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Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, California February 5, 2023

 
 
NASCAR’S RETURN TO THE COLISEUM The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) season will officially take the green flag at the renowned Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum with the 45th running of the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum. The annual exhibition-style, non-points paying preseason event made its debut appearance at the .25-mile track built within the famed Los Angeles venue in 2022, marking the first time the Clash was held outside of Daytona Beach, Florida, since its inaugural event in 1979. The encore performance at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum will set the stage for the 36 points-paying race schedule for NASCAR’s premier series, which kicks-off with the 65th running of the Daytona 500 two weeks later. Chevrolet will help get the 2023 NCS season underway, with the Camaro SS set to pace NASCAR’s premier series at the iconic Southern California track.  The 2022 Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum was not only the series debut at the track, but it was also the competition debut of the Next Gen Camaro ZL1. The manufacturer made a strong first appearance on-track, with five Chevrolet drivers from four different teams taking top-10 finishes in last year’s main event. 

LOOKING BACK ON HISTORYThe winningest manufacturer in NASCAR Cup Series history lives up to that prestigious honor in the Clash record books. In the event’s 44-race history, Chevrolet leads the way with 21 all-time victories. The Bowtie brand’s most recent trip to victory lane in the annual preseason event was with Jimmie Johnson behind the wheel of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in 2019. Johnson will return to the event in a new capacity this year as a team owner, with LEGACY MOTOR CLUB making its official on-track debut in the exhibition race.  A staple name in the Clash record books is career Chevrolet driver Jeff Gordon. The NASCAR Hall of Famer leads the series in most consecutive Clash appearances, competing in 22 consecutive events (1994 – 2015). Gordon took his first of two Clash victories in 1994, making him one of just five drivers in the event’s history to win in his first Clash appearance. Only six times in the event’s history has the Clash winner gone on to win the Daytona 500. Gordon was able to accomplish that feat in 1997. 

NEXT GEN CAMARO ZL1 BACK ON TRACKIt was one year ago at the renowned Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum where the major automotive brands of NASCAR’s premier series debuted their Next Gen models. Bringing the track and the street closer together, a collaboration among Chevrolet’s engineers, designers and its race teams developed the Next Gen Camaro ZL1. Taking its debut season by storm, nine drivers from four different Chevrolet teams collected a manufacturer-leading 19 victories for the Next Gen Camaro ZL1, ultimately leading Chevrolet to its 41st NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer’s Championship title and continuing its legacy as the winningest manufacturer in NCS history. The Camaro ZL1 race car made its series debut in 2018, competing for two seasons before being replaced by the Camaro ZL1 1LE in 2020. The Camaro ZL1 1LE took on NASCAR’s premier series for two seasons, leading to the debut of Chevrolet’s latest race car – the Next Gen Camaro ZL1 – in 2022. In that timespan, Chevrolet recorded two NCS Driver Championships with Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott (2020) and Kyle Larson (2021); and back-to-back NCS Manufacturer Championships in 2021 and 2022.

NEW TO THE BOWTIE LINEUPThere will be a set of new faces added to Chevrolet’s full-time NASCAR Cup Series driver lineup in 2023, all of which will get their seasons officially underway in this weekend’s Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum. 
Noah Gragson, No. 42 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Camaro ZL1
Noah Gragson will contend for NCS Rookie of the Year honors behind the wheel of the No. 42 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Camaro ZL1. Gragson is coming off a strong season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS), collecting a series-leading eight victories and finishing in the runner-up position in the series’ driver points standings. While a series rookie, the 24-year-old Nevada native is no stranger to the series. In 2022, Gragson made 18 starts in NASCAR’s premier series, all made with Chevrolet teams Kaulig Racing, Hendrick Motorsports and Beard Motorsports. The No. 42 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Camaro ZL1 team will be under the leadership of Crew Chief Luke Lambert, who was also Gragson’s Crew Chief at JR Motorsports in 2022. 
AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Camaro ZL1
AJ Allmendinger has found his way back to full-time competition in NASCAR’s premier series, taking over the driving duties for the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Camaro ZL1 in 2023. Allmendinger retired from full-time NCS competition in 2018, going on to join Kaulig Racing to compete a part-time schedule in the NXS in 2019 and 2020. The 41-year-old California native went on to compete full-time in the series in 2021 and 2022, claiming back-to-back NXS regular-season championship titles. Allmendinger also ran a limited schedule in the organization’s second NCS entry the past two seasons. A highlight of those starts includes claiming the victory in the series’ debut at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course in 2021, marking Kaulig Racing’s first-ever win in NASCAR’s premier series. 
Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Camaro ZL1
The 2023 season will also see two-time NCS Champion, Kyle Busch, back behind the wheel of a Chevrolet-powered machine, piloting the No. 8 Camaro ZL1 for Richard Childress Racing. The 37-year-old Las Vegas, Nevada, native started his NCS career with Chevrolet, competing his rookie campaign with Hendrick Motorsports in 2005. From 2005 to 2007, Busch scored four NCS wins with Chevrolet, two of which came in his rookie season. A notable win for Busch came in the debut of the “Car of Tomorrow” at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2007, a triumph that also delivered Chevrolet its milestone 600th all-time NCS win. 
One of the most accomplished drivers in NASCAR’s modern history, Busch has recorded a series-leading 224 victories across all three NASCAR national series. 
TEAM CHEVY DRIVERS: WEST COAST BOUNDA new format was introduced to the Busch Light Clash last season, with heat races and last chance qualifiers setting the main event lineup for the first time in the event’s history. This year, the main event’s starting lineup will expand to 27 cars, with the top-five finishers in each of the four heat races and the top-three finishers from each of the last chance qualifier races securing a starting spot. The 27th and final starting spot will be given to the driver who finished highest in the 2022 points standings that did not race their way into main event.  With all 2023 NASCAR Cup Series chartered teams eligible to enter the Clash, 16 Chevrolet drivers will battle for their chance to compete in the 150-lap main event:  Ross Chastain, No. 1 Worldwide Express Camaro ZL1Austin Dillon, No. 3 Get Bioethanol Camaro ZL1Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1Corey LaJoie, No. 7 Animal Control FOX Camaro ZL1Kyle Busch, No. 8 BetMGM Camaro ZL1Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Action Industries Camaro ZL1William Byron, No. 24 RaptorTough.com Camaro ZL1Justin Haley, No. 31 Celsius Camaro ZL1Noah Gragson, No. 42 Sunseeker Resort Camaro ZL1Erik Jones, No. 43 Allegiant Camaro ZL1Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Food4Less / Velveeta Camaro ZL1Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1Ty Dillon, No. 77 NASCAR Fan Rewards Camaro ZL1BJ McLeod, No. 78 Celsius Camaro ZL1Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Jockey Camaro ZL1
 
FOR THE FANSFans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the NASCAR Fan Fest area of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.Fans can check out Chevrolet vehicles on display at NASCAR Fan Fest, including a Corvette, Camaro ZL1, Tahoe Z71, 1500 Silverado ZR2, Equinox RS FWD, Bolt EUV Premier. Team Chevy Driver Appearances at the Display:Sunday, February 5Corey LaJoie: 10:30 a.m.Justin Haley: 11:30 a.m.Ty Dillon: 11:45 a.m.William Byron: 12:20 p.m. Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation: Saturday, February 4: 12 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Sunday, February 5: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Tune-In: FS1 will telecast the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum practice session at 6 p.m. ET, followed by qualifying at 8:30 p.m. ET, on Saturday, February 4. Live coverage can also be found on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. FOX will telecast from the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Sunday, February 5, starting with qualifying heat races and last chance qualifier races at 5 p.m. ET, followed by the main event for the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum at 8 p.m. ET. Live coverage can also be found on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
 
QUOTABLE QUOTES
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Worldwide Express Camaro ZL1What makes Trackhouse different?“I think it’s the people that makes the difference. It’s a breath of fresh air and it’s a place where people really have the opportunity to shine.”
Does it feel any different entering this season?“Last year there was so much unknown. The year before that I had just signed a contract Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR). The one thing about last year that made me feel a little bit more comfortable was that I had the same guys on the No. 1 at Trackhouse as I did on the No. 42 at CGR. The excitement was high last year and then we missed the main event at the LA Clash and finished last at the Daytona 500. That was a pretty humbling moment to stumble out of the gate like that. We did a reset and got ourselves regrouped for the rest of the season. I think things are a little calmer going into this season. I have the same group of guys again this year, and we have a year under our belt with this version of the car which is helpful.”
You had some bumps in the road last season along with a lot of success. How are you approaching this year?“I certainly learned a lot from last year. It was an arrival year, running in the top-five, top-10, winning a couple of races in the Cup Series. It’s such a small and special group of men and women who came before me and accomplished that. I’ve spent years trying to get here, trying to get my name out there enough to try and get hired to drive someone’s racecar. Maybe my name doesn’t need to be talked about every week (laughs), for some sort of action on the track. Maybe some weeks we can just fly under the radar, without any drama, get wins and top-fives.”
Austin Dillon, No. 3 Get Bioethanol Camaro ZL1You’re RCR Chevy was really strong in the Clash last year. Did the race exceed your expectations?“There were a lot of unknowns heading into the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum last year. It was a brand new track – the smallest and tightest track we had ever raced on in the NASCAR Cup Series – and a brand new car with the debut of the NextGen Chevrolet. I think the race exceeded everybody’s expectations. NASCAR did a great job introducing new fans to the sport, and FOX did a great job with the broadcast window. Everyone knew we were there, and it was a solid move forward for the sport. From the competition side of things, it was good, fun racing. Our RCR Chevy was really fast in practice, and our long run speed was there during the race. I’m just disappointed I couldn’t get those next two cars and ended up finishing third. All-in-all, our sports’ inaugural race in L.A. was great, and we’re all looking forward to getting back there for this year’s event.”

Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1Larson on the Clash at the Coliseum: “I thought last year was amazing. NASCAR and everyone else involved did a great job building the track, making it proper for racing, creating excitement around the event and making it fun for fans. It was great to be a part of that historical event. I’m happy that we’re able to come back and put on another great show. I’m sure that it will be even better than the inaugural race was.”
Cliff Daniels, Crew Chief, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1Daniels on the upcoming season: “People always say control what you can control. The good news for us is there are things that we (the No. 5 team) can control to make a difference and be better. A lot of those things we got right in 2021. We know that it is within us. We have the capability and talent. Now we just need to put it together and come out of the gates strong in 2023 to run a solid season. I’m confident that we will.”

Kyle Busch, No. 8 BetMGM Camaro ZL1What are the keys to running well at the LA Coliseum? “I feel like, obviously having a fast car is good but to have a fast car you have to be fast while going slow. You’re probably out of the throttle just as much as you’re in the throttle at the Clash and time in which you’re on the brakes is going to be very important to making sure you’re not on ‘em too much but yet you still get the car slowed down enough in order to make it turn for the middle of the corner and exit for the next straightaway.”
Can you compare racing at the Coliseum to any place you’ve raced at in the past?“I would say racing at the Coliseum is most similar to a place in Canada that I raced at once before, Autodrome Chaudiere which is a tight little quarter-mile track. It had a little bit of banking, so the Coliseum being so flat is a little bit new compared to that. There’s also another place in Los Angeles that’s not too far away which is called San Bernadino Speedway. There’s a little quarter-mile, flat racetrack there that I raced Legends cars at years and years ago. Had a lot of fun and won a race there. I feel like I’m using some of that for racing at the Coliseum.”
How challenging is it to qualify well at The Clash?“Last year for us it was really good. I was able to qualify first and ran second for majority of the race. Had a good race, unfortunately it came up a tick short. Qualifying well at the Clash is important as much as it is challenging because it’s only two laps and you’ve got to hit your marks. It’s hard to know how hard you hit the corner and how much you really give it on exit to not spin the tires too much. It is a challenge, but it’s also very important because it can set up your track position for the whole rest of the event.”
How important is it for NASCAR to kick off the season in Los Angeles? “I think it’s great to get an opportunity to go out to Los Angeles and kick off the season. I think that it kind of wakes the Los Angeles crowd up a little bit for when we come back out there for Fontana. Might get them a little interested to come back out and see NASCAR again at Fontana but it also gives newer fans people the opportunity to see us in LA and sometimes they won’t really venture out too far out to go somewhere to see an event so it’s nice to have one right there in the meat of the city and also get the attention of nothing really on television during that weekend with the NFL taking the weekend off before the Super Bowl.”

Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1Elliott on racing at the Clash: “The Clash was a good event last year and it was a unique way to kick off our season. It seemed like the fans were excited to be there and enjoyed all the festivities they had going on. It was just kind of a different vibe than what we usually have. Everyone that had a hand in putting it together and bringing it to life did a great job, and going back a second year, I think it will just be as good.”
Alan Gustafson, Crew Chief, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1Gustafson on heading back to Los Angeles for the Clash: “Last year was kind of surreal racing at such an iconic place where so many major events have been held. It’s just a cool venue and I’m looking forward to going back. Hopefully this year will be a little bit of a calmer experience and a little less stressful. Last year everything was brand new – the track, the format and the car. We’ll have a little bit better of an idea of what we’re going for this time around, but the track is so unique that even with going there last year, we’re still learning.”

William Byron, No. 24 RaptorTough.com Camaro ZL1Byron on starting the 2023 season at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum: “I’m excited to get out to Los Angeles. I’m just really ready to get the season started. We have our goals set to accomplish this year and the team has been preparing for the season to get back underway. While the Clash isn’t a points-paying race, it is a good way to get momentum going and really shake the dust off before the season ramps up in Daytona. The goal still remains to win every time we’re on track and show what we’ve learned.”
Rudy Fugle, Crew Chief, No. 24 RaptorTough.com Camaro ZL1Fugle on returning to the LA Coliseum: “Last year’s Clash really had a lot of aspects we had never done before – the Next Gen car, the track location, logistics in general. It all worked out, but I think we’re better prepared for even the little details this year. We’ve come so far with the car setup-wise from race one to the season finale. What we learned at last year’s Clash with the car is vastly different to what it will be this year. I’m really excited to go try those new things out though and see what may arise.”

Noah Gragson, No. 42 Sunseeker Resorts Camaro ZL1Entering your rookie season, you head to Los Angeles with a lot of momentum surrounding your team. Specifically for this event, what do you anticipate and what are some of your expectations for this weekend?“We’ve had a lot of great things going for us at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, and I’m looking forward to starting our year on the right foot this weekend in Los Angeles. The Clash is a great event that NASCAR has put on; I watched the race on TV last year and was pretty excited about what I was able to take away as a fan of the sport. There’s certainly a cool atmosphere there, and it’ll also be a fun experience to join our new partner Hurley with their NASCAR drop. We’re even going to go up in the Goodyear Blimp before the weekend kicks off, which is something that I’m really pumped about. As far as expectations go, I think the key for us will be to make the race first and foremost, and then continue to learn about this new car before we start points racing. I’ve still got a lot to learn competing at this level, but I’m ready to get things under way with my No. 42 Sunseeker Resorts team.”

Erik Jones, No. 43 Allegiant Camaro ZL1“I’m excited to get the season started this weekend at the LA Coliseum with the Clash. Last year we went into this race not really knowing what to expect but were able to get a good finish. I think this year, we are a little more prepared and hopefully we can get the season started with a win and set the tone for the year. NASCAR and everyone involved have done a great job making this race a fun environment and bringing new eyes to our sport. It’ll be nice to get back in the No. 43 Camaro and kick things off for the 2023 season with LEGACY MOTOR CLUB.” 

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Food 4 Less/Velveeta Camaro ZL1“Last year, The Clash at the Los Angeles Coliseum was totally new for everybody, and no one knew what to expect. Coming through the tunnel was one of the coolest things ever for me. We made the race, and it was nice to be able to do that because not everybody made it. We know it will be more intense this year especially since everyone knows what to expect. It’s a great venue, and the crowd’s electric. We’re excited to be back in market for the Clash.”

Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1Bowman on the start of the season: “I am excited to get back behind the wheel. The way last season ended and me having to be out of the race car has made me hungry to get back. I have spent the offseason training and preparing, so I think the shortened season in 2022 and focusing on being ready for this season has created a lot of excitement and anticipation for me. Blake (Harris) has brought a lot of energy to this team and I know the crew is super motivated to go compete. We will take it one race at a time, and it starts at the Clash this Sunday.”
Blake Harris, Crew Chief, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1Harris on the team’s approach at the LA Coliseum: “First and foremost, we have to make sure the team is clicking. Working on communication with Alex (Bowman) is the highest priority. It’s super unique how we go out there, being three eight-minute sessions for practice. We get a little extra time for changes compared to what our normal segments would be. Everything about that race is just different. The main thing we are going to try to take away is how we discuss changes that need to be made to the car and really just the communication between myself, Alex and the entire team for that whole practice session. Looking ahead to Daytona (International Speedway), we go right into a qualifying session and then qualifying races so between the heat races and all the practice at the Clash, a big portion of our focus is communication.”
Harris on his expectations for the race: “Last season, the No. 48 team didn’t reach the main event, so the first priority is having enough speed to qualify well and put ourselves in a decent position in our heat to not go to a last chance qualifier. Our next priority is going and building off of what Hendrick Motorsports had for a short-track package towards the middle-end of the year, which seemed to have a lot of speed. Hopefully, we can bring some of that speed back to Los Angeles.”

Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Jockey Camaro ZL1Are you ready for a new year?“Of course I am. We got some rest, visited family in Mexico and Brazil, visited Europe, got engaged to Julia (Piquet). It was a busy off season. But now it’s time to get back behind the wheel and race.”
What is the key to a good season?“We really must do more to meet expectations. Last year we were underdogs, working very hard, everyone was very hungry and success came. This year, we must make sure we stay humble and work even harder than last year. Success is going to come, but the worst thing that can happen is for us to feel entitled. You know, ‘Since we did great last year, we will do great this year.’ It doesn’t work like that. You must stay hungry, and you have to work harder than last year because everyone else is working harder to catch you. I think the expectations are way higher this year and I can’t wait to see what we can do.”
Is this your best career opportunity?“Back in 2020, when we made the announcement that I was going to drive for Trackhouse I told everyone this would be my best opportunity to grow as a driver. A lot of people didn’t know what I was talking about. I was seeing something that nobody else was seeing because (owner) Justin (Marks) and (president) Ty were telling me their plans and how they were going to do things. I think everyone sees that now. I feel very happy to have finally found a team that believes in me and gives me every single resource. I have had it in the past, but not to the extent as I do at Trackhouse Racing. If you want to beat the best of the best, you must have everything at the top of the game. We have been building that at Trackhouse. Every day the thought is what do we need to do to go faster.”
 
Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics Manufacturers Championships:Total (1949-2022): 41First title for Chevrolet: 1958Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15) Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022 Drivers Championships:Total (1949-2022): 33First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)Most Recent: Kyle Larson (2021) Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021 Event Victories:Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)                CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:Total Chevrolet race wins: 833 (1949 to date)Poles won to date: 734Laps led to date: 245,544Top-five finishes to date: 4,221Top-10 finishes to date: 8,712                                                                                                          Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:                    General Motors: 1,167           Chevrolet: 833           Pontiac: 154           Oldsmobile: 115           Buick: 65            Ford: 820                                                                      Ford: 720           Mercury: 96           Lincoln: 4            Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467           Dodge: 217           Plymouth: 191           Chrysler: 59            Toyota: 170