Round 14: Big Machine Music City Grand Prix, August 05--07, Nashville, Tennessee.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Round 14: Big Machine Music City Grand Prix, August 05--07, Nashville, Tennessee.

Last year Nashville, the music capital of Country and Western, hosted the inaugural Big Machine Music City Grand Prix. After three years of negotiations between Nashville sports and tourism officials and IndyCar series executives, which had previously 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 Indy 200, which was 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 itself was marred by 9 caution periods, consisting of 33 laps and 2 red flags.

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Track layout:


The track layout was designed by former IndyCar Project Manager Tony Cotnam, and is 2.17 miles (3.49 km) long with 11 turns. The track layout is highlighted by and features the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge, which utilises the bridge as the main straight away in both directions.

Since last year's race, a number of changes have been made. In order to reduce the traffic jams and multi-car crashes that caused mayhem during restarts, the restarts have been moved from the stretch between Turns 11 and 1, in front of Nissan Stadium, to the long straight exiting the Korean Veteran's Bridge that goes into Turn 9, which served as the section of the track where the 2021 race was started.

The large bump, that sent cars airborne in Turn 5, has been repaved. The exceptionally wide section entering Turn 9 has been narrowed to 50 feet, in order to add more hospitality suites and at the the narrow Turn 11, has been widened by six feet at the apex.

Work has also taken place to soften going on and off of the Korean Veteran's Bridge, in order to reduce the hard bottoming and sideways moments encountered by the cars.

Lap record:
Colton Herta, 1:13.6835. 102.601 mph (165.120 km/h)
Andretti Autosport w/ Curb-Agajanian.
Dallara IR18-Honda HI21R Indy-V-6

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Last year's race:
https://www.motorsport.com/indycar/n...d-win/6644656/

Pole
Colton Herta, 1:13.6835. 102.601 mph (165.120 km/h)
Andretti Autosport w/ Curb-Agajanian.
Dallara IR18-Honda HI21R Indy-V-6.

Winner
Marcus Ericsson,
Chip Ganassi Racing
Dallara IR18-Honda HI21R Indy-V-6

Laps: 80
Distance: 173.6 Miles (279.38 Km)
Race Time: 2:18:50
Average Speed: 99.074 Mph (159.444 Km/h)
Fastest lap: Colton Herta, Andretti Autosport w/ Curb-Agajanian. Lap 30, 76.3064 sec. 99.074 mph (159.444 km/h)

Cautions: 9
Laps: 2 - 3, 5 - 8, 16 - 18, 20 - 22, 31 - 35, 41 - 49, 51 - 52, 55 - 56, 75 - 77

Red flags: 2
Laps: 20, 77.

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Practice and Qualifications

Practice 1
Friday, Aug 5
4:15 PM - 5:30 PM ET

Practice 2
Saturday, Aug 6
12:15 PM - 1:15 PM ET

Qualifications - Round 1 Group 1
Saturday, Aug 6
4:30 PM - 4:40 PM ET

Qualifications - Round 1 Group 2
Saturday, Aug 6
4:50 PM - 5:00 PM ET

Qualifications - Round 2
Saturday, Aug 6
5:10 PM - 5:20 PM ET

Qualifications - Firestone Fast 6
Saturday, Aug 6
5:30 PM - 5:45 PM ET

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TV Coverage: Aug 7
NBC: 3:00pm ET, 7:00pm UTC
Sky Sports F1, 8:00pm BST

[bjohnsonsmith]

Firestone's Firehawk guayule race tire to make its on-track debut at the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix.

https://www.indycar.com/news/2022/08...R6Miuh9SzYoTmU

[NaBUru38]

Let's hope there's no red flags.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Firestone's Firehawk guayule race tire to make its on-track debut at the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix.

https://www.indycar.com/news/2022/08...R6Miuh9SzYoTmU

That will actually be pretty interesting to see how the new tires behave on the streets. I'm guessing the construction will be about what they are used to using but you never know!

[bjohnsonsmith]

Qualifying delayed due to a storm.


https://www.indycar.com/news/2022/08...uals-nashville

[broadrun96]

And didn't go well for AA in session 1, Rossi, Defrancesco and Herta out. Herta caused a red so he should lose his time and can't advance, right?

Two reds in the session for AA cars, group 2 needs to GO from the start. And this reds vs green all weekend is gonna be stupid

[broadrun96]

SHUT UP, same rules for everyone Simon. Your team is just stupid and tries to out think the rest. Others turned a couple laps and you and McLaren thought you were being slick. It's not best time for you, it's the same time for everyone

[broadrun96]

And then clean 9 minutes of Group 2 after 2 reds in Group 1. MSR's setup doesn't seem to be good enough for Fast 12 anyway Simon, way off almost JJ pace

RLL and Penske both looking good, all 3 RLLs advance. Foyt's cars are both looking decent, Kirkwood was almost in with Kellet in Fast 12 from Group 1.

[broadrun96]

Power could be out to bump O'Ward back in, went too deep and local yellow that could have impeded Pato's lap. Power to lose fastest lap at that time, RC back checking on times

And Power is out, no tie with Mario this weekend. Well done by him in the interview right out of the car, understanding what the rule is and knowing that's what happens. Not a Power fan in general but kudos sir, good call calm interview right after you could have gone to tie Mario and had been fast all day

[broadrun96]

Fast 6, 5 on greens (yup that's the reds) and Josef on primaries. Greens age like milk in the sun so it will be interesting and Lundgaard BURNED up that set in a couple corners with a lock up

[broadrun96]

Well the primary gamble for JoNew didn't work, slowest for him.

McLaughlin takes pole, the sole AA car in Grosjean second, Lundgaard third and he threw a big lap up early to make the others chase it.

[mstets]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Power could be out to bump O'Ward back in, went too deep and local yellow that could have impeded Pato's lap. Power to lose fastest lap at that time, RC back checking on times

And Power is out, no tie with Mario this weekend. Well done by him in the interview right out of the car, understanding what the rule is and knowing that's what happens. Not a Power fan in general but kudos sir, good call calm interview right after you could have gone to tie Mario and had been fast all day

I missed this story. Had a bad connection and the whole qualifying session was stop and start. I thought that I eventually saw the whole session but wasn't aware that Power lost a fast lap.



I count 8 teams represented in the top 12 qualifiers. Wondering if that is the highest number this season. Interesting to note that both Penske and RLL put all 3 of their cars in the top 12.



Looks like it will be Penske's race but anything can happen.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Qualifying Result:

[Mogster]

O’Ward saying cockpit heat with the Aeroscreen is going to be a problem for the race.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Mogster

O’Ward saying cockpit heat with the Aeroscreen is going to be a problem for the race.

Given the amount of wall contact in practice I'm expecting a lot of yellow flag running. That might make it even hotter with less air moving

sent during haircut

[fieldodreams79]

If the storms in Tennessee have been anything like the ones of late in Georgia, they blow up quick and hang out for a loooong time.

Hope it clears soon! Might switch over to Cup in Michigan.

Edit - wet and delayed there too

[tux]

Annoying thing is that by the time the lightning clears the track is dry.

[broadrun96]

Yup, and lightning will be on everyone's mind. Multiple deaths this week from lightning including 3 on the White House park grounds.

AIG Open in a playoff so NBC pre-race could be booted to Peacock only. Storms look like they will determine the race and there's more to the west

[bjohnsonsmith]

They were saying on IndyCar radio, there is a 30 minute rule regarding lightning strikes. So if no more strikes after 30 minutes, racing can go ahead.

[broadrun96]

Yeah, I fell down the rabbit hole one day after Sebring and was a lifeguard in high school so wondered how it changed. We were 45 min after last heard thunder, the newer rules are based on sensors for detection plus 30 min. I didn't see a Tenn law but Florida it was detection to I believe 25 miles. But Florida is FLAT, wonder if Tenn tightens that based on elevation changes

[broadrun96]

CNBC start for those watching not on Peacock, women playing the 18th at Muirfield for the 5th time in playoff on the main event

[Mogster]

More lightning, clock is re-set… Heavy rain coming in also, doesn’t sound promising.

[broadrun96]

Rain generally moving NNE on radar

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

CNBC start for those watching not on Peacock, women playing the 18th at Muirfield for the 5th time in playoff on the main event

Cool. If they’re sensible they’ll stick with the golf even if the storm passes.

We’re playing parlor games. Cups, ping pong balls, chopsticks the lot. Feeling quite dizzy after one of the challenges.

[broadrun96]

Well they finally decided to actually win before it got dark, played until 9pm at Muirfield with 2107 sunset and a balmy 15 with wind. They've stuck with the celebration cause well why not, the 85 fans waiting to watch Indy is likely smaller than AIG Open, and well we ain't racing anyway