While this weekend isn’t the official start to the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season, it’s still a big deal. And a bigger one than usual.
The official start is with the Daytona 500 on Feb. 20 (plus the week leading up to it), but Sunday’s Clash at The Coliseum is the sport’s annual preseason exhibition event. However, instead of The Clash being held at Daytona International Speedway, as was tradition, it’s at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
The famed Coliseum is the home for USC Trojans football, and over the years, it’s also hosted everything from the Olympics to Super Bowls and the World Series. And now, NASCAR.
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Breaking ground in December, NASCAR began constructing a 0.25-mile asphalt oval inside the Coliseum. It was made specifically for this race, and the finished product looks pretty spectacular — even without cars on the track yet.
We’ve highlighted the construction process in photos, but here’s a look at the track being built in a 60-second time-lapse video from NASCAR Productions:
Pretty cool. And as a reference, here’s what the stadium looked like only a few months ago during USC’s season.
Officially called Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum, the exhibition race is set for Sunday, Feb. 6 (6 p.m. ET, FOX).
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