With the pre-scheduled race that went down on Saturday at the L.A. Coliseum, NASCAR’s 3-year contract to hold the Busch Light Clash at the venue expired. The future of the exhibition race is uncertain for now, but many drivers have applauded the successful run at the Coliseum. However, fans do not seem to be very receptive to seeing it as a part of the future. Runner-up at the 2024 Busch Light Clash, Kyle Busch, recently opened a poll on his social media handle questioning fans about where future Clashes ought to be held.
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Surprisingly, the choice “Back to Daytona” has garnered the most votes (59.2%) and is leading the poll by a huge margin.
The second most popular choice is still up for grabs between “Dallas Cowboys Stadium”, and “Overseas”. A return to the Coliseum is the least favored option with less than 10% of the 12,000+ voters picking it.
Had a couple late night thoughts and wanted everyone’s opinion. Where should the Clash go in the future?⚔️
Lets hear those thoughts!⬇️
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) February 5, 2024
From its inception in 1979 till 2021, the Clash was held at Daytona. NASCAR changed its venue to the legendary L.A. Coliseum as part of its efforts to widen its audience. Though the move was met with initial negative reactions, drivers and fans grew to like the races. TV ratings ended up higher than ever before in the latest race, reflecting the same.
With that in hindsight, the approaching results of Busch’s poll could turn out to be quite a surprise.
Cup Series stars applaud NASCAR and the Coliseum for the three-year experiment
After Saturday’s event, many drivers expressed their wish to see the Clash in different venues that would aid fanbase growth. Kyle Larson said, “There’s definitely a place for this style of event, I think, in our sport, if it moves around to different states or countries or whatever. They’ve proven that they can do it. They’ve proven that they can get a crowd.”
Denny Hamlin heaped praise on the Los Angeles crowd saying, “I think it was a success. Certainly, you can’t argue it from a viewership standpoint. I certainly think that it’s got merit in going to different places, but I think L.A. was very good to us, and I think we were good for this community, as well.”
Joey Logano’s verdict was filled with confidence. He said, “The experiment was a great success, and we proved that we can do it anywhere. Now that we’ve raced at one of the most historic stadiums in the world, it’s pretty cool.” He concluded, “You name it, we can do it.”
NASCAR officials remain noncommittal about the Clash’s future. An update can be expected over the coming season, with negotiations running green currently.
