THE LEFT TURN
NASCAR: Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum preview, picks
Feb 4, 2022, 4:37 pm
Start your engines! Photo via: Wiki Commons
Kyle_larson_(51383019233)
The NASCAR Cup Series makes history this weekend, for the first time since 1971 the NASCAR Cup Series will race in a stadium. The race will take place in Los Angeles, California at the historic LA Coliseum. This track is a makeshift 0.25-mile oval that has similar characteristics to all the fairground tracks we see in the southeast part of the country. This will truly be a sight to be seen, and I am looking forward to seeing how this works out.
The format of this race will be much different from what we are accustomed to seeing, as there will be four 25 lap heat races that will decide who advances to the main event. The top four cars in each heat will automatically clinch a spot in the main event. For the cars that don't advance, they will be relegated to one of the last chance qualifying races, where the top three will advance and there will be no live pit stops. With the track being as narrow as it is, there will be a lot of close-quarters action. There isn’t a lot to go off of when it comes to data, except for a tire test that featured Dale Earnhardt Jr and Tony Stewart at the similar Bowman Gray Stadium. This will truly be a landmark race in NASCAR’s history
Another major storyline of this race is the emergence of the new NextGen car and its first race. A lot has gone into developing this car and while an exhibition sprint race might not be the best barometer on how the car will run everywhere else, we are sure to see some torn up equipment. It will be imperative for these drivers to keep the car in one piece, as they are now limited to seven cars for the season.
With the hype centered around this race, stadium races may become a mainstay on the schedule. NASCAR reporter Adam Stern tweeted that “If all goes well, a race could very well be coming to places like New York City, Denver, Seattle. Even international markets like Tokyo or London are on the table.” This would be a huge deal considering NASCAR has not held a race outside of Mexico or Canada since 1998 when they ran in Japan. Many have speculated on Twitter that a race in Wembley Stadium would be a possibility, personally I think this would be one of the best moves NASCAR could ever make. The only thing I would hope for is these types of races will stay exhibitions.
The driver that I have winning this race is Kyle Larson. While there isn’t a lot of statistics to go off, It is worth noting that Larson won a track similar to this in Daytona back in 2013 in a Late Model, so he definitely has experience getting around these type of racetracks. Also, he is the defending champion, which is always a plus. When asked about the new car, Kyle told reporters, “it’s about the same as the old one.” If this is the case, the rest of the field should be on high alert considering how many races he won last season. Look for the #5 Camaro to be the car to beat come Sunday.
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It’s May 1, and the Astros are turning heads—but not for the reasons anyone expected. Their resurgence, driven not by stars like Yordan Alvarez or Christian Walker, but by a cast of less-heralded names, is writing a strange and telling early-season story.
Christian Walker, brought in to add middle-of-the-order thump, has yet to resemble the feared hitter he was in Arizona. Forget the narrative of a slow starter—he’s never looked like this in April. Through March and April of 2025, he’s slashing a worrying .196/.277/.355 with a .632 OPS. Compare that to the same stretch in 2024, when he posted a .283 average, .496 slug, and a robust .890 OPS, and it becomes clear: this is something more than rust. Even in 2023, his April numbers (.248/.714 OPS) looked steadier.
What’s more troubling than the overall dip is when it’s happening. Walker is faltering in the biggest moments. With runners in scoring position, he’s hitting just .143 over 33 plate appearances, including 15 strikeouts. The struggles get even more glaring with two outs—.125 average, .188 slugging, and a .451 OPS in 19 such plate appearances. In “late and close” situations, when the pressure’s highest, he’s practically disappeared: 1-for-18 with a .056 average and a .167 OPS.
His patience has waned (only 9 walks so far, compared to 20 by this time last year), and for now, his presence in the lineup feels more like a placeholder than a pillar.
The contrast couldn’t be clearer when you look at José Altuve—long the engine of this franchise—who, in 2024, delivered in the moments Walker is now missing. With two outs and runners in scoring position, Altuve hit .275 with an .888 OPS. In late and close situations, he thrived with a .314 average and .854 OPS. That kind of situational excellence is missing from this 2025 squad—but someone else may yet step into that role.
And yet—the Astros are winning. Not because of Walker, but in spite of him.
Houston’s offense, in general, hasn’t lit up the leaderboard. Their team OPS ranks 23rd (.667), their slugging 25th (.357), and they sit just 22nd in runs scored (117). They’re 26th in doubles, a rare place for a team built on gap-to-gap damage.
But where there’s been light, it hasn’t come from the usual spots. Jeremy Peña, often overshadowed in a lineup full of stars, now boasts the team’s highest OPS at .791 (Isaac Paredes is second in OPS) and is flourishing in his new role as the leadoff hitter. Peña’s balance of speed, contact, aggression, and timely power has given Houston a surprising tone-setter at the top.
Even more surprising: four Astros currently have more home runs than Yordan Alvarez.
And then there’s the pitching—Houston’s anchor. The rotation and bullpen have been elite, ranking 5th in ERA (3.23), 1st in WHIP (1.08), and 4th in batting average against (.212). In a season where offense is lagging and clutch hits are rare, the arms have made all the difference.
For now, it’s the unexpected contributors keeping Houston afloat. Peña’s emergence. A rock-solid pitching staff. Role players stepping up in quiet but crucial ways. They’re not dominating, but they’re grinding—and in a sluggish AL West, that may be enough.
Walker still has time to find his swing. He showed some signs of life against Toronto and Detroit. If he does, the Astros could become dangerous. If he doesn’t, the turnaround we’re witnessing will be credited to a new cast of unlikely faces. And maybe, that’s the story that needed to be written.
We have so much more to discuss. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday!
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