NASCAR Is Heading Back to L.A. Coliseum in 2024

NASCAR announced Sunday that its race at the Los Angeles Coliseum, the Clash, will return for the 2024 season. While the race has not been confirmed long-term past that date, three years of running in a row is a strong start for a budding tradition.

The announcement was made during an NFL game by early-season network partner Fox, part of an early and heavy push to advertise the network's portion of the 2024 season during its biggest live audience draw of the year. That promo also included an announcement that the race will feature a support series for the first time. The second-billed racing will come from the NASCAR Mexico Series rather than any of the brand's many lower-tier domestic championships. As in the past two seasons, the races will take place on a temporary short track oval built within the confines of the stadium between the end of football season and the race in February.

While the quarter-mile temporary bullring oval built inside the home of USC football and the 2028 Olympics is not exactly big enough for a traditional stock car race, the track has hosted two lively events in 2022 and 2023. The event's strange proportions and unique presentation make for something like a theme park version of NASCAR, one that drew rave reviews from R&T both last season and this season. It looks a little strange on television, but the track races well enough and the avenue it creates for NASCAR to make inroads into the Los Angeles market provides valuable business opportunities for the series.

The full NASCAR schedule for next season is still not out yet, but long-delayed layout changes to Fontana announced four years ago are expected to keep that track off the calendar and make the Coliseum the category's only race in Southern California next season. Whether or not that saga still ends with a completed short track on the Fontana property and a continuing Cup Series date is another question that remains unanswered.