clash at The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":676,"featured_media":41439,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11],"tags":[16],"class_list":["post-41328","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nascar","tag-nascar"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/GettyImages-1462848757-1-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1707&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7hzTZ-aKA","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41328","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/676"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41328"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41328\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41448,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41328\/revisions\/41448"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41439"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41328"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41328"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41328"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}