Martin Truex Jr wins Clash at the Coliseum with Daytona 500 on the horizon
Martin Truex Jr. started the 2023 NASCAR season on a high with a win at Sunday’s Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Truex started the Clash on the outside row next to Aric Almirola, but fought to stay in contention for first place the entire race and avoided getting swept away by any of the 16 warning flags which were waved over the 150 laps.
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#11 Sport Clips Haircuts Toyota driver Denny Hamlin and #19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota driver Martin Truex Jr. race during the NASCAR Clash at The Coliseum at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on February 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California .
(Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
The #19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota held off Austin Dillon, Kyle Busch, Alex Bowman and Kyle Larson for the win. Busch finished in third place after being caught in a spin towards the end of the race. Busch and Dillon led Richard Childress Racing into the top five.
Bubba Wallace was battling for the lead in the #23 Toyota Door Dash, but Dillon spun him on lap 143. Wallace finished 22nd and the last car on the lead lap.
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Toyota #19 Bass Pro Shops driver Martin Truex Jr. looks on before the NASCAR Clash at The Coliseum at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on February 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California
(Chris Gray then/Getty Images)
Although this is a pre-season race, Truex will certainly be happy to be at Victory Lane and shake off the winless drought. The 2017 champion didn’t win a race last season and last won a regular-season event at Richmond in 2021.
The 42-year-old New Jersey native has 31 career NASCAR Cup wins.
This is the second year in a row that the event has taken place at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Clash had already taken place in the days preceding the Daytona 500 but the event was moved.
Cars race during the Busch Light Clash NASCAR Exhibition Auto Race Qualifying portion at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023 in Los Angeles.
(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The #14 Mahindra Tractors Ford, driven by Chase Briscoe, is parked on the track before the NASCAR Clash at The Coliseum at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on February 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
(Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
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The 2023 season officially begins with the Daytona 500 on February 19.
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