With the threat of an unprecedented severe weather event, NASCAR had no choice but to change the schedule for this weekend's Busch Light Clash exhibition event at the LA Memorial Coliseum.
On Saturday afternoon, NASCAR announced the Main Event of the race would be bumped up to Saturday at 8 PM ET (5 PM PT). FS1 will carry the television broadcast of the Clash while MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will carry the radio broadcast.
Here is the official statement from NASCAR:
“Due to the threat of unprecedented severe weather on Sunday, the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Mexico Series race events for the Clash have been moved to Saturday night. Thanks to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and Los Angeles Public Safety for their partnership and support to make the schedule adjustment for tonight’s event to ensure a safe experience for fans, competitors, and staff. We understand weather conditions may worsen as the day progresses, so we encourage fans to make decisions in the best interest of safety. We appreciate our fans, partners, and everyone associated with this event on this unprecedented event.”
Due to the schedule change, the Busch Light Clash race weekend will be condensed as well. The Heat Races and Las Chance Qualifier race have been scrapped and the top 22 positions in the starting grid will now be set by lap times in Saturday's practice session.
The final position in the 23-car field will be set by 2023 driver points.
Saturday's practice session will now be scheduled for 5:35 PM ET (2:35 PM PT).
The NASCAR Mexico Series race, which was also set for Sunday, will be run after the Busch Light Clash on Saturday night.
It was a tough decision, but when you look at the weather forecast for the Los Angeles area, even into mid-next week, you realize it was the right call for the sanctioning body to make.
The National Weather Service has issued 16 weather-related alerts for the Los Angeles area due to an unprecedented rain storm that is set to unleash itself on the area beginning on Sunday.
While the 2024 NASCAR season gets kicked off this weekend with the exhibition event, the first points-paying races of 2024 are scheduled in a couple of weeks at Daytona International Speedway, on the other side of the country.
While the NASCAR Cup Series isn't set to run the Daytona 500 until Sunday, February 18, the teams have to be ready to roll for Daytona 500 qualifying day on Wednesday, February 14.
The timeline was simply too tight for NASCAR to roll the dice with a less-than-favorable weather forecast, which was dragging into Wednesday or further.
Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images
