NASCAR to start 2022 season at the LA Coliseum 1/4 mile track with Cup Clash race.

[slo town]

It is a non points race, just like the All Star race but with a different qualifying metric. The Clash has been the pre-season exhibition race since 1979.

I know what the All Star race is and I know what the Clash is. But I don't see how this LA Coliseum can be anything more than a gimmick.

The 2021 Clash was held on the Daytona road course. 21 cars participated. Average speed for the race was a whopping 89.39 mph. Yes, I know that average speed includes yellow flags.

Consider this. The current gen Cup cars are approximately 200 inches long, or 16.7 feet.

The Clash has a long history at Daytona so...

The oval is 2.5 miles, or 13,200 feet. 21 cars averages to a car every 629 feet.

The road course is 3.81 miles, or 20,117 feet (the 2021 Clash was held on the road course). 21 cars averages to a car every 958 feet.

The LA Coliseum is 1/4 mile, or 1,320 feet. 21 cars averages to a car every 63 feet.

Yes, I know my calculations are based on single file, but you get my point.

This LA "race" will surely be filled with cautions. I see an average speed of 45 to 50 mph, including yellows. Is that racing?

Exactly what does NASCAR hope to accomplish?

Surfing around the internet it seems my feelings are shared by many. Many of the NASCAR blogs a filled with outrage over this "race".

And look at NASCAR's rendering of the proposed track. This picture alone makes my point. Ridiculous! I'm surprised NASCAR didn't make it a figure 8!

Scott

PS I'm not throwing stones at you bdcardinal. You're a race fan and so am I. It just seems that some racing organizations are shooting themselves in the foot. F1 does it every week.

 

[RoadDukie]

A couple of nights ago, I watched a Whelen Modified race on a 1/4 mile track. There were 27 cars I think. That was one of most entertaining races I've seen in a LONG time. It was a total hoot! I believe the Mods take up approx the same footprint as a Cup car.

I'm going to reserve my opinion of this race in LA until I see it. Besides, I don't even know the required amount of space per car to have a "proper" race.

 

[bdcardinal]

A couple of nights ago, I watched a Whelen Modified race on a 1/4 mile track. There were 27 cars I think. That was one of most entertaining races I've seen in a LONG time. It was a total hoot! I believe the Mods take up approx the same footprint as a Cup car.

I'm going to reserve my opinion of this race in LA until I see it. Besides, I don't even know the required amount of space per car to have a "proper" race.

So back in the way back, when AAA was the sanctioning body for auto racing in the US(now ACCUS), their formula was 1 car per 400 feet. That is why the Indy 500 traditionally has 33 starting cars.