Martin Truex, Jr. wins the 2023 "Busch Light Clash" at the L.A. Coliseum

 

Photo courtesy of Joe Gibbs Racing

   The 2023 "Busch Light Clash" was a clash indeed. A clash of many talented stock car drivers, fighting for a win in the NASCAR Cup Series opening event. Nevertheless, veteran driver Martin Truex, Jr would take the lead when it counted, taking the No. 19 Toyota Camry to victory lane.

Aric Almirola would score the pole position to start the Clash after his Heat 1 win. Truex would win the second Heat race to gain the outside pole for the main event. Almirola would lead the first 16-laps before Denny Hamlin took over after the first restart of the event. 

The yellow flag was used just about as much as we expected, the flag flying a total of 15 times for an on-track incident. Erik Jones would park his car after only 16-laps due to a broken suspension component sustained from his spin off the nose of Michael McDowell. A few big names would get involved in a spin by Ryan Blaney on lap 34: Chase Elliott, Chase Briscoe, Ty Gibbs and Daniel Suarez would end up with major front-end damage, as both drove into the nose of a backwards Blaney.

Upon restart number 3 (Lap 42) Bubba Wallace would move 23XI Racing team-owner Denny Hamlin out of the way for the lead. The No. 23 would lead the field for 40-laps straight, hold the lead at the "half-time" break at 75-laps.

After a few quick green and yellow flags, the No. 41 Ford Mustang flew around the outside lane, and Ryan Preece would take the lead away from Wallace. Cautions would control the second half of the race, and it took quite a few before the drivers got settled in and ran a few laps.

With just 26-laps left, Truex would pass Ryan Preece as the No. 41 machine was clearly limping around the track. Preece, who led for 43-laps, would fall back to 7th at the finish.

The final caution flag would fly with 7-laps to go, after Austin Dillon would turn Bubba Wallace around after the two drivers threw blow after blow fighting for 3rd place. Truex would hang onto the lead, while Kyle Busch and Austin Dillon swapped positions before the finish.

One of the most impressive drivers to watch all night long was Kyle Busch in the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro. Busch had started the event in the 6th position but would unfortunately be punted and spun off the bumper of Joey Logano midway through the race. Despite all the caution flags flying in the final 75-laps, the No. 8 car would claw its way through the field, earning a 3rd place finish.

Here are the complete race results from the L.A. Coliseum:

NASCAR.com

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