The 2022 NASCAR season kicks off with the invitational race called the Clash, which will be held for the first time at the LA Coliseum – It’s the debut of the Next-Gen car
The next-gen era will officially kick off on 20 January 2022 with the first NASCAR race of the season at Daytona International Speedway, but the Daytona 500 is traditionally preceded by an invitational race – known as the Clash. The race will be held for the first time on an approximately 400-metre asphalt oval with a 2.5-degree banking at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
For the race on 6 February, all 36 teams that have a charter contract and thus a fixed starting place in the 2022 season have been invited. The LA Coliseum is the first venue to host the Clash away from the Daytona Beach superspeedway since 1979 and, with its length of just 400 metres, will provide a completely new racing experience in NASCAR.
Such short ovals are mainly used in the lower classes of US stock car racing. Bowman Gray Stadium, where the new Next Gen car was tested for the Clash, is such a short track. In Europe, there are numerous small ovals up to 400 metres long in the UK and the Netherlands where stock car races are held.
The LA Coliseum has a multi-faceted sports tradition in the US. In 2028, it will be the first stadium in history to host three Summer Olympics – the complex was previously home to the major event in 1932 and 1984. The University of Southern California football team plays its games at the Coliseum.
Motorsports and the LA Coliseum: This is no NASCAR invention! Rallycross races have already been held in and around the stadium as part of the X-Games. Furthermore, the Stadium Super Trucks have made their guest appearance in Los Angeles. There is currently a capacity of 77,500 spectators for a football game.
However, there has not been an oval race there yet. The temporary track is currently being completed so that 36 NASCAR teams can compete for the prize money (click here for the format of the clash). Rapper Ice Cube has been confirmed for a show in between the Heat races and will be coming up with a musical invite.
The Clash attendee list:
01. Ross Chastain (99 Trackhouse)