(Reuters) – NASCAR revealed on Tuesday the qualifying elements for next February’s season-opening Clash exhibition race at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, a two-day event featuring practice, heat races and a last-chance qualifier.
Traditionally held at Daytona International Speedway in the run-up to the Daytona 500, the Clash will be the first NASCAR race held inside the Los Angeles stadium since it opened in 1923 and comes one week before the city hosts the NFL’s Super Bowl.
Up to 40 drivers will take to the quarter-mile oval for practice sessions on Feb. 5 before ending the opening day with single-car qualifying runs to determine the starting lineups for the next day’s four 10-car, 25-lap heat races.
The top four finishers from each heat will fill the first 16 spots in the Clash, to be held later that same day, with the winner of the first heat race starting on pole.
Cars that failed to advance will continue through one of two 50-lap last-chance qualifiers where the top three finishers from each race will advance to the main event in spots 17-22.
The final spot in the 23-car main event will be reserved for the driver who finished highest in the 2021 points standings.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
