NASCAR'S CLASH BREAKDOWN
- Jake Scarbrough
This past Sunday's Busch Light Clash saw Martin Truex Jr end his winless streak by running away at the end of the caution filled exhibition race followed up by the Richard Childress Racing duo of Kyle Busch and Austin Dillon. Truex Jr kicks off his 2023 campaign off perfectly with a win, after the struggles of his 2022 season. However, this article is not going to be breaking down this year's race itself, but instead we will be looking into what drama surrounds this event among fans and even drivers.
It is mentioned that NASCAR made it's move to LA for the preseason exhibition to attract new fans in a whole new market, and also bringing the sport back to its roots. Sure, the Clash isn't what it was just three years ago and it now features a 'Half Time show', but that doesn't mean it isn't a fantastic business decision to attravt new fans. Many fans the past to years have shown mixed reactions of the event, all with different reasonings behind their beliefs. One thing many fans seem to overlook is the fact that this race does take NASCAR back to its roots, as NASCAR did in fact race in stadiums, one being the infamous Bowman Gray Stadium. Bowman Gray hosted 29 NASCAR races between the years of 1958-1971. Now, many fans would say "Why not race at Bowman Gray, rather than the LA Coliseum?", but the obvious reasoning for that is the NASCAR has and is heavily invested in the East Coast of the U.S., especially in North Carolina. Hosting a race with massive market value that isn't fully attached to the adrenaline rush of NASCAR is exactly what the sport needed. What other way can you pull in a new wave for your fanbase then giving them a taste of what the sport is all about? There is none.
Although NASCAR has its many reasons to host this race, it also doesn't mean it is the best for business. NASCAR has spent a significant amount of money to host the race in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, just for it to host one race the past two years. This leads the question of 'When does NASCAR get any return on their investment?'. Well that's the thing, they hardly will. Looking back at last year's Busch Light Clash, you would almost think it was a full house. Compared to this year, the stands looked very '2020-ish' a very spread out and small crowd surrounding the track in the stands. Adding on, this 2023 edition of the race is not one many people think had a positive impact on the sport, possibly making the sport fulfill the stereotype it is classified as. This being the idea that NASCAR is a bunch of bulky cars driving in circles and wrecking each other. NASCAR as of the past few years has started to steer clear of the 'boys have at it' attitude, and crack down on incidents, especially with the major safety concerns as of the past year with the NextGen car. However, this did not change how Sunday's race turned out, having caution after caution in the second half of the race, some seeming almost intentional. Some rumors have even popped up of the track being the temporary replacement for the other Southern California venue, Auto Club Speedway in 2024, as it sees a major reconfiguration for the 2025 season. It does seem that this will only be a rumor for the time being, as NASCAR has not commented on such at this time.
So does this mean NASCAR will see that hosting a race on the temporary asphalt inside the LA Coliseum isn't the ideal choice of venue? Doubtful, for the time being. NASCAR is currently doing what it can to bring an entertainment value to the sport while keeping the same old feel of what the sport was made to do, and that is race. But, don't be surprised if we see the hosting venue of the Busch Light Clash change in a couple of years, possibly being a rotating event each year, as NASCAR has hinted at already. Nevertheless, NASCAR seems to keep itself invested in LA market and looking for more ways to try and appeal to its current and soon to be fans.
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