A NASCAR first will occur on Sunday, Feb. 5. The sanctioning body announced today that the top-three finishers in the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum will be awarded gold, silver, and bronze medals.
The medal ceremony will take place on a podium in Victory Lane, which is located beneath the Olympic cauldron at the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Ben Kennedy, NASCAR’s senior vice president for racing development and strategy, will present the medals to cap this historic event.
“These will be tremendous prizes for our drivers who are competing inside a venue that’s hosted two Olympic Games and is preparing for a third,” Kennedy said. “Not only do the medals honor the rich tradition of this stadium, but they also provide a special element unique to NASCAR’s 75th anniversary.”
Jostens will produce these exquisite medals, along with the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum Trophy that’s presented to the winner of the season-opening exhibition. Each custom-crafted keepsake features the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum logo beautifully embossed on one side. The other side features the Coliseum’s centennial mark and the NASCAR 75th Anniversary logo.
The race winner’s medal weighs 4.7 ounces and is covered in 24-karat plated gold. It will certainly gleam beneath the Coliseum lights and iconic flame that towers above the temporary, quarter-mile asphalt track.
NASCAR announced earlier this month that 27 cars will compete in the 150-lap Clash main event. Up to 40 NASCAR Cup Series drivers will attempt to qualify for that main event via four heat races and two last-chance qualifiers that will determine the final field of 27.
Practice and qualifying for the 2023 Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum will begin at 3 p.m. PT on Saturday, Feb. 4. Heat races will begin at 2 p.m. PT on Sunday, Feb. 5, followed by a performance from hip-hop legends Cypress Hill. And then shortly after 5 p.m. PT, the green flag will drop on the main event, which will feature a special mid-race performance by Wiz Khalifa. It’s one of the many anticipated events taking place this year as a part of the venue’s centennial anniversary celebration – “Coliseum Forever.”
