This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum
Location: Los Angeles, Calif.
Course: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Format: 0.25-mile oval
Laps: 150
Race Preview
For the third time, the NASCAR Cup Series will hit the track for the first time of the season at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum. It doesn't seem all that long ago that Team Penske's Ryan Blaney captured the 2023 series championship, but before the cars hit the high banks of Daytona International Speedway, they'll get a warm up on the other side of the country in Los Angeles. The format of the Clash exhibition event changes a bit for 2024, but it remains the first opportunity for drivers to feel out the competition under race conditions. The 23-car main event will be 150 laps long, as in past seasons, but the path to the main event will be a bit different. The weekend remains a good opportunity for fantasy players to assess what teams and drivers have made progress over the winter, and who might be in line for consideration as the season's official start looms ahead with the Daytona 500. Joey Logano and Martin Truex Jr. won the first two events at this tiny makeshift oval, and a trip to Victory Lane, points race or not, is an excellent way for any driver to start a season.
Key Stats at Los Angeles Coliseum
- Number of races: 2
- Winners from pole: 0
- Winners from top-5 starters: 2
- Winners from top-10 starters: 2
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 0
- Fastest race: 39.029 mph
Previous Los Angeles Coliseum Winners
2023 - Martin Truex Jr.
2022 - Joey Logano
The Coliseum is ready for the NASCAR Cup Series to hit the temporary pavement. As is traditional with the Clash, the format for 2024 has a few changes compared to last year. First, four practice sessions on Saturday will determine the starting line up for the subsequent heat races. Those 9-driver, 25-lap heat races ultimately set the first 20 of 23 entrants for the Clash's main event. A last-chance qualifier will then be the opening act to Sunday night's main event. Anyone who didn't advance to the main show through Saturday's heat races will have one final opportunity to vie for one of two spots in Sunday's 75-lap Last Chance Qualifier. The 23rd and final spot in the big show will be awarded to the driver who finished highest in the 2023 season standings that remains. As a result, Ryan Blaney is the only driver locked into the main event. As usual, only green-flag laps count, and there will be no Overtime finishes. The main event is scheduled for Sunday evening and will produce the 2024 Cup season's first victor. However, with only one driver locked into the main event, fantasy players should wait to make their roster selections until at least Saturday's heat races are complete.
RotoWire NASCAR DFS Tools
DraftKings Value Picks for the Busch Lite Clash at the Coliseum (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Kyle Larson - $10,400
Martin Truex Jr. - $10,200
Ryan Blaney - $10,000
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
William Byron - $9,900
Denny Hamlin - $9,700
Kyle Busch - $9,500
Chase Elliott - $9,000
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Ross Chastain - $8,700
Tyler Reddick - $8,600
Brad Keselowski - $8,500
Chris Buescher - $8,200
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Ryan Preece - $7,800
Bubba Wallace - $7,600
Ty Gibbs - $7,500
Chase Briscoe - $7,400
NASCAR DFS Picks for the Busch Lite Clash at the Coliseum
Lower-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Ryan Blaney - $10,000
Kyle Busch - $9,500
Chris Buescher - $8,200
Ryan Preece - $7,800
Josh Berry - $7,200
Austin Dillon - $7,100
Last year's series champion Ryan Blaney (DK $10,000, FD $11,500) would love to get his title defense off with a win this weekend. He should be poised for a good result, too. He is the only driver to be assured of a spot in Sunday's main event, but his past Coliseum attempts netted him just a pair of 17th-place finishes. Kyle Busch (DK $9,500, FD $12,000), on the other hand, finished in the top three in both prior Coliseum races. Busch has a knack for this short track, and that makes him a top choice this week. Chris Buescher (DK $8,200, FD $9,500) had a breakout 2023 season, but he has yet to break his way into the main event at this track. After racking up three race wins last year, it would be a tough blow for him not to make it into the headline race this weekend.
Ryan Preece (DK $7,800, FD $10,500) has been in both headline races at the Coliseum. In fact, he grabbed a top-10 finish there last year. Preece is one of a handful of drivers that is very comfortable on this unique track and can be a fairly reliable option for fantasy rosters on a race weekend with a significant amount of unknowns. Unlike Preece, rookie Josh Berry (DK $7,200, FD $9,500) could be considered an unknown. Berry made 10 Cup Series starts last season with three different teams while driving full time in the Xfinity Series. He earned a full-time call up this season with Stewart-Haas Racing, taking over the No. 4 machine following Kevin Harvick's retirement. This will be Berry's first attempt at the Coliseum, but he has one of the best teams in the sport behind him. The Clash's 2023 runner-up, Austin Dillon (DK $7,100, FD $8,500) rounds off this lineup with a value proposition. Most fantasy rosters should make room for his bargain price considering he finished second in this race last season and was third the year before that. Fantasy players should take advantage of his price point this week.
Higher-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Kyle Larson - $10,400
Denny Hamlin - $9,700
Tyler Reddick - $8,600
Bubba Wallace - $7,600
Chase Briscoe - $7,400
John Hunter Nemechek - $6,300
Kyle Larson (DK $10,400, FD $13,000) has a habit of making himself a favorite. The former series champion is a winner on all types of tracks and machinery and is always one to rise to the top of the order. With two top-fives in the two Coliseum races held so far, he rightfully enters the weekend as an early favorite. Like Larson, Denny Hamlin (DK $9,700, FD $12,500) is another driver all eyes will be on. He exited the 2022 edition of this race early but scored a top-10 last season. Hamlin is one to pay attention to on short tracks, and the Coliseum certainly fits that category. Tyler Reddick (DK $8,600, FD $10,500) is another driver entirely capable of winning this weekend. He is a proven race winner with five victories in the last two seasons. His best finish at this track came last season with a sixth-place outing.
Another driver fantasy players shouldn't sleep on at this track is Reddick's teammate, Bubba Wallace (DK $7,600, FD $8,500). Wallace led 40 laps of this race last season and has made the main event both times. Wallace is an aggressive driver that can hustle his car through these tight turns, making him a top selection for most fantasy rosters before even a wheel is turned on the weekend. Another talent that springs to mind on a track such as this is Chase Briscoe (DK $7,400, FD $9,000). The Stewart-Haas Racing driver has qualified for the main event both times and has a best finish of 15th. Last but not least, John Hunter Nemechek (DK $6,300, FD $7,000) makes his full-time return to the Cup Series in 2024 with Legacy Motor Club. Nemechek spent the past few seasons racking up wins in the CRAFTSMAN Truck and Xfinity Series. He is entirely capable of wins and should be an exciting driver to watch as he gets comfortable with his new team for the first time on track this weekend.
