Martin Truex Jr. Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Why NASCAR's Clash should stay exactly as it is

By Ryan McCafferty | Last updated 2/6/23

Year two of NASCAR's Clash at the Los Angeles Coliseum on Sunday was once again a success, with an action-packed event and plenty of celebrities on hand.

It also provided an argument for keeping the race just the way it is.

With Auto Club Speedway in San Bernardino (California) County unable to hold a race in 2024 (and possibly 2025), NASCAR would be better off simply not racing in the Southern California market for a year or two rather than turning the Clash into a points race.

"NASCAR is facing the prospect of having no SoCal points race in 2024 and perhaps 2025 while [Auto Club] reconstruction takes place. One potential solution prompting discussion among NASCAR officials is to turn the Clash at the Coliseum into a points race."https://t.co/R0bNi2Ob5c
— Adam Stern (@A_S12) February 3, 2023

For starters, a full field of 36 cars cannot fit on the tiny oval in the 100-year-old Los Angeles Coliseum. Even Sunday night's field of 27 was pushing it, as proven by the 16 caution flags in only 150 laps.

Martin Truex Jr., who was winless last season, won the Clash with a late charge.

Due to the Clash's special rules, caution laps did not count. But if it had been a points race, more than half the event probably would have been run under the yellow flag.

It has been a while since the Clash was this big a hit. During some of its final years at Daytona International Speedway as part of the leadup to the Daytona 500, the race was an abject disaster.

As the saying goes, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." NASCAR has a good thing going with the Clash at the Coliseum. It would be foolish to change anything about it.

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