NASCAR gladiators entered the Coliseum

This 2022 season launched in the Coliseum sees the arrival on track of the 7th generation of cars called Next Gen. A unique opportunity to reshuffle the cards between teams Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota.

The Next Gen from Ford, Toyota and Chevrolet ready to battle © Meg Oliphant/Getty Images

Since 1979, the season has started with a prestigious non-championship event, the Clash, traditionally contested on the Daytona oval. For the first time, the peloton leaves this legendary setting of NASCAR to place his toolboxes in the sumptuous grounds of the Los Angeles Coliseum. A 402 meter asphalt oval was created in the stadium angeleno, around the American football field. It is of course the shortest track in the history of the Cup Series, but a clever mix of turning angle and bank should delight the 50 spectators expected on Sunday evening.

General view of the Los Angeles Coliseum © Meg Oliphant/Getty Images

Due to the dimensions of the track, the technical teams are not located within the oval but in the parking lots adjacent to the enclosure. Drivers must therefore cross the complex to reach the track.

Not your average entrance to the track. @KevinHarvick x @lacoliseum pic.twitter.com/WeoSCl41nj

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 5, 2022

For these free practices, the drivers divided into three groups had three times eight minutes to define the best settings for qualifying which takes place alone on the track. The opportunity to complete a hundred laps. Chase Elliott set the best time in 13,455 seconds, averaging a pretty phenomenal 108 km/h on a lap of just 400 meters!

Chase Elliott © Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

The drivers will set off at 02:30 a.m. French time for three flying laps which will determine the starting order for the 4 sprint races on Sunday, the “Heat Races”.

Clash at the Coliseum free practice rankings: