DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR Cup Series stock car racing in a football stadium. Sounds crazy doesn’t it. Well, it will happen next February at the famed Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
One of the most storied sports venues in the world, the Coliseum will host The Clash at the Coliseum on Feb. 6.
This season-opening exhibition race that has been run at Daytona Int’l Speedway throughout its existence will be a signature event as a part of the venue’s centennial celebration. The race will be run two weeks prior to the Daytona 500 at Daytona Int’l Speedway.
“Los Angeles is synonymous with major sports and entertainment events, so we seized an innovative opportunity to showcase NASCAR at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum,” said Ben Kennedy, NASCAR senior vice president of strategy and innovation. “We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to take center stage in this market as we get our 2022 season underway.”
The traditional Coliseum playing surface will be converted into a quarter-mile, asphalt short track creating a brand-new action-packed event to kick off the season.
It will also be the first race for NASCAR’s new Next Gen race cars.
will be the first of two visits to Southern California, as NASCAR’s premier series will also visit Auto Club Speedway in 2022.
Many questions remain to be answered regarding the event, including how a football stadium can be converted safely into a racing venue and how many participants will be involved in the racing program.
It will not be the first motorsports event held at the Coliseum. Off-road truck racing and Supercross events are among the races run there in the past. Tickets for the event go on sale Sept. 16, with pricing beginning at $65 for adults.
The remainder of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series schedule will be announced later.