NASCAR Cup Series

NASCAR Clash at the Coliseum: Which drivers have the edge?

Updated Feb. 5, 2022 4:37 p.m. ET

Sunday in Los Angeles, 23 NASCAR drivers will fire up the engines of their new cars, take to a new track and compete in a new race.

That's the setting for the Clash at the Coliseum, also known as the Busch Light Clash, an exhibition race that will be held at the L.A. Coliseum (6 p.m. ET on FOX).

Exclusive: Timelapse of the Clash at the Coliseum set up

Check out this behind-the-scenes timelapse for the entire set up of the 'Clash at the Coliseum' in one of Los Angeles' most historic venues.

NASCAR invested millions of dollars — and tons of effort — to build a temporary track inside the football stadium, creating a most unique event that is sure to capture the attention of sports fans, whether they're into racing or not.

But with such an unusual race, how do you actually handicap the race? That's the question that the "NASCAR Race Hub" crew on FS1 took on, and they didn't flinch from the challenge.

Who's favored to win the Clash at the Coliseum?

The "NASCAR Race Hub" crew listed their favorites to win Sunday's short-track Clash at the Coliseum, including Kyle Larson, Brad Keselowski and others.

"These types of races are just special," said guest Brad Keselowski, who will compete in the race. "You only get one first time to do anything in life, especially a race at a track like this, a historic venue. I think the energy, whether it's from the crowd … the energy in your team, and that uncertainty as a driver, I mean there's a lot of nerves that are going to go on here right before the start of the race."

As far as who might be favored, Clint Bowyer first gave a nod to the man sitting to his left, Keselowski. But when pressed to make a pick, he said: "I said Brad [Keselowski], maybe, I said there's a lot of experience out there. … I'm gonna go … Kyle Larson. Why would you pick anyone other than Kyle Larson? If he's on the racetrack in today's day and age, you've got to pick him."

Cohost Jamie McMurray took a different angle, saying that racing on such a short track will give an edge to more experienced drivers who have compiled loads of success in similar venues.

"You think about going to a track for the first time, we don't spend five days in a row doing ‘Race Hub’ at any of those events," he said. "This is one of the biggest first-time events that we've had. … But when you look at people that can win this race, I think you have to look at who's good at a short track. No one's run at this racetrack. Kyle Busch, 16 wins at a short track. Next, you look at Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin, 10 wins at short tracks, and then Brad, who has seven. So I think it's any of those guys who I'd have at the top of my list."

But cohost Larry McReynolds took a different angle altogether, saying that there were simply too many variables to make a prediction with any kind of confidence.

"[I] thought about [picking] Denny Hamlin," he said, "but to Clint's point, if we were on any other track that we race on, I think we could give you the favorites. But because of this track, because of this new car, in my book it's as wide open as the Daytona 500 will be in two weeks. … I could probably make a case for any of the 23 to find victory lane. If you're in it, you can win it."

Who will turn out to be right? Tune in on Sunday to find out.