Christopher Bell, the only driver to make the Championship 4 each of the past two years, failed to qualify for Saturday night’s Clash at the Coliseum.
This is the first time a Joe Gibbs Racing car has failed to make the Clash in the three years it has been held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Bell’s teammate, Denny Hamlin, won the Clash pole.
The top 22 qualifiers made the field, along with one provisional (reigning champion Ryan Blaney).
MORE: Denny Hamin wins Clash pole; starting lineup
Bell was among the 13 drivers who failed to make the field for the exhibition race. The event was moved to Saturday night because of rain forecasted for Los Angeles beginning Sunday.
Also failing to make the feature was Austin Dillon, who finished second in this race a year ago and was third in the inaugural Clash at the Coliseum in 2022.
Chris Buescher failed to make this race for the third consecutive year.
Also not making the Clash were Daniel Suarez, Erik Jones, Austin Cindric, Harrison Burton, Josh Williams, Carson Hocevar, Josh Berry, Daniel Hemric, Kaz Grala and Zane Smith
The past two Daytona 500 winners (Cindric in 2022 and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in 2023) each failed to make the feature at the Clash in the year they went on to win the 500.
Each of the past two years, there have been three drivers who failed to make the feature who went on to make the playoffs.