NASCAR is back!
The 2022 NASCAR Cup Series regular season is two weeks away. But before then, the series heads to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Southern California for a special edition of The Clash.
Historically, The Clash is held at Daytona International Speedway. But the consolidation of Speedweeks (now about four days of action) has opened up the annual exhibition race for all sorts of possibilities. This year, it will be at USC's home football stadium on a quarter-mile temporary oval. The spectacle will be something, but the racing? We'll see about that.
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It's also the initial debut of the Next Gen car, though the functionality won't be tested for certain until after the Daytona 500. Still, there will be some new features that fans will notice, like a forward number on the side of the car and a single lugnut.
Here's what you need to know about Sunday's race:
NASCAR Cup Series at LA Coliseum schedule
Green Flag Time: 2 p.m. CT Sunday for heat races, 5 p.m. CT Sunday for main
Track: L.A. Memorial Coliseum (0.250 mile temporary oval) in Los Angeles, California
Format: As follows...
4 heat races made up of 10 cars each
Top 4 finishers in each heat move on to main
2 last-chance qualifiers made up of 24 remaining cars
Top 3 in each LCQ advance to main
Last main event spot goes to remaining driver who ranks highest in 2021 Cup Series points
Length: Main event is 150 laps; Last-chance qualifiers are 50 laps; Heat races are 25 laps
TV coverage: FOX (FOX Sports 1 for heat race qualifying at 7:30 p.m. CT Saturday)
Radio: MRN
Streaming: FOX Sports app (subscription required); MRN.com and SiriusXM for audio (subscription required)
The Clash heat race starting lineups
Heat 1 results
Advance to main
1. Kyle Busch, No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
2. Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Toyota
3. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
4. Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford
To Last Chance Qualifier
5. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
6. Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
7. Todd Gilliland, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford
8. Aric Almirola, No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
9. BJ McLeod, No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Ford
Heat 2 results
Advance to main
1. Tyler Reddick, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
2. Chase Briscoe, No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
3. Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
4. Cole Custer, No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
To Last Chance Qualifier
5. Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota
6. Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
7. Martin Truex Jr., No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
8. Harrison Burton, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford
9. Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
Heat 3 results
Advance to main
1. Justin Haley, No. 31 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
2. William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
3. Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
4. Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
To Last Chance Qualifier
5. AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
6. Kevin Harvick, No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
7. Chris Buescher, No. 17 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
8. Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet
9. Corey Lajoie, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Heat 4 results
Advance to main
1. Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford
2. Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
3. Michael McDowell, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford
4. Erik Jones, No. 43 Petty GMS Motorsports Chevrolet
To Last Chance Qualifier
5. Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford
6. Ryan Preece, No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet
7. Kurt Busch, No. 45 23XI Racing Chevrolet
8. Landon Cassill, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
9. Ty Dillon, No. 42 Petty GMS Motorsports Chevrolet
Main Event starting lineup
Row 1
1. Kyle Busch, No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
2. Tyler Reddick, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Row 2
3. Justin Haley, No. 31 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
4. Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford
Row 3
5. Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Toyota
6. Chase Briscoe, No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Row 4
7. William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
8. Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Row 5
9. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
10. Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Row 6
11. Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
12. Michael McDowell, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford
Row 7
13. Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford
14. Cole Custer, No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Row 8
15. Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
16. Erik Jones, No. 43 Petty GMS Motorsports Chevrolet
Row 9
17. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
18. Ryan Preece, No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet
Row 10
19. Kevin Harvick, No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
20. Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota
Row 11
21. AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
22. Harrison Burton, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford
Row 12
23. Martin Truex Jr., No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: NASCAR Cup Series at LA Coliseum: Starting lineups, TV schedule for The Clash
