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NASCAR returns with Busch Light Clash heats
Aric Almirola, Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, and William Byron are off to strong starts to the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season, even if in a non-points context, as they won their heat races ahead of the Busch Light Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. After failing to lock their spots in the main race via the heats, Michael McDowell and Chase Elliott did so in the two Last Chance Qualifiers.
Pole winner Justin Haley finished third in Heat #1 after losing the lead to Almirola and Alex Bowman in the final six laps. Harrison Burton suffered the first incident of the day when he was turned in a stack-up involving Noah Gragson and defending Clash victor and series champion Joey Logano just three laps in.
Truex claimed the heat win after holding off former Joe Gibbs Racing team-mate Kyle Busch and Busch’s new Richard Childress Racing colleague Austin Dillon on the last restart with five laps to go. The final sprint was set up by Austin Cindric‘s spin.
Heat #3 saw the most incidents of the four heats as Brad Keselowski and Christopher Bell were both spun. The latter’s caution set up a three-lap run in which Hamlin edged out Chase Briscoe.
“It’s just bumper cars—guys that are desperate,” said Keselowski, who was turned by Daniel Suárez. “We just never could get the corner. We were just really loose in with both of our cars and just couldn’t turn the wheel.”
Byron led the fourth heat from start to finish. The LCQs were also flag-to-flag dominations for McDowell and Elliott, though Ty Gibbs chased down the latter and came up just shy of stealing the win on the final lap.
The top five in each of the four heats advanced as did the top three in the LCQs. The twenty-seventh and final spot in the Clash went to Cindric, who finished fifth in LCQ #2, as the highest-placing driver in the 2022 Cup standings not yet locked in; Cindric, the 2022 Daytona 500 winner, placed twelfth in points.
Heat #1 results
| Finish | Start | Number | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps | Status |
| 1 | 2 | 10 | Aric Almirola* | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 25 | Running |
| 2 | 3 | 48 | Alex Bowman* | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 25 | Running |
| 3 | 1 | 31 | Justin Haley* | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 25 | Running |
| 4 | 6 | 42 | Noah Gragson* | Legacy Motor Club | Chevrolet | 25 | Running |
| 5 | 5 | 22 | Joey Logano* | Team Penske | Ford | 25 | Running |
| 6 | 7 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 25 | Running |
| 7 | 4 | 21 | Harrison Burton | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 25 | Running |
| 8 | 9 | 77 | Ty Dillon | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 25 | Running |
| 9 | 8 | 17 | Chris Buescher | RFK Racing | Ford | 25 | Running |
* – Advanced to Clash
Heat #2 results
| Finish | Start | Number | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps | Status |
| 1 | 6 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr.* | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 25 | Running |
| 2 | 1 | 8 | Kyle Busch* | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 25 | Running |
| 3 | 2 | 3 | Austin Dillon* | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 25 | Running |
| 4 | 3 | 5 | Kyle Larson* | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 25 | Running |
| 5 | 4 | 4 | Kevin Harvick* | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 25 | Running |
| 6 | 8 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 25 | Running |
| 7 | 5 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 25 | Running |
| 8 | 7 | 2 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford | 25 | Running |
| 9 | 9 | 78 | B.J. McLeod | Live Fast Motorsports | Chevrolet | 25 | Running |
Heat #3 results
| Finish | Start | Number | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps | Status |
| 1 | 2 | 11 | Denny Hamlin* | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 25 | Running |
| 2 | 4 | 14 | Chase Briscoe* | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 25 | Running |
| 3 | 5 | 45 | Tyler Reddick* | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 25 | Running |
| 4 | 9 | 12 | Ryan Blaney* | Team Penske | Ford | 25 | Running |
| 5 | 3 | 99 | Daniel Suárez* | Trackhouse Racing Team | Chevrolet | 25 | Running |
| 6 | 1 | 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 25 | Running |
| 7 | 7 | 38 | Todd Gilliland | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 25 | Running |
| 8 | 6 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racing | Ford | 25 | Running |
| 9 | 8 | 15 | J.J. Yeley | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 25 | Running |
Heat #4 results
| Finish | Start | Number | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps | Status |
| 1 | 1 | 24 | William Byron* | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 25 | Running |
| 2 | 4 | 23 | Bubba Wallace* | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 25 | Running |
| 3 | 3 | 1 | Ross Chastain* | Trackhouse Racing Team | Chevrolet | 25 | Running |
| 4 | 6 | 41 | Ryan Preece* | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 25 | Running |
| 5 | 5 | 43 | Erik Jones* | Legacy Motor Club | Chevrolet | 25 | Running |
| 6 | 9 | 54 | Ty Gibbs | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 25 | Running |
| 7 | 2 | 16 | A.J. Allmendinger | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 25 | Running |
| 8 | 7 | 7 | Corey LaJoie | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 25 | Running |
| 9 | 8 | 51 | Cody Ware | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 25 | Running |
LCQ #1 results
| Finish | Start | Number | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps | Status |
| 1 | 1 | 34 | Michael McDowell* | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 50 | Running |
| 2 | 2 | 20 | Christopher Bell* | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 50 | Running |
| 3 | 4 | 38 | Todd Gilliland* | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 50 | Running |
| 4 | 3 | 21 | Harrison Burton | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 50 | Running |
| 5 | 6 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racing | Ford | 50 | Running |
| 6 | 4 | 77 | Ty Dillon | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 50 | Running |
| 7 | 7 | 17 | Chris Buescher | RFK Racing | Ford | 50 | Running |
| 8 | 8 | 15 | J.J. Yeley | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 49 | Running |
LCQ #2 results
| Finish | Start | Number | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps | Status |
| 1 | 1 | 9 | Chase Elliott* | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 50 | Running |
| 2 | 2 | 54 | Ty Gibbs* | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 50 | Running |
| 3 | 4 | 16 | A.J. Allmendinger* | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 50 | Running |
| 4 | 3 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 50 | Running |
| 5 | 5 | 2 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford | 50 | Running |
| 6 | 6 | 7 | Corey LaJoie | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 50 | Running |
| 7 | 8 | 51 | Cody Ware | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 49 | Running |
| 8 | 7 | 78 | B.J. McLeod | Live Fast Motorsports | Chevrolet | 48 | Running |
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