Nashville Preview

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IndyCar returns to the oval at Nashville Superspeedway this weekend, ending a six week drought of races on ovals. It will be another six weeks before the next oval race.

Nashville had been the season finale in 2024 and 2025, but the race was moved to be the event following the World Cup in hopes of scoring a huge television rating- good for sponsors and the series. I’m not sure how many soccer fans will stick around after the game, featuring Spain and Argentina, but I think there will be a significant viewing boost.

The racing at Nashville has been great the past two years, and I’m disappointed to hear rumblings of moving the race downtown after the new football stadium is built. In your intrepid reporter’s humble opinion, that would be a mistake. Why give up an exciting oval for a dull street race on a track not likely to be much better than what we saw downtown before? If the series wants a downtown street race in Nashville, fine, as long as the oval is also on the schedule.

Alex Palou enters the weekend with a 56-point lead over Kyle Kirkwood, Christian Lundgaard and David Malukas are close behind with deficits of 65 and 66 points respectively. The battle for second place has been fascinating to watch. It seems the spot has changed hands after nearly every race this season.

Josef Newgarden has won 11 of the last 27 oval races, including two of the three in 2026. He has to be the favorite as the weekend begins. Pato O’Ward has dominated the previous two races here but has yet to find winner’s circle. David Malukas still is in search of the elusive first victory.

New Wrinkles

While the usual suspects are likely to be at the front on race day, a couple of changes to the format might add more intrigue to the event. The race distance has increased for third consecutive year, jumping to 300 laps, 399 miles. on Sunday. 400 miles would be too long of a race. Last year the race distance was 225 laps; in 2024 the distance was 206 laps.

The 2025 race ran 1 hour, 54 minutes. Sunday’s race should last 30-35 minutes longer.

Like on street circuits, teams must use two sets of alternate tires during the race, which feature at least five pit stops per car, possibly six. The strategy will be interesting to watch.

There is some rain in the forecast for Sunday, and the chance increase because of the heating during the day. A rain delay would be devastating to the TV number IndyCar is hoping for.

As for the winner, Pato O’Ward finally leads the correct lap at Nashville for his second straight series win. Arrow McLaren has all the momentum. The team has won the last races and one pole. O’Ward and Lundgaard dominated Mid-Ohio. look for the papaya express to continue.

Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix Presented by OnlyBulls Fast Facts 

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From IndyCar:

 Race weekend: Saturday, July 18-Sunday, July 19
Track: Nashville Superspeedway, a 1.33-mile oval in Lebanon, Tennessee
Race distance:NTT INDYCAR SERIES Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix presented by OnlyBulls: 300 laps/399 miles INDY NXT by Firestone INDY NXT by Firestone Music City Grand Prix: 65 laps/86 .45 miles

|Weekend Event Schedule (PDF)

Hybrid energy deployment parameters:
NTT INDYCAR SERIESUnlimited activation with a maximum deployment of 140 kilojoules (kJ) per lap.

Firestone tire allotment:
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Seven sets primary, five sets alternate to be used during the event weekend. Teams must use one set of primary and two sets of alternate tires during the race. One additional set is available for use during the high-line group practice session on Saturday.

INDY NXT by FirestoneThree new sets for use throughout the event weekend. A carryover set from the April 2 Open Test held at Nashville may be used during the pre-qualifying practice session Saturday.

X: @musiccitygp, @IndyCar, @INDYNXT, #INDYCAR, #MusicCityGP
Instagram: @musiccitygp, @INDYCAR, @INDYNXT, #INDYCAR, #MusicCityGP
Threads: @INDYCAR, @INDYNXT
Facebook: @MusicCityGP, @INDYCAR, @INDYNXT, #INDYCAR, #MusicCityGP
TikTok: @MusicCityGP, @INDYCAR, #INDYCAR, #MusicCityGP
YouTube: @INDYCAR
Event website: www.musiccitygp.com
INDYCAR website: www.indycar.com

2025 race winners:
NTT INDYCAR SERIES
Josef Newgarden (No. 2 Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet)
INDY NXT by Firestone
Myles Rowe (No. 99 ABEL Motorsports with Force Indy)
2025 NTT P1 Award winner: ,Pato O’Ward (No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet), 47.5178 seconds, 201.520 mph (two laps)
2025 INDY NXT by Firestone pole winner:Salvador de Alba (No. 27 Andretti Global), 51.9106 seconds, 184.471

One-lap qualifying record:NTT INDYCAR SERIES Scott Dixon, 22.6952 seconds, 206.211 mph, July 18, 2003
INDY NXT by Firestone Thiago Medeiros, 25.6508 seconds, 182.386 mph, July 16, 2004Note: Qualifying records based on time, not speed.

FOX Sports telecasts:
NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Practice 1, 10 a.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live);
Qualifying, 3 p.m. ET Saturday, FOX (live);
High Line Session/Final practice, 6 p.m. ET Saturday, FS2;
Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix presented by OnlyBulls, Approx 5:35 p.m. ET, Sunday, FOX, FOX One (live). Will Buxton is the play-by-play announcer for FOX’s coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe. Georgia Henneberry, Kevin Lee and Jack Harvey are the pit reporters. | 

INDY NXT by Firestone: Practice 1, 11:30 a.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Qualifying, 4:30 p.m. ET Saturday, FS2 (live); Race, 1 p.m. ET Sunday, FS1 (live). Kevin Lee is the play-by-play announcer for FOX Sports’ coverage of INDY NXT by Firestone alongside analyst Jack Harvey. Georgia Henneberry is the pit reporter

.INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside analyst Davey Hamilton. Michael Young is the turn announcer. Jake Query, Ryan Myrehn and DJ Clark are the pit reporters. The Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix presented by OnlyBulls race (5 p.m. ET Sunday) can be heard live on network affiliates nationwide. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES race, INDY NXT by Firestone race (12:55 p.m. ET Sunday), NTT P1 Award qualifying (3 p.m. ET Saturday) and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES practices also air live on SiriusXM INDYCAR Nation 218, indycar.com/leaderboard and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA. All INDY NXT by Firestone practices, qualifying sessions and races are available on SiriusXM INDYCAR Nation 218, indycar.com/leaderboard and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.

At-track schedule (all times Central):
SATURDAY, JULY 18
9-10 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice, FS1
10:35-11:25 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Practice 1, FS1
2 p.m. – Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (Single car, Two laps, FOX
3:35 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Qualifying (Single car, Two laps), FS2
5 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES High Line Session (Two groups, four alternating 10-minute sessions), FS2
6-7 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Final Practice, FS2
SUNDAY, JULY 19
12:01 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Music City Grand Prix “Drivers, start your engines”
12:06 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Music City Grand Prix (65 laps/86.45 miles), FS1
4:35 p.m. – FOX on air (all times approximate, based on World Cup Final)
4:35 p.m. – Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix presented by OnlyBulls “Drivers, start your engines”
4:40 p.m. – Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix presented by OnlyBulls (300 laps/399 miles), FOX (Live)

NTT INDYCAR SERIES Notes:The Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix presented by OnlyBulls will be the 12th race of the 2026 season. There have been six winners in the first 11 NTT INDYCAR SERIES races this season. Alex Palou (Streets of St. Petersburg, Barber Motorsports Park, Streets of Long Beach and Streets of Detroit), Josef Newgarden (Phoenix Raceway and World Wide Technology Raceway), Christian Lundgaard (Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and Road America), Kyle Kirkwood (Streets of Arlington), Felix Rosenqvist (Indianapolis 500) and Pato O’Ward (Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course).
The Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix presented by OnlyBulls will be the fourth oval race of the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule. Two of the first three oval races were won by Josef Newgarden of Team Penske (Phoenix Raceway and World Wide Technology Raceway). Felix Rosenqvist of Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian won the 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge in May.
The Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix presented by OnlyBulls will be the 11th INDYCAR SERIES event at Nashville Superspeedway. Scott Dixon and Josef Newgarden are the only former Nashville Superspeedway winners entered in the event. Dixon won three consecutive races in 2006-08. Newgarden, a native of Hendersonville, Tenn., has won 13 of the last 30 oval races on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule (2021-present), including last year’s race. Dixon, Marcus Ericsson and Kyle Kirkwood won the three editions of the Music City Grand Prix held on the streets of downtown Nashville
.Twenty-two drivers have previous starts at Nashville Superspeedway. Scott Dixon has the most starts, with eight.
Eleven drivers have led laps at the track: Dixon 248, Pato O’Ward 137, Josef Newgarden 114, Kyle Kirkwood 67, Alexander Rossi 48, Alex Palou 11, David Malukas 9, Scott McLaughlin 7, Will Power 5, Rinus VeeKay 2 and Marcus Armstrong 1.
Milestones: Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 368th consecutive start, extending his record streak…Graham Rahal will attempt to make his 268th consecutive start, the third-longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history…Josef Newgarden will attempt to make his 231st consecutive start, the sixth-longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history…Dixon will extend his record to 431 with a start Sunday.

NDY NXT by Firestone Race Notes:The ultra-competitive INDY NXT by Firestone season continues with the season’s second oval visit of the season at Nashville Superspeedway. The HMD Motorsports duo of Enzo Fittipaldi and Tymek Kucharczyk top the point standings with Fittipaldi leading Kucharczyk by 17 points. Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR’s Nikita Johnson is just 20 points behind the lead. The 2026 season has seen eight winners in 12 races. The series record is 10 different winners in both 2008 and 1998.The INDY NXT by Firestone Music City Grand Prix will be the series’ ninth race at Nashville Superspeedway. Myles Rowe won the race in 2025. Previous INDY NXT by Firestone winners at Nashville include Cory Witherill, Mark Taylor, Thiago Medeiros, Jay Howard, Ana Beatriz and Louis Foster. 

Name, Logo, Launch Plan Unveiled for Standalone INDYCAR Video Game

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 Highly Anticipated Title Coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox, Steam in Early 2027

INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, July 10, 2026) – iRacing and INDYCAR on July 10 announced that INDYCAR Racing The Game, the highly anticipated official standalone INDYCAR video game developed by world-renowned motorsport simulation company iRacing Studios, is set to launch in early 2027 on PlayStation 5, Xbox consoles and PC via Steam.
INDYCAR Racing The Game brings the raw speed, precision and drama of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES to a new generation of racing fans and gamers. Leveraging iRacing Studios’ industry-leading expertise in authentic motorsport simulation, the title promises to deliver an unmatched open-wheel racing experience – from the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway to the sport’s most celebrated street circuits, road courses and ovals.
“INDYCAR features the most competitive and action-packed racing on the planet, challenging drivers at every turn with incredible speeds and demanding layouts,” said Alex Damron, INDYCAR chief marketing officer.
“Our new video game is going to capture the energy and drama of our sport with hyper-realism, bringing our series to a new generation of gamers. Partnering with iRacing — the gold standard in racing simulation — ensures this will be a truly special new chapter in our gaming history. We can’t wait for fans to get behind the wheel.”
This is the first INDYCAR standalone video game in more than two decades and is expected to launch in the countdown to the 2027 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.”This is a project our team has been passionate about for a long time,” said Tony Gardner, iRacing president.
“We’re bringing everything we know about authentic, immersive racing to consoles and PC, and creating an experience worthy of the INDYCAR name. 2027 can’t come soon enough.”INDYCAR Racing The Game will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC via Steam. Additional game details, including features, modes, and pre-order information, will be announced in the coming months.
For more information, visit www.indycargame.com.

Papaya Domination

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Some quick thoughts on Mid-Ohio:

Pato O’Ward led Arrow McLaren’s total domination of the weekend. Christian Lundgaard won the pole, but O’Ward passed him on track on lap 42. The duo led a combined 86 of the 90 laps. In addition to O’Ward and Lundgaard finishing 1-2, Nolan Siegel finished 10th.

O’Ward becomes the sixth different driver to win a race in 2026

The most intriguing part of the race was the pit strategy. The entire field opted for a three-stop race, but some pitted at the beginning of the window, and others waited until the end of the cycle. In the end, the early pitters had the4 advantage.

The lack of a caution flag and having cars pretty strung out made for a less than exciting television broadcast for the casual viewer. more on the broadcast later.

Why Rinus VeeKay is not with a bigger, more competitive team is puzzling. He made the Fast Six in qualifying, and he backed it up today by finishing fourth. VeeKay had a good shot at a podium spot for awhile.

Kyle Kirkwood’s early pit stop helped gain his first road course podium. Today was one of Andretti Global’s best days on a natural road course in quite a while. Teammate Will Power started third, dropped back at the start and recovered to sixth at the finish. Kirkwood returns to second in the point standings, just 56 points behind Alex Palou, who finished fifth.

After another strong qualifying effort, David Malukas didn’t have the pace to contend with the McLarens. A long pit stop caused by a balky fuel hose dropped to eighth. Malukas drops to fourth in the standings, just 66 points behind the leader.

Hats off the Scott McLaughlin, who toughed it out all afternoon after his cool suit failed on lap 3. He did finish 16th after starting 23rd.

Lundgaard made the statement he needed to this weekend. I don’t understand why McLaren is letting him go. Tony Kanaan said after the race that the 2027 lineup hasn’t been decided yet, and that Lundgaard is “very much in play.”

I don’t understand why they are playing with Lundgaard’s feelings like this. He is third in points, won two races and a pole. What more does he have to do?

FOX Sports

The nice thing about attending races is you don’t have to watch the race broadcast. The booth does a fine job analyzing the race and keeping viewers informed of what is happening, but several things about the presentation are annoying.

It seems that there was a commercial break every three laps. At times it felt as if they would come out of a break, say, “How ya doin’?” and go to another break. The last break seemed so long that I wasn’t sure they would get back in time for the checkered flag.

Townsend Bell was particularly annoying today. He talked about when cars would “box,” his constant soccer references were more numerous than necessary, his obsession with Davidf Malukas, an American (who knew?), drove me up the wall.

That will do it for me this weekend. I’m still recovering from a bug I picked up at the end of my trip to Ireland. Thanks for following See you in Nashville.

Lundgaard Pole Ends Palou Streak

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Christian Lundgaaqrd won the pole for tomorrow’s Honda Indy200 at Mid-Ohio as he and teammate Pato O’Ward locked out the front row. The pole for the Danish driver ends a streak of five consecutive poles for Alex Palou, but another Palou streak also fell today.

Palou missed the Fast Six for the first time since Long Beach in 2024. He starts eighth tomorrow.

The Fast Six was a surprise not only for who advanced, but for who didn’t advance. In addition to Palou, Kyle Kirkwood had been fast both yesterday and today but will roll off 10th Sunday. Josef Newgarden was strong in rounds 1 but faded to ninth.

The final round saw Lundgaard, O’Ward, Will Power, David Malukas, Rinus VeeKay, and Christian Rasmussen competing for the pole.

Row 1- Lundgaard, O’Ward- teammates for now, with Lundgaard not returning in 2027

Row 2- Power, Malukas- Malukas replaced Power at Team Penske

Row 3- Rasmussen, VeeKay- Rasmussen replaced VeeKay at ECR

Notes

VeeKay continues to outperform his equipment. Imagine what he could do on a stronger team.

Malukas has an opportunity to gain some significant points on Palou tomorrow. Kirkwood will have to get past Palou to pick up some ground.

Lundgaard won the last race at Road America, and he starts on pole tomorrow. It is rare to see a driver other than Palou these days who backs up what they did in the previous race.

Even though Scott Dixon did not advance, and probably wouldn’t have, his blocking penalty on Romain Grosjean was justified. Dixon is having a difficult year. I hope the change of scenery next season will get him back up to speed.

That will do it for me for today. I’ll be back tomorrow with a pre-race post, then post tire selections and have a wrap up after the race. Thanks for following along today.

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