By: Spencer Neff
August 4, 2023

Following a weekend off, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES returns for the first of five races in six week to conclude the 2023 season. Sunday will also mark the last temporary street circuit of the season. For the third time, the streets of Nashville, Tennessee will host the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix,

It will also be the last race for the venue’s current layout. On Thursday afternoon, it was announced that next year’s race will be the 2024 season finale. Included in that announcement was the layout for a new circuit around the streets of Tennessee’s capital.

Headlines

After two dominant victories in the Hy-vee INDYCAR Doubleheader Weekend at Iowa Speedway, Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden will look to win for the first time at his home track. The native of nearby Hendersonville started and finished sixth in last year’s race. During the inaugural event in 2021, he started 12th and worked his way up to 10th during the 80-lap race.

Despite not qualifying up front in either instance, Chip Ganassi Racing has won both races on the 2.1-mile, 11-turn circuit. In 2021, Marcus Ericsson started 18th, overcame a wild incident with Sebastien Bourdais and subsequent penalty to win.

Last year, Scott Dixon qualified 14th and held off pole winner and fellow New Zealander Scott McLaughlin by .1067 of a second, the closes INDYCAR finish on a street course. Points leader Alex Palou and Rookie of the Year standings leader Marcus Armstrong will look to continue that streak for CGR.

If Ganassi or another Honda-powered entry wins on Sunday, Honda will sweep this year’ street course slate, something the engined manufacturer has not done since 2018. Chevrolet did so in 2015 and 2016. This season, their only win on a road course has been Scott McLaughlin (Barber) with Team Penske.

Among the notable storylines will be the series debut of Linus Lundqvist. The 2022 INDY Lights (now INDY NXT by Firestone) Champion will drive the No. 60 as Simon Pagenaud continues to be sidelined following his practice crash at Mid-Ohio on July 1.

“Sitting on the sidelines all year, it would be a massive task to join any championship towards the end of the season – let alone the NTT INDYCAR SERIES on the streets of Nashville,” he expressed in Monday’s announcement.

“There’s been very little time to prepare, but I feel like the sheer excitement of this moment will make up for some of that. Of course, working alongside Helio – one of the true legends of this sport – will also be a huge asset.”

Big Machine Music City Grand Prix Fast Facts 

Spotter Guide Pit Assignments Track Map Past Driver Performances

Race weekend. : Friday, Aug. 4 – Sunday, Aug. 6

Track: Streets of Nashville, an 11-turn, 2.1-mile temporary street course in Nashville, Tennessee

Race distance: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: 80 laps / 168 miles | INDY NXT by Firestone: 35 laps /73.5 miles / 55 minutes

Push-to-pass parameters: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: 150 seconds of total time with a maximumtime of 15 seconds per activation. | INDY NXT by Firestone: 150 seconds of total time with amaximum time of 15 seconds per activation

Firestone tire allotment: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Six sets primary, four sets alternate to be usedduring the event weekend. One additional set of primary tires may be used by teams fielding arookie driver. Teams must use one set of primary and one set of new (sticker) alternate tires for atleast two laps in the race. INDY NXT by Firestone: Three new sets to be used during the eventweekend. A carryover set from the Mid-Ohio event may be used during the first practice.

Twitter: @MusicCityGP, @IndyCar, #MusicCityGP, #INDYCAR

Instagram: @musiccitygp, @INDYCAR, #MusicCityGP, #INDYCAR

Facebook: @musiccitygp, @INDYCAR, #INDYCAR

TikTok: @INDYCAR, #INDYCAR

YouTube: @INDYCAR

Event website: http://www.musiccitygp.com/

INDYCAR website: http://www.IndyCar.com

2022 race winners:

NTT INDYCAR SERIES

Scott Dixon (No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda)

INDY NXT by Firestone

Linus Lundqvist (No. 26 HMD Motorsports with Dale Coyne Racing)

2022 NTT P1 Award winner: Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 Dex Imaging Team Penske Chevrolet),1:14.5555, 101.401 mph

Qualifying lap record:

NTT INDYCAR SERIES

Colton Herta, 1:13.6835, 102.601 mph, Aug. 7, 2021

INDY NXT by Firestone

No qualifications held in 2022.

NBC Sports race telecast: Big Machine Music City Grand Prix, noon ET Sunday, Aug. 6, NBC(live). Leigh Diffey is the play-by-play announcer for NBC’s coverage of the NTT INDYCARSERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe. Kevin Lee, Dave Burns andDillon Welch are the pit reporters.

Peacock Live Streaming: All NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice sessions and qualifying will streamlive on Peacock, NBC’s direct-to-consumer live-streaming product, while NBC’s race telecast of the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix will be simulcast on the streaming service. The INDY NXT by Firestone Music City Grand Prix will be streamed on Peacock, with practice and qualifying beingshown on INDYCAR LIVE.

INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside analyst DaveyHamilton. Jake Query, Nick Yeoman and Michael Young are the turn announcers. Ryan Myrehn,Alex Wollf and Georgia Henneberry are the pit reporters. The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix (noon ET Sunday), The INDY NXT by Firestone Music City Grand Prix (10 a.m. ET Sunday)and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone practices and qualifying sessions air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM 160, racecontrol.indycar.com and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.

At-track schedule (all times local):

Friday, Aug. 4

1:55-2:40 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone practice, INDYCAR LIVE

3-4:15 p.m. — NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice (75 minutes), Peacock

Saturday, Aug. 5

9:35-10:20 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone practice, INDYCAR LIVE

10:40-11:40 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice (45 minutes green flag time or 60 minutes),Peacock

1:05-1:25 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Qualifying (eight minutes green flag or 15 minutes),INDYCAR LIVE

1:45 p.m. – Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (three rounds of NTT INDYCAR SERIES knockoutqualifications), Peacock

5:25-5:55 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES final practice, Peacock

Sunday, Aug. 6

9:10 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Music City Grand Prix “Drivers, start your engines”

9:15 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Music City Grand Prix (35 laps/73.5 miles/55 minutes),Peacock (live)

11 a.m. – NBC on air

11:23 a.m. – Big Machine Music City Grand Prix “Drivers, start your engines”

11:30 a.m. – Big Machine Music City Grand Prix (80 laps/168 miles), NBC (live)

Header Image By Joe Skibinski/INDYCAR