Too soon, as always, the IndyCar season comes to the end of its 2024 edition Sunday afternoon at Nashville Superspeedway. Also, NBC will end its fine coverage of the series after six years. FOX tkes over as the broadcast partner next year.

While the championship is still in doubt, there is also a fight for the final Leaders’ Circle spot. Alex Palou leads Will Power by 33 points. Assuming Power earns maximum points, Palou needs a ninth-place finish to clinch his third title. Power is also gunning for his third Astor Cup. A Palou championship would make him the first back to back champion since Dario Franchitti in the last decade.

At the end of the standings, Sting Ray Robb in the 41 A J Foyt Racing holds the final spot in the Leaders’ Circle by one point over the Ed Carpenter Racing 20 of Christian Rasmussen. The 51 of Dale Coyne Racing is 15 points behind.

Tire Twist

For just the second time on an oval, Indycar has mandated the use of an alternate tire. Road/street course tire rules are basically in effect, but the alternates must be used for two stints. This should make for a lot of strategic choices, and a roll of the dice should there be a caution with 20-25 laps left.

The alternate experiment was tried at gateway in 2023, but the alternate tire was not noticeably different from the primary.

Weather

The remnants of hurricane Francine loom as a huge factor as to how the weekend will proceed. Indycar said yesterday that the priority is practice, since only Power, Scott Dixon, and Graham Rahal have raced at this track previously.

That means if something has to give on Saturday because of delays, it will be qualifying, and the field will line up by entrant points. I would hate to see that with a championship battle as it takes some of the drama away, but as usual, safety first.

Nashville Superspeedway does have lights, and the series will go to great lengths to get the race completed on Sunday.

If you are going to the race, bring rain gear and know where to go ion case of lightning. The track has already issued a statement to fans regarding possible weather interruptions.

Loose Ends

If Power does not earn the pole in qualifying, it will be his first season with winning a pole since 2008. A qualifying rainout would end his chance, of course, and he would lose a valuable point.

Graham Rahal needs a fifth place or better finish to keep alive his streak of having at least one top five finish in every season of his career.

If Palou, Josef Newgarden, or Dixon win Sunday, IndyCar will have four drivers with three victories in the same year. Only seven drivers have won races in 2024, and I don’t think that number changes after Sunday.

I think Power wins the race, but Palou still is the 2024 champion.

Many thanks to NBC for arguably the best television coverage IndyCar has had since the early days of ABC’s tenure.