NASCAR reportedly not allowing fans at heat races at 2024 Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum

NASCAR has made a change to the 2024 Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum, and it isn’t exactly a popular one.

The sanctioning body of the sport revealed an updated format for The Clash, stating that it’ll now be a two-day show, with the main event taking place on Sunday, Feb. 4. However, the first day of the festivities won’t be open to the public.

“NASCAR has released the format for the Clash at the Coliseum. And, there’s been a significant change from previous years,” Shane Walters of Racing News wrote. “For 2024, the Busch Light Clash will be split into a two-day show. Saturday, February 3rd will host practice/qualifying as well as heat races. The one LCQ race as as well as feature race will take place Sunday, February 4th.

“In the past, the entire show has been run in a single day. Now, with it being split into a two-day show, fans at the stadium will only be allowed to watch the LCQ and feature. The building will not be open to the public for Saturday’s portion of the show.”

As Walters noted, that means the host practice/qualifying, as well as the heat races, will be taking place inside an empty stadium. That’s become one of the more popular parts of the event since it’s been taken to Los Angeles, and NASCAR has decided to change the format for paying fans.

The actual event of The Clash should still be awesome. However, it’s easy to see why some feel cheated by the news. Perhaps NASCAR should rethink the change, as it’s tough to see any fan of the event being happy with the change.

Machine Gun Kelly announced as race break performer at Busch Light Clash

Meanwhile, the musical performer during the race break at the Busch Light Clash will be Machine Gun Kelly. NASCAR announced the news Sunday afternoon. Fans in Los Angeles and watching at home will see the rapper-turned-rockstar perform at the halfway point of the Clash. 

NASCAR has turned this preseason exhibition into an entire event. There is a prerace and mid-race concert. It is in the LA Coliseum for goodness sake – this is just as much about the fanfare and show than it is about racing on the track. 

This is also where we see NASCAR get more creative with their music choices. This is a choice made to attract a new, younger crowd. Machine Gun Kelly and NASCAR – together at last.

The Busch Light Clash has been a fun event the last two years. We think last year’s performances were solid. Wiz Khalifa was exciting and it felt like NASCAR was really trying to do something new. 

It will be interesting to see who else NASCAR has at the Busch Light Clash. It has become an event where celebrities and other notable folks in LA have popped up. Who will we see this year?

On3’s Jonathan Howard contributed to this article.