NASCAR has unveiled a new format for the preseason Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Feb 3.-4 and it intends to create more drama around making the 150-lap main event.
That’s because only 23 cars will start the Sunday night feature compared to 27 from the 2023 event. Also, instead of single car time trials to set the field for the heat races, NASCAR will use the fastest times from the third of three practice sessions on Saturday afternoon.
There will be four heat races on Saturday with each race taking the top five and placing them into the feature. The winner of heat one starts the main from the pole. The winner of heat two starts the feature from second. The winner of heat three starts the feature from third. The winner of heat four starts the feature from fourth. The second-place finisher from heat two starts fifth. The second-place finisher from heat three starts sixth.
So on and so forth.
Moving onto Sunday, the final two positions on the feature starting lineup will be determined by one 75-lap last chance race, down from two 50-lappers last year. The final starting spot in the main event will go to the highest finishing driver in the 2023 standings who has not yet qualified into the field.
For Saturday, Cup practice starts at 6:10 ET with the heats beginning at 8:30 ET.
The Saturday portion of the event airs live on FS1. Sunday will air live on FOX with the main event scheduled for 8 p.m. ET. The NASCAR Mexico Series will also race on the LA Coliseum short track for the first time and that non-points opener will air live on FS1 at 4:30. It has a 60 minute time limit if 150 laps can’t be reached before then.
The format can be consumed in its entirety below.
Matt Weaver is a Motorsports Insider for Sportsnaut. Follow him on Twitter.