LOS ANGELES — Martin Truex Jr. won NASCAR’s return to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for its preseason exhibition race — a sloppy Sunday night extravaganza in which the Wiz Khalifa halftime show might have been the most entertaining part of the event.
Truex took the lead with 25 laps to go in the Busch Light Clash, a 150-lap race that moved from Daytona International Speedway to the Coliseum in 2022. NASCAR built a temporary quarter-mile track inside the iconic venue in a bold attempt to try something radically different.
Truex, who contemplated retirement during last year’s winless Cup Series season, won for the first time since Sept. 11, 2021.
“Last year was a pretty rough season for us with no wins, and to come out here and kick it off this way, really proud of all these guys,” said Truex, the 2017 season’s champion.
The exhibition came two weeks ahead of the Cup Series opener in Florida, the Daytona 500.