Palou on verge of 2nd straight INDYCAR championship heading into Nashville
Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) already has earned one piece of NTT INDYCAR SERIES hardware heading into this weekend’s Big Machine Music City Grand Prix at Nashville Superspeedway. But another remains on the line – one the team and its driver has claimed twice in the previous three seasons.
CGR driver Linus Lundqvist, driver of the No. 8 American Legion Honda featuring the Legion’s Be the One veteran suicide prevention messaging, already has wrapped the INDYCAR Rookie of the Year in convincing fashion. On the strength of two podium finishes and another top 10, Lundqvist has built an 81-point lead over teammate Kyffin Simpson heading into the weekend.
Meanwhile, Alex Palou – driving the No. 10 DHL Honda featuring American Legion branding – holds a 33-point lead over Will Power heading into the weekend. It’s the seventh-largest point margin with a race remaining since 2008.
Should Palou finish ninth or higher, something he’s done in 13 of 16 points races this season, he’ll clinch his third NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship in four years.
Sunday’s race is 206 laps and 267.8 miles and takes place on what has been termed Middle Tennessee’s “racing jewel.” It’s known for its high-intensity, wheel-to-wheel action, and as the season finale, it will be the first oval finale in a decade where the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship will be decided. The 1.33-mile D-shaped concrete oval features 14 degrees of banking and has hosted eight NTT INDYCAR SERIES events.
This weekend’s broadcast schedule (all times ET):
· Saturday, Sept. 14 – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 1, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; NTT INDYCAR SERIES qualifications, 2:15-3:15 p.m.; NTT INDYCAR SERIES High-Line & final practice, 5:15-7 p.m. (all Peacock).
· Sunday, Sept. 15 – Big Machine Music City Grand Prix, 3-6 p.m. (NBC and Peacock).
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Notes:
· The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix Presented by Gainbridge will be the 17th and final race of the 2024 season. There have been seven winners in 16 NTT INDYCAR SERIES races in the 2024 season. Pato O’Ward (Streets of St. Petersburg, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Milwaukee Mile-1), Scott Dixon (Streets of Long Beach, Streets of Detroit), Scott McLaughlin (Barber Motorsports Park, Iowa Speedway-1, Milwaukee Mile-2), Alex Palou (Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca), Josef Newgarden (Indianapolis 500, World Wide Technology Raceway), Will Power (Road America, Iowa Speedway-2, Portland International Raceway) and Colton Herta (Streets of Toronto) have all won in 2024. The modern record (1946-present) for the most different winners in a season is 11 in 2000, 2001 and 2014.
· The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix Presented by Gainbridge will be the seventh oval race of the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule. Five of the first six oval races were won by drivers from Team Penske – Josef Newgarden (Indianapolis 500, World Wide Technology Raceway), Scott McLaughlin (Iowa Speedway-1, Milwaukee Mile-2) and Will Power (Iowa Speedway-2). The remaining oval race (Milwaukee Mile-1) was won by Pato O’Ward of Arrow McLaren.
· The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix Presented by Gainbridge will be the ninth INDYCAR SERIES event at Nashville Superspeedway. Scott Dixon is the only former Nashville Superspeedway winner entered in the event. But Dixon, Marcus Ericsson and Kyle Kirkwood won the three editions of the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix held on the streets of downtown Nashville.
· Josef Newgarden has won 10 of the last 17 oval races on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule. Newgarden, a native of Hendersonville, Tennessee, has never raced at Nashville Superspeedway.
· Three drivers have previous starts at Nashville Superspeedway – Scott Dixon, Will Power and Graham Rahal. Dixon has six starts, most of all drivers. Only Dixon has led laps at the track, leading 247 laps in his six starts.
· Milestones: Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 339th consecutive start, extending his record streak.
To learn more about The American Legion’s Be the One veteran suicide prevention program, click here.