NTT IndyCar Series: Big Machine Music City Grand Prix Preview

Marcus Ericsson leads the 2021 Big Machine Music City Grand Prix on the Streets of Nashville. [Media Credit-Penske Entertainment: Joe Skibinski]

Last season in the inaugural Music City Grand Prix at Nashville, eventual winner Marcus Ericsson thought his race was over on lap 4 after driving into and through the back of the IndyCar driven by Sebastien Bourdais. Ericsson pitted, was penalized, changed his front wing and then proceeded to drive from the back of the grid to the front in 25 laps. With Ericsson leading, polesitter (and the fastest guy all weekend) Colten Herta was challenging for the lead. But with five laps to go, Herta had a meeting with the wall that ended his day. Ericsson took home the victory.

So, here we are for the second running of the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix on Sunday and we will see if the drama and action matches last season. Spoiler alert, it probably will.

Will Power leads the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship with four races to go for the second time in his INDYCAR SERIES career. Power also led the championship with four races to go in 2010 but did not win the title.

The nine points that separate Will Power and defending race winner Ericsson is the third-closest point margin since 2008. Before this season, the average lead with four races to go since 2008 was 37.6 points.

NTT INDYCAR SERIES Notes:

• There have been eight different winners in 13 NTT INDYCAR SERIES races in the 2022 season. Scott McLaughlin (Streets of St. Petersburg, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course), Josef Newgarden (Texas Motor Speedway, Streets of Long Beach, Road America, Iowa Speedway-1), Pato O’Ward (Barber Motorsports Park, Iowa Speedway-2), Colton Herta (Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course-1), Marcus Ericsson (Indianapolis 500), Will Power (Raceway at Belle Isle Park), Scott Dixon (Streets of Toronto) and Alexander Rossi (Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course-2) have all won in 2022. The record for most different winners in a season is 11 in 2000, 2001 and 2014.
• The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix will be 14th race of the 2022 season and the fifth and final temporary street circuit race of the 17-race NTT INDYCAR SERIES season. Team Penske has won three of the previous four events with Scott McLaughlin winning St. Petersburg on Feb. 27, Josef Newgarden winning at Long Beach April 10 and Will Power winning at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park on June 5. Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon won at Toronto on July 17.
• Firestone will use the racetrack as a proving ground to demonstrate the performance of a new sustainable natural rubber derived from guayule, a desert shrub grown in the American Southwest. Firestone Firehawk race tires made with guayule-derived natural rubber were introduced at the Indy 500 Pit Stop Challenge in May and will make their competition debut as the alternate race tire at the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix in Nashville. The guayule natural rubber is located within the Firestone Firehawk’s sidewall. Bridgestone race tire engineers decided to use the guayule rubber in the entire sidewall because that area is made up of the most natural rubber. This allows Firestone to maintain the same quality and performance as the existing race tire. Bridgestone plans to incorporate guayule natural rubber into more of its race tires starting in 2023.
• Milestones: Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 302nd consecutive start, the second-longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history … With his next win, Dixon will break a tie with Mario Andretti and give him sole possession of second on the INDYCAR SERIES all-time victory list with 53 wins … With his next pole position, Will Power will tie Mario Andretti for the INDYCAR SERIES record for most career poles with 67 … With his next win, Power will tie Michael Andretti for fourth on the INDYCAR SERIES all-time victory list with 42.

Race weekend: Friday, Aug. 5 – Sunday, Aug. 7

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

Race distance: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: 80 laps / 168 miles | Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires: 35 laps / 73.5 miles / 55 minutes

Push-to-pass parameters: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: 200 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 20 seconds per activation. | Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires: 150 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 15 seconds per activation.

Firestone tire allotment: Six sets primary, four sets alternate to be used during the event weekend. One additional set of primary tires may be used by teams fielding a rookie driver. Teams must use one set of primary and one set of new (sticker) alternate tires for at least two laps in the race.

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

Event website: www.musiccitygp.com/

2021 race winner: Marcus Ericsson (No. 8 Bryant Chip Ganassi Racing Honda)
2021 NTT P1 Award winner: Colton Herta (No. 26 Gainbridge Honda), 1:13.6835, 102.601 mph
Qualifying lap record: Colton Herta, 1:13.6835, 102.601 mph, Aug. 7, 2021

NBC Sports race telecast: Big Machine Music City Grand Prix 3 p.m. ET Sunday, Aug. 7, NBC (live). Leigh Diffey is the play-by-play announcer for NBC’s coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe.

Peacock Premium Live Streaming: All NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice sessions and qualifying will stream live on Peacock Premium, NBC’s direct-to-consumer livestreaming product, while NBC’s race telecast of the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix will be simulcast on the streaming service. Peacock Premium’s exclusive post-race show – featuring driver interviews, podium ceremonies and post-race analysis – will be streamed following the race. The Indy Lights Music City Grand Prix will be streamed on Peacock Premium with practice and qualifying being shown on INDYCAR Live!

INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside analyst Davey Hamilton. Jake Query, Nick Yeoman and Michael Young are the turn announcers. Ryan Myrehn and Joel Sebastianelli are the pit reporters. The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix race (3 p.m. ET Sunday), Indy Lights Music City Grand Prix (1 p.m. ET Sunday) and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES and Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires practices and qualifying sessions air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM 160, and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.

At-track schedule (all times local):
FRIDAY, AUG. 5
2-2:50 p.m. – Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires Practice, INDYCAR Live!
3:15-4:30 p .m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice (75 minutes), Peacock Premium

SATURDAY, AUG. 6
10:15-10:55 a.m. – Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires Practice, INDYCAR Live!
11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice (45 minutes limited guarantee), Peacock Premium
2:40-3 p.m. – Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires Qualifying, INDYCAR Live!
3:30 p.m. – Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (three rounds of NTT INDYCAR SERIES knockout qualifications), Peacock Premium

SUNDAY, AUG. 7
9:15-9:45 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES warmup, Peacock Premium
12:05 p.m. – Indy Lights Music City Grand Prix “Drivers, start your engines”
12:10 p.m. – Indy Lights Music City Grand Prix (35 laps/73.5 miles/55 minutes), Peacock Premium
2 p.m. – NBC on air
2:23 p.m. – Big Machine Music City Grand Prix “Drivers, start your engines”
2:30 p.m. – Big Machine Music City Grand Prix (80 laps/160.8 miles), NBC (Live)
 

RacingNation Crew

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