Team Penske NASCAR Cup Series Race Report
Track: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Race: Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum
Date: February 6, 2022
No. 2 eCascadia Ford Mustang – Austin Cindric
Heat 4 Start: 5th
Heat 4 Finish: 5th
Laps Led: 0
Last Chance Qualifier Start: 2nd
Last Chance Qualifier Finish: 5th
Laps Led: 0
Points Position: N/A
Race Rundown: Austin Cindric gave it all he had on Sunday at the season-opening Clash at the LA Coliseum, but failed to transfer into the main event after a wild Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ). Cindric started heat 4 from the fifth position, and with the top four finishers from each heat earning a place in the Main Event, Cindric was in place to advance, running fourth. Unfortunately contact on lap 11 caused him to spin and lose his position, forcing him to run the LCQ. Cindric started the second 50-lap Last LCQ from the second position. Over the course of a caution filled race, Cindric ran as high as third before getting spun on lap 45. Cindric battled back, but ran out of laps, finishing in the fifth position and failed to make the main event.
Cindric’s Thoughts: “I’m not gonna sit here and pretend like I was the only victim in the race. I didn’t have any luck in my heat race or the LCQ. I think we had a fast Ford Mustang. I think the eCascadia Ford has been a fan favorite. I wish it was in the show. I can guarantee that there is gonna be a winner in the feature and there’s gonna be hurt feelings in the feature. It’s not the most conventional style of race that we normally have, but that’s why it’s an exhibition.”
No. 12 Menards/Great Lakes Flooring Ford Mustang – Ryan Blaney
Heat 1 Start: 4th
Heat 1 Finish: 4th
Laps Led: 0
Main Event Start: 13th
Main Event Finish: 17th
Laps Led: 0
Laps Completed: 147/150
Points Position: N/A
Race Rundown: Ryan Blaney started the main event 13th in the No. 12 Menards/Great Lakes Ford Mustang after finishing fourth in the opening Heat Race. By the halfway mark, Blaney had climbed to the sixth position. Blaney suffered damage, ending his shot for a victory, but the No. 12 Ford team managed to repair the Menards/Great Lakes Mustang enough for the driver to be running 17th at the finish.
Blaney’s Thoughts: “Disappointing end for our Menards/Great Lakes Mustang team. Still a major win for the sport. Big event at an iconic venue, we proved we can go have a race about anywhere.”
No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang – Joey Logano
Heat 4 Start: 1st
Heat 4 Finish: 1st
Laps Led: 25
Main Event Start: 4th
Main Event Finish: 1st
Laps Led: 35
Laps Completed: 150/150
Points Position: N/A
Race Rundown: After winning Heat Race 4, Logano started fourth in the main event and made steady progress forward, running second at the halfway break in the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Mustang. Midway through the second half of the event, Logano seized the lead and never looked back, becoming the first ever NASCAR winner at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in the first race for the NASCAR Next Gen car. The win is Logano’s second Busch Light Clash triumph (2017 Daytona, 2022 L.A. Memorial Coliseum), and Team Penske’s fifth Busch Light Clash victory. Logano is set to become a father for the third time tomorrow as the family welcomes the addition of a baby girl.
Logano’s Thoughts: “I can’t believe that we’re here. L.A. Coliseum, we got the victory with the old Shell-Pennzoil Mustang. This is an amazing event. Congratulations, NASCAR. Such a huge step in our industry to be able to do this, put on an amazing race for everybody. I’m out of breath. I’m so excited about this. It was a big win. This is big. Having a baby, my wife is having a baby tomorrow, our third one. Pretty big weekend for us.”
