DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 12, 2022) – The roar of engines will fill the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum once again when NASCAR’s Busch Light Clash returns to the iconic venue in 2023. Following the resounding success of the inaugural event, the exhibition race will return to the quarter-mile race track to begin the 2023 season on February 5th on FOX.
“Our entire industry made a bold move by bringing the Busch Light Clash to the L.A. Coliseum this past February and it paid off by becoming an instant classic with both new and existing fans,” said Ben Kennedy, Senior Vice President, Racing Development and Strategy. “We are intent on showcasing our sport and drivers on the biggest stage and there is none bigger than the L.A. Coliseum. We’re thrilled to return to the heart of Los Angeles to officially start the season and set the stage for the Daytona 500.”
The Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum will be broadcasted live on FOX and will serve as a star-studded prelude to the DAYTONA 500 two weeks later. The exhibition also serves as the first of three visits to California with NASCAR’s premier series also visiting Auto Club Speedway and Sonoma Raceway in 2023. The remainder of next season’s NASCAR Cup Series schedule, including dates, will be announced at a later date.
“With more than four million viewers, and really breaking through in a pop culture mecca like Los Angeles, the inaugural Clash at the Coliseum did everything it was intended to do and then some,” said Bill Wanger, FOX Sports EVP, Head of Programming and Scheduling. “It energized the sport, delivered new eyeballs and kicked off the season in grand fashion. We can’t wait to do it all again in 2023.”
The 2022 Busch Light Clash was an incredible success, boldly transforming the exhibition into a national spectacle. The race delivered on its broad-scale interest with new and existing fans, as approximately 70% of ticket buyers were attending their first NASCAR race. The event was the highest viewed Busch Light Clash since 2016 and featured more than 30 corporate sponsors, none more prominent than NASCAR Premier Partner Busch Light.
“For decades, Busch Light has been a passionate supporter of NASCAR, and it is through races like The 2022 Busch Light Clash that we are able to bring unmatched motorsports experiences to our fans,” said Krystyn Stowe Head of Marketing for Busch Family Brands at Anheuser-Busch. “This race provides a unique opportunity for us to engage with both new and lifelong fans in markets where demand for Busch Light is growing.”
Tickets for the season-opening event will go on-sale in early August. Fans can visit nascarclash.com to register to be part of an exclusive pre-sale offer and learn more about the 2023 Busch Light Clash. Additionally, fans can now be a part of the Clash conversation on Twitter and Facebook @nascarclash.
About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR consists of three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series™, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour™), one local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series™) and three international series (NASCAR Pinty’s Series™, NASCAR Mexico Series™, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series™). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).
About The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, a living memorial to all who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War I, has been a civic treasure for generations of Angelenos. Located in the Exposition Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, CA, the Coliseum is a 77,500 capacity multi-purpose stadium which opened in 1923. Home to the USC Trojans, the legendary stadium has been named as one of the nation’s 40 best stadiums to experience college football by Sporting News, and ranked USC football at the Coliseum as the nation’s No. 3 stadium experience by StadiumJourney.com. Following a recent renovation in 2019, the stadium is now home to a newly added seven-story suite and press tower which includes luxurious suites, loge boxes, club seats, a new press box, and the rooftop 1923 Club with a 360-degree view of the Los Angeles basin; along with several upgrades including new seating, updated technology and concession stands, additional food options for guests, and much more.
The legacy of events and individuals hosted in nine-plus-decades reads like no other, including the only venue to host two Opening and Closing Ceremonies, and the Track and Field Competition for the Summer Olympics (Xth Olympiad in 1932, XXIIIrd Olympiad in 1984) and soon a third (XXXIVth Olympiad in 2028); home to college football’s USC Trojans since 1923 and the UCLA Bruins (1928-1981); professional football’s Los Angeles Rams (1946-1979 and 2016-2019); appearances by U.S. Presidents Franklin D Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, and Ronald Reagan; and international dignitaries such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Cesar Chavez, Pope John Paul II, the Dalai Lama, and Nelson Mandela, to name a few. Additionally, the Coliseum, designated a National Historic monument in 1984, has hosted some of the greatest acts in entertainment, including Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Prince, and many more. For more information please visit lacoliseum.com.
