NASCAR delivers big success with Clash at the Coliseum
By Bob Pockrass
FOX Sports NASCAR Writer
LOS ANGELES — Sorry, Daytona International Speedway, but the preseason Clash probably should never return to NASCAR’s most iconic venue.
There are too many iconic sports venues that can host this event.
After staging an electric afternoon at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, NASCAR deserves to take a victory lap for going out on a limb and spending millions of dollars to convert the facility into a racetrack.
Several in the industry, as well as many hard-core fans, shook their heads at this plan. There are plenty of short tracks — though maybe not quarter-mile tracks — that NASCAR could have raced. There are plenty more traditional stock-car racing markets than downtown Los Angeles.
And who could guarantee that the four-inch layer of asphalt wouldn't come apart after curing for just a few weeks prior to the 150-lap event?
FINAL LAPS: Joey Logano wins The Clash at the Coliseum | NASCAR on FOX
Despite those challenges, NASCAR pulled off as solid of an event as it could. Two of its biggest stars and former champions — Joey Logano and Kyle Busch — battled for the victory. There were also angry drivers; Ryan Blaney threw a piece of equipment at the car of Erik Jones. And those who didn’t know much about the NASCAR drama were still entertained by Pitbull, Ice Cube and the roar of the engines.
"An incredible day for the sport," NASCAR Senior Vice President Ben Kennedy said.
Kennedy is the son of NASCAR co-owner Lesa France Kennedy, and revamping the schedule has been his baby. The 30-year-old graduate from the University of Florida who dabbled as a racer in NASCAR’s development series has been charged with generating interest in a sport that has faced headwinds over the past decade.
And so he thought bold, and this was his boldest idea yet.
The only question after Sunday — it appeared that there were at least 50,000 in attendance — is whether NASCAR will return next year or take this temporary bullring idea around the country, a la hockey’s Winter Classic.
"[We’ll] really think about what the future might look like, both for being here at the L.A. Coliseum and the type of venue in general, too," Kennedy said. "I think there were a lot of questions coming in as to what the racing product might look like on track.
"I think between the format that we had with the heat races, last-chance race, all the way through the main, at least from a fan perspective, a lot of energy in the bowl, hopefully those tuning in on TV enjoyed it as well."
'It exceeded expectations' — Bob Pockrass on the success of The Clash
NASCAR's preseason event had gotten stale as a reward for select drivers for a solid previous season or earning a pole the previous year. NASCAR tried to juice it up last year by staging it on the Daytona facility’s road course instead of the oval, where it had been run for the previous 42 years as a way to generate interest in the upcoming Daytona 500.
The event at the Coliseum certainly created more buzz. It didn’t just have a bigger crowd than this event has seen in several years. It also drew interest from not just avid NASCAR fans but also casual race fans.
"Of all the Clashes, this is probably the biggest Clash win you can imagine," Logano said after his victory. "First time coming to this historic venue."
Logano’s previous NASCAR victory came at NASCAR’s latest experiment: putting dirt on Bristol Motor Speedway for a regular-season event.
"Really cool," he said. "[My] last couple wins have been on some weird racetracks. Bring them on. Bring on the more weird stuff."
Sunday at the Coliseum wasn’t weird. It was cool. And while social media had its share of criticism, the crowd roared several times during the five-hour event — and not just during the concerts. There were plenty of attendees sporting NASCAR clothes.
2022 Busch Clash at The L.A. Coliseum
"Coming into L.A., it was a huge success," said Kyle Busch, one who isn’t always positive about the way NASCAR conducts the sport. "It was a huge chance. Ben Kennedy and the guys at NASCAR, if this didn’t work, it was going to be ugly."
Why did it work? Because it was unique. Because the drivers bought in to an extra trip on their schedule, with the idea to grow their brands as well as the sport. Because NASCAR team owners realized that sponsors actually wanted to be part of this event instead of dismissing it.
A sport that sometimes needs a swift kick in the butt to make changes decided to make a huge, huge change.
"A lot of us in the industry forgot that we're in a pretty cool sport," NASCAR Executive Vice President Steve O’Donnell said. "It is fun to be a part of.
"This event delivered. ... You saw it in the drivers, the industry, saw it with a lot of folks in the media. I think a lot of folks had fun. We're going to learn."
Bob Pockrass has spent decades covering motorsports, including the past 30 Daytona 500s. He joined FOX Sports in 2019 following stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @bobpockrass. Looking for more NASCAR content? Sign up for the FOX Sports NASCAR Newsletter with Bob Pockrass!
