2022 Busch Light Clash Preview and Odds

I have been waiting to say this for quite some time but NASCAR is back! The 2022 season will kick off this Sunday with the annual running of the Busch Light Clash. Historically, the clash has been an exciting non-points paying exhibition race that was held on the high banks of Daytona International Speedway as a prelude to Daytona Speedweeks. Last year, NASCAR shook up the format by debuting the clash on the Daytona International Speedway Road Course and that format will change again on Sunday with an extremely intriguing spectacle at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

For the first time in history, NASCAR has transformed the Coliseum, which is the home of the USC Trojans, into a ¼ mile speedway that sits on top of the prior green grass that the Trojans played on just a couple of months ago. NASCAR has basically built a short-track inside a stadium and is attempting to spread their market outreach by bringing a unique style of high level short-track racing to the west coast. Needless to say on Sunday, we will have the luxury of witnessing a “first” in so many different areas. Not only will this be the first race ever at the Coliseum, the first race inside a football stadium, or even the first NASCAR sanctioned short track on the west coach but it will also be the first race of NASCAR’s Next Gen car which will be the major talking point throughout the season.

2022 Busch Light Clash Format

Unlike the Clash at Daytona’s 2.5 mile superspeedway which has dominated the nature of this race with high speeds and drafting, this year’s version of the Busch Light Clash will be a concoction of 36 entries that will be fighting to make the 23 car feature at a Martinsville style track which happens to be the smallest venue in the sport. Drivers will be fighting to showcase their short-track talent and become accustomed to the new driving style of the Next Gen car all at once. While this race will undoubtedly pique the interest of race fans, let’s take a look at the format of this year’s Busch Light Clash and what fans will see on Sunday.

It may be important to note that NASCAR will have more practices in 2022 than we have seen over the last few years with the COVID restrictions and curtailed weekend formats. Practices will still be relatively scarce but will allow drivers and teams additional time to figure out the mechanics of the Next Gen Car. All participants will have staggered practice sessions before turning over to single-car qualifying at 8:00PM (EST). Qualifying results will decide the starting lineup to all 4 heat races with the top 4 cars occupying the pole position for each race. There will be 4 heat races beginning at 3:00PM (EST) on Sunday with the top 4 finishers from each race automatically qualifying for the feature event. The remaining drivers will compete in two 50-lap “Last Chance” qualifying races. The top 3 finishers from both last chance qualifying races will also move to the feature event. The starting order for the last chance qualifying races will be based on the finishing order from the heat races. Once the field has been determined, 24 drivers will compete for 150 laps under traditional NASCAR rules to decide the winner of the Busch Light Clash.

Busch Light Clash Odds

2022 Busch Light Clash Predictions

From a handicapping and betting standpoint, I would urge bettors to completely stay away from Sunday’s Busch Clash. This is a very unique event with so many variables that there is absolutely no edge to provoke any style of sharp betting. I would expect the dynamic short-track talents like Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex will be among the guys to beat. I would also throw out names like Ryan Blaney, William Byron, Aric Almirola, and Ryan Preece to provide some potential value in fantasy formats. However at the end of the day, there are too many variables to have any high level degree of confidence. There will be plenty of betting opportunities once the official season kicks off but unfortunately this will not be one of those opportunities.