By: Spencer Neff
August 5, 2023
Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin becam the first two-time pole winner for the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix on the streets of Nashville, Tennessee. Last year’s pole winner set a fastest lap of 1m14.6099 (101.327 mph)
It is McLaughlin’s fourth career pole and first since Portland last year. The Christchurch, New Zealand native and 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Rookie of the Year has finished first or second in all three previous races where he started on the pole, including two victories (St. Petersburg and Portland International Raceway).
After winning the pole for the 2022 race, he finished second in the closest street course finish in series history (.1046 of a second). Tomorrow, he leads the 27-car field to the green flag for the 80-lap race on the 2.1-mile, 11-turn temporary course.
Round 3-Fast 6
McLaughlin was best for the second time in his four on-track qualifying sessions, beating out Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward by .3296 of a second.
O’Ward gives Chevrolet their first front row sweep since last year’s season finale at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
That was also their last pole on a road/street course, ending their eight-race pole drought. Including Will Power’s pole sweep at Iowa, Penske has now won pole for the last three races.
Prior to Saturday, Chevrolet’s last front row sweep on a street course was at the 2022 opener in St. Petersburg.
McLaughlin is also the only Chevrolet driver to win on a road course in 2023, winning at Barber Motorsports Park on April 30.
The next pair of rows will be occupied by Hondas, including Andretti Autosport’s Colton Herta, points leader Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing along with Dale Coyne Racing with HMD Motorsports’ David Malukas as well as Herta’s teammate Romain Grosjean.
Malukas, Herta and McLaughlin have qualified in the Top Five for each of the last two races.
Round 2-Fast 12
O’Ward (1m14.5944-101.348 mph) topped the six drivers who would eventually run for the pole. Joining him in the Fast Six would be Herta, Palou,, McLaughlin, Grosjean and Malukas.
A late effort was not enough to vault Team Penske’s Will Power into the top half-dozen and he will roll off seventh tomorrow. Joining him in that group of drivers who did not advanced were Kyle Kirkwood, Josef Newgarden, Alexander Rossi, Linus Lundqvist and Scott Dixon. They will start 7th-12th for the race.
Lundqvist, making his first INDYCAR start in place of Simon Pagenaud, was the highest-qualifying rookie and the sole driver of those five to advance past Round 1.
With 18 seconds remaining, Chip Ganassi Racing’s Dixon crashed after hitting both the inside and outside retaining walls in Turn 11. The 2022 race winner would be penalized in accordance with Rule 8.3.6. and start 12th.
The rule states: “If a Car causes a Red Condition in any segment, the Car’s best two (2) timed laps of the segment shall be disallowed, the Car may not continue in the segment, and the Car shall not advance to the next segment.”
Round 1-Group 1
McLaughlin (1m15.1629-100.582 mph) would lead the first group of cars on track for the late afternoon session. Advancing with him would be Dixon, Malukas, Rossi, Newgarden and Lundqvist.
Unable to advance past Round 1 were Christian Lundgaard, Graham Rahal, Helio Castroneves, Rinus VeeKay, Santino Ferrucci, Agustin Canapino and Benjamin Pedersen. They will start on the inside of Rows 7-13.
Just over a minute into Group 1 during the opening round, A.J. Foyt Racing’s Pedersen locked up the brakes on his No. 55 entry in Turn 11. Unable to resume on his own, the AMR INDYCAR Safety Team would help to refire his Chevrolet-powered machine. However, his session was effectively over.
In accordance with Rule 8.3.6, he was penalized:
“If a Car causes a Red Condition in any segment, the Car’s best two (2) timed laps of the segment shall be disallowed, the Car may not continue in the segment, and the Car shall not advance to the next segment.”
Round 1-Group 2
Colton Herta (1m15.003-100.796) and Kyle Kirkwood topped the speed chart in a 1-2 effort for Andretti Autosport. Advancing with them to Round 2 (Fast 12) would be Palou, O’Ward, Grosjean and Power.
Missing the cut would be Felix Rosenqvist, Marcus Armstrong,Callum Ilott Marcus Ericsson, Jack Harvey, Sting Ray Robb, Devlin DeFrancesco and Ryan Hunter-Reay. Hunter-Reay will start last on the 27-car grid. The other six will lineup on the outside of Rows 7-13.
Up Next
Due to inclement weather and resulting schedule changes, tonight’s previously scheduled 30-minute final practice was canceled. Tomorrow’s race will be the next time on track for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.
Here is the race day schedule for this weekend’s on-track sessions. Keep up with the latest on the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix from IndyCar1909.
Sunday, Aug. 6
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
IndyCar1909.com 