Will the Busch Light Clash Kerfuffle Adversely Affect the LA Coliseum’s NASCAR Future?

The Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum has just concluded, a day earlier than anticipated. This was because there was an impending storm on the horizon and it would have hit on race day. Since NASCAR wanted to have its cake and eat it too, they were considering all of their options. The best solution was to bring the race forward by 24 hours, a decision that was lauded by the NASCAR Cup drivers.

Of course, it was a very difficult decision for NASCAR, because they had to weigh the pros and cons. According to Chief Operating Officer Steve O’Donnell, there was a financial loss, that had to be considered too. Especially considering that the people who bought tickets for Sunday’s race would have to be refunded. Furthermore, the sudden schedule change could also potentially tank the TV ratings, which would hurt the revenue.

Why did NASCAR stick to their guns, despite the risks?

With all that in mind, O’Donnell insisted that they had to do the right thing for everyone involved. The options were limited because it was a toss-up between running the race on that Saturday or canceling it entirely. He initially considered moving the start time up by two hours on Sunday, and everyone was amenable to that. Unfortunately, the forecast looked like it would be a lot worse than projected.

Of course, public safety became the top priority, so that was the point where they started to consider Saturday. Steve O’Donnell gave due credit to the organizers for making the event possible, against the odds. He said, “We really applaud the Coliseum for even making this a possibility to the best of what is a really tough situation for the fans and this racing community but felt like this was the best option to keep everybody safe and still try and get both events in.”

O’Donnell also revealed that the teams were willing to stay and were very cooperative. Looking at the logistics, racing on Saturday was the best option that they had. Even the mayor of Los Angeles played a role in the decision. Especially since NASCAR was aware that they did not have exclusive use of the Los Angeles Coliseum, and they were mere ‘guests’.

READ MORE: Amid the Looming Rain Threat, This Is How NASCAR Is Scrambling to Run the 2024 Clash at the Coliseum

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What else did Steve O’Donnell say about the situation?

The NASCAR COO stressed that in the last couple of years, everyone in the community has worked together. He admitted that there have been a few mountains to overcome, but at the end of the day, NASCAR has everyone’s best interests in mind. O’Donnell spoke about having an open dialogue with the drivers and teams. Even if they do not agree with some decisions, if they can listen to the reasoning behind said decisions, it would help a lot.

Of course, he did confess that the situation was inconvenient for the fans who bought tickets. For that, he said NASCAR would reach out to everyone and try to compensate them. He also confessed that he was worried about the financial implications or the possible low ratings. But the right thing to do was to keep everyone’s safety as a high priority.

It is also worth noting that O’Donnell avoided the subject of the LA Coliseum’s future. But considering the fact that the recent Clash was the last of the current 3-year deal, and that the fans have not received well its shift from Daytona to LA, let’s say if we do not have a race at The Coliseum next year, that may have to do with a lot more than the events that transpired on Saturday.

All in all, this year, the drivers did manage to deliver a decent race and the 2024 season is in full swing. Next on the calendar is the Daytona 500, where the NASCAR Cup season officially begins.

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