Round 17: Big Machine Music, City Grand Prix. Nashville Superspeedway. Sep 13 - 15

[bjohnsonsmith]

Round 17: Big Machine Music, City Grand Prix. Nashville Superspeedway. Sep 13 - 15


Here we are, the last race of the season and with the driver's championship still to be decided. Points leader and reigning champion Alex Palou, goes into the Music City Grand Prix with a 33 point lead over Will Power.

This year's season finale will be the fourth running of the Big Machine, Music City Grand Prix at Nashville but with a difference. It was decided on August 3rd, just before last year's Big Machine Grand Prix, that the race would be the season finale from 2024 onwards. However on February. 14 this year, Big Machine Label Group Chairman and Founder Scott Borchetta, announced the race would not be held on the downtown street circuit but instead would be held at Nashville's Superspeedway, which hadn't hosted an IndyCar race since the Firestone Indy 200 in 2008.

Reasons cited for the change of venue, were the start of construction on the new Tennessee Titans Stadium, plus the proposed new layout of the street circuit would mean several key locations and the space around the stadium, allocated for teams and spectators would no longer be available.

The change of venue also means the season finale will be run on an oval for the first time since 2014, when Team Penske’s Will Power was crowned champion for the first time at the MAVTV 500 at the California Speedway in Fontana. Can he do it again?

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History

In 2021 Nashville, the music capital of Country and Western, hosted the innaugural Big Machine Music City Grand Prix. After three years of negotiations between Nashville sports and tourism officials and IndyCar series executives, which previously had resulted in three failed proposals to hold the race, it was announced on September 16, 2020, the NTT IndyCar Series would add the Music City Grand Prix to the 2021 calendar.

The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix marked the return of IndyCar to Nashville since the Firestone Indy 200, which had been held at Nashville Superspeedway between 2001 and 2008. It was also the first new street race for the IndyCar Series, since the Grand Prix of Houston in 2013.

The race was won by Marcus Ericsson, driving a Dallara IR18-Honda HI21TT Indy V6, for Chip Ganassi Racing. However it was marred by 9 caution periods, totaling 33 laps and 2 red flags. The 2022 race was not much different, with 9 caution periods, totaling 36 laps and 1red flag.

There was also a big delay to start of the race, which was scheduled for 3:30 PM ET, due to lightning in the area. The race didn't start until 5:13 PM ET. 2023 was better, with only 4 caution periods, totaling 8 laps and 1 red flag.

Some Trivia
Driver with the most wins: 0
Team with the most wins: 2 Chip Ganassi Racing, 2021, 2022

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Nashville Superspeedway
The track is a concrete oval track 1.333 miles (2.145 km) long, with 14 degree banking and was opened in 2001 to host IndyCar and the NASCAR Busch Series, now known as the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Since the track's opening, owners Dover Motorsport Inc. had tried to host a round of the lucrative NASCAR Cup Series race. However by 2011, still unable to get a Cup Series race all the major racing series had gradually left due to poor attendance, with the track and facilities essentially left desolate and abandoned for nearly a decade.

In early 2020, Cup Series drivers, Clint Bowyer and Chase Elliott, called for the series to return to the Nashville, with races to be held at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, due to it being nearer to the Nashville metropolitan area than Nashville Superspeedway.

In June 2020, owners Dover Motorsports Inc. announced plans to hold future Cup Series races at Nashville Superspeedway instead, starting in 2021. The decision came as a surprise, because of the Superspeedway's less favouranle location compared to that of the Fairgrounds.

However, because the approval processes to resume racing at the Superspeedway was simpler than the approval processes for the Fairgrounds, Dover Motorsports Inc., choose the Superspeedway over the Fairgrounds. The first Cup Series race took place on June 20, 2021, with Kyle Larson winning for Hendricks Motorsport.

In December 2021 Nashville Superspeedway was bought from Dover Motorsports Inc., by Speedway Motorsports, LLC, who own a number of other race tracks including Charlotte, Dover, Sonoma and TMS, for $131.5 million.

Track Layout



Length: 1.333 miles (2.145 km)
Turns: 4

Lap record
Sam Hornish Jr., July 19, 2003, 0:22.9685 Sec., 208.461 Mph (334.744 km/)
Team Penske, Dallara IR-02,
IRL IndyCar Series

Previous race at Nashville Superspeedway
Firestone Indy 200, Saturday, 12 Jul 2008

Pole
Hélio Castroneves
Team Penske
Dallara IR-05-Honda Indy V8

Winner
Scott Dixon
Chip Ganassi Racing
Dallara IR-05-Honda Indy V8

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Last year's race
https://www.indycar.com/news/2023/08...ille-nics-race

Pole
Scott McLaughlin,
Team Penske
Dallara IR18-Chevrolet Indy V6.

Winner
Kyle Kirkwood
Andretti Autosport
Dallara IR18-Honda HI23TT Indy V6

Laps: 80
Distance: 173.6 Miles (279.38 Km)
Race Time: 1:58:02.3028
Average Speed: 85.396 Mph (137.432 Km/h)

Fastest lap
Linus Lundqvist - Meyer Shank Racing
Lap 57, 76.7115 sec.
98.551 Mph (158.602461 Km/h)

Cautions: 4
Laps: 8

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Practice and Qualifications

Practice 1
Saturday, Sep 14
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM ET

Qualifications
Saturday, Sep 14
2:15 PM - 3:15 PM ET

Final Practice
Saturday, Sep 14
5:15 PM - 7:00 PM ET

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TV Coverage
Sunday, Sep 15
NBC, Peacock. 3:00 PM ET 7:00 PM UTC
Sky Sports F1, 8:00 PM BST

[E.B]

Serious question and excuse my ignorance but is it anywhere near the bad weather and stuff that I read is threatening parts of the US at the moment?

[joeb]

Originally Posted by E.B

Serious question and excuse my ignorance but is it anywhere near the bad weather and stuff that I read is threatening parts of the US at the moment?

Rain is potentially a problem for the weekend. It would be less of a problem if we still had the street course but construction says otherwise!

[broadrun96]

Looks like tomorrow is a complete and total waste, Saturday looking worse, Sunday may be better

Sucks for the crew guys trying to get everything going and ready in a wet wet wet paddock

[E.B]

Originally Posted by joeb

Rain is potentially a problem for the weekend. It would be less of a problem if we still had the street course but construction says otherwise!

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Looks like tomorrow is a complete and total waste, Saturday looking worse, Sunday may be better

Sucks for the crew guys trying to get everything going and ready in a wet wet wet paddock

Thanks for the info

[E.B]

Im not actually in Aus atm, still in Spain visiting my Mother, but looking at the Aus news they have a weather report re the race and contingency plans (though little detail of what those plans might be) in place. References to AEST are Aus Eastern Standard Time

The IndyCar Series season finale is scheduled to take place at Nashville Superspeedway on Monday (AEST).

Rain is set to hit Tennesse across all three days at the 1.3-mile concrete oval.

That has prompted organisers to issue a statement just days before practice is set to begin on Sunday (AEST).

“Like you, we are keenly watching the weather forecast as the remnants of Hurricane [Francine] impact central Tennessee and our neighbours to the south,” said Big Machine Records CEO and event promoter Scott Borchetta.

“Our hearts are with the people of Mississippi and Louisiana who have been bearing the brunt of the storm. While we’re hoping for clear skies, we have contingency plans to ensure a great experience no matter what.”

Borchetta said updates will be provided via Music City Grand Prix social media channels.

In years past, IndyCar has postponed races by a day due to inclement weather.

As yet, organisers haven’t stated whether that is part of their contingency plan.

“Regarding race day, it is our policy, along with the NTT IndyCar Series, to make every effort to conduct two days of racing activity as the inclement weather permits,” said Brochetta.

“We are vigilantly monitoring the weather with local and state agencies to create contingencies that prioritize the safety of our competitors and all our dedicated fans and customers.

“Our partners at the Nashville Superspeedway have all the resources we need to execute on-track activities into the evening hours.

“We will continue to monitor the weather and communicate our plans as they are finalized to all those invested in this race.

“We are still full steam ahead with the planned events, but the schedule can change with the weather.

“We will do our best to tell you what we know when we know it; just keep an eye on our social media and emails.”

IndyCar is set for two practice sessions on Sunday (AEST) as well as qualifying.

The 206-lap race is slated to start at 5am (AEST) on Monday

https://speedcafe.com/indycar-news-s...edway-weather/

Fingers crossed that contingency plans are not required and damage and inconvenience to those in the troubled areas are minimal. I know some here are from those affected areas. Thoughts, hopes and best wishes.

[v8supes]

On a serious note i dont ever remember an Indycar race being postponed until the Monday, has this ever happened? If it has, when?

Could it happen?

[E.B]

Originally Posted by v8supes

On a serious note i dont ever remember an Indycar race being postponed until the Monday, has this ever happened? If it has, when?

Could it happen?

I know of at least two rain postponements for the 500..... The 1986 race was scheduled for Sunday, May 25, but rain forced postponement until the following day, which was also washed out. The race was then rescheduled for, and successfully run, on Saturday, May 31 almost a week later.

The 1997 race was scheduled for Sunday, May 25, but was postponed by rain. Rain stopped the race after 15 laps on May 26, and it was completed on Tuesday, May 27.

Wasnt the 500 this year the subject of weather delays?

Edit, the Indy 500 website details more...

The 1967 race was rained out after 18 laps and finished the following day.
The 1973 race was started on Monday, May 28, but the first-lap accident involving Salt Walther forced the red flag, and the race was rained out before it could be restarted. It was postponed again on Tuesday, May 29, after rain began falling during the second parade lap. The race finally got under way on Wednesday, May 30, but rain again caused the race to be stopped and ruled complete after finishing 332.5 miles.

https://www.indianapolismotorspeedwa...ry/rain-delays

Those of course are all for the 500, a bit of a special race. Routine championship races that suffered weather delays I dont know but someone will.

[broadrun96]

It's been a minute, I can't find any details but I would guess last rain delay was likely Richmond or Loudoun outside of the few Indy delays

Street course would likely result in rain running or cancelled to stay on schedule so at least the oval helps there. Sunday is looking better but tomorrow could end up with them rolling by points order

[joeb]

Weather doesn't seem that bad really, low percentages on Saturday that trail off for Sunday

[bjohnsonsmith]

Alex Palou, Scott McLaughlin and Alexander Rossi receive grid penalties.


https://racer.com/2024/09/14/palou-m...for-nashville/

[broadrun96]

Palou got some work to do tomorrow, qualified 15 but guess he's going to the back at 24th. Power 4th

[bjohnsonsmith]

Qualifying Result

Congrats to Kyle Kirkwood, who takes his second career pole, his first on an oval and his first since Long Beach last year.

Driver's championship contender Will Power starts 4th, while reigning driver's champion and championship contender Alex Palou, who qualified 15th, will start 24th due to a nine-spot grid penalty for an unapproved engine change. Scotty Mac, who has a mathematical chance of winning the driver's championship, qualified 9th but will start 18th, as he also took a nine-spot grid penalty for an unapproved engine change.

[Adam43]

Having the nice new engine. Mmmm, lovely.

[v8supes]

I did wonder after watching the qualifying onboards if the bump in 3,4 would cause issues with mechanical parts and in the final practice Kirkwood has a suspension failure as he hit the bump and ended up in the wall.

[joeb]

Should be dry for the race. I'm going to be on delay but hope to have it caught up by the evening.

[broadrun96]

F1 first on a bit of FF cause ESPN thankfully told me who won before I could watch and maybe some yard stuff before and may listen to radio coverage pretending to clean up leaves and things but more excuse to have a cigar and Indy

[bjohnsonsmith]

Grid penalties for Santino Ferrucci and Christian Rasmussen, due to unapproved engine change following final practice on Saturday.

https://racer.com/2024/09/15/grid-pe...cci-rasmussen/

[bjohnsonsmith]

A clean start.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Power makes an early stop and his safety belt has come loose. He is 5 laps down.

[broadrun96]

Well that went sideways fast on seat belts for Penske again. Do up your belts guys


Oops, they just used the Nascar logo going to break there

[bjohnsonsmith]

First FCY, as Felix Rosenqvist stops on the back straight. He hit the wall and destroyed his right rear suspension.

[broadrun96]

Rosenqvist definitely had rear suspension broken before the wall and finished off on the wall, the rear went down in front of Herta

[bjohnsonsmith]

2nd FCY. Katherine Legge brushes the wall and goes off into the grass on the infield.

[broadrun96]

Stingy looking good to bring in the Leader's Circle money at almost halfway but even with the ECR car. Course he's getting that money for Malukas now