TC Daily Pit Stop: Martin Truex Jr. Survives Quarter-Mile Craziness for Busch Light Clash Victory + Race Results, and Highlights!
TC Daily Pit Stop: Monday, February 6th, 2023
Martin Truex Jr. Survives Quarter-Mile Craziness for First Victory in the Busch Light Clash
Photo Credit: David Rosenblum, LAT Images, Courtesy of Toyota Racing
It’s not often you see a NASCAR Cup Series event as crazy as that one. With that being said, you also don’t see drivers at NASCAR’s top-level competing elbow-to-elbow on a quarter-mile track, so maybe it comes with the territory.
For Martin Truex Jr., a victory in the 2023 Busch Light Clash at the LA Memorial Coliseum helps the Mayetta, New Jersey-native tend to the wounds of a rough 2022 season, where he went winless for the first time since 2014.
Driving the No. 19 for Joe Gibbs Racing, Truex was able to take the lead from Ryan Preece with 25 to go, when the Stewart-Haas Racing driver suffered from electrical issues after leading a race-high 43 laps.
However, during the race’s final couple of stints, the Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry TRD was clearly the fastest car on track, pulling a gap on Richard Childress Racing teammates Austin Dillon and Kyle Busch to win by 0.786 seconds.
Austin Dillon, Kyle Busch, Alex Bowman, and Kyle Larson each scored finishes inside the top-five. Tyler Reddick, Ryan Preece, Ross Chastain, Denny Hamlin, and William Byron rounded out the top-10.
RACE RECAP
INSPECTION REPORT
RACE RESULTS
Video: Rivalry Renewed? Denny Hamlin Goes for a Spin in Clash After Contact From Chastain
Screenshot: FOX Broadcast
It goes without saying that there has been no love lost between Denny Hamlin and Ross Chastain over the past 12 months. In Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Busch Light Clash at the LA Memorial Coliseum, the two drivers found each other once again.
On Lap 74, Hamlin was attempting to work his way back up through the field after being nudged from the lead by Bubba Wallace on lap 43, when Chastain made contact with the rear of Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota.
Both Hamlin and Chastain would finish inside the top-10 at the end of the night.
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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Jeffrey Earnhardt (Learning from his past and pushing to build his own legacy)
In a 49-minute exclusive interview, Jeffrey Earnhardt doesn’t dodge any questions. The grandson of the legendary Dale Earnhardt talks about his emotions of his grandfather’s team being shut down several years ago, what happened with his iK9 deal a few years ago, how he is primed for a full-time season with Alpha Prime Racing and a lot more. The interview is available exclusively for paid subscribers of the TC Daily Pit Stop.
Video: Ryan Blaney Gets Turned Early in Busch Light Clash, Collects Chase Elliott and Others
Screenshot: FOX Broadcast
We expected things to get somewhat crazy, but I don’t think we expected a five-car accident within the first 25 laps of the Busch Light Clash.
The accident started when Ryan Blaney, running inside the top-10, was spun around at the entrance to turn one, by Chase Briscoe, sending the No. 12 Ford Mustang up to the outside lane, and in the path of oncoming traffic.
After the initial spin by Blaney, oncoming traffic made the accident even larger, when Daniel Suarez didn’t have adequate time to get stopped, slamming into the No. 12. Then, the track was essentially blocked, collecting Chase Elliott and Ty Gibbs.
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Video: Chase Elliott, Ricky Stenhouse, and Kevin Harvick Engage in Final-Lap Brawl for Transfer Spot in Heat 2
Screenshot: FOX Broadcast
Well… there was definitely some clashing to get into the Busch Light Clash.
In a matter of approximately 14 seconds, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. went from in the transfer position to make the main event, to being shoved to the outside of the track and relegated to the LCQ.
The final lap started with a bump from Kevin Harvick to Chase Elliott, who was on the inside of Ricky Stenhouse Jr, allowing the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion to be momentarily into the main event.
Of course, being on a quarter-mile track, the full-contact racing wasn’t over, with Stenhouse charging into the final corner, and knocking himself and Elliott up the track. That move, allowed Harvick to sneak underneath Elliott, for a photo finish for the final spot.
Harvick would ultimately be awarded fifth place and a transfer into the 150-lap main event by 0.016 seconds, with Chase Elliott being tossed to the LCQ, along with Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Austin Cindric, and BJ McLeod.
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OTHER HEADLINES:
Kevin Harvick Officially Joining NASCAR on FOX Booth in 2024
Aric Almirola Secures Pole for Busch Light Clash, 27-Driver Field Set for Main Event
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