Big Machine Music City Grand Prix Kicks Off Race Weekend With Free Fan Fest

The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix Fan Fest is set to start on Thursday, Aug. 5 and will be free to the public. Located on Broadway between 1st and 2nd Avenue, this will be the only official Big Machine Music City Grand Prix event to take place on Broadway.

Fans will have the chance to meet several NTT IndyCar Series drivers during an autograph session and pose for photos with over 15 race cars that will be on display, including IndyCar, GT America, Trans Am, Stadium SUPER Trucks and the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix show car. Among the IndyCar team cars on display will be the No. 2 of Nashville’s Josef Newgarden and No. 12 of Will Power from Team Penske; No. 26 of Colton Herta from Andretti Autosport with Curb Agajanian; Romain Grosjean‘s No. 51 from Dale Coyne Racing with RWR; Ed Jones‘ No. 18 from Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan; and No. 06 of Hélio Castroneves from Meyer Shank Racing.

“We are thrilled to be able to kick off the weekend with this free and inclusive experience for racing fans in downtown Nashville,” says Big Machine Music City Grand Prix President Chris Parker. “The chance to get up close with the drivers and cars before the big race will be an unforgettable chance of a lifetime.”

The 30-minute autograph session, which begins at 5:30 p.m., will feature Alex Palou and Marcus Ericsson of Chip Ganassi Racing; Alexander Rossi of Andretti Autosport; Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport’s James Hinchcliffe; Pato O’Ward and Felix Rosenqvist of Arrow McLaren SP; Carlin’s Max Chilton; Jones of Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan; Dalton Kellett of A.J. Foyt Enterprises;  Rahal Letterman and Lanigan Racing’s Santino Ferrucci; and Cody Ware of Dale Coyne Racing with RWR.

The festival opens at 4:30 p.m. with the Music City MINI Grand Prix, a pedal car race for kids. All proceeds from the MINI Grand Prix will benefit the youth at Rocketown, a drop-in student center for marginalized teens and young people from low-income communities. The three-hour fan event will be highlighted by a live pit stop challenge at 6:30 p.m. with Chip Ganassi Racing and six-time NTT IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon taking on A.J. Foyt Enterprises and four-time series champ Sebastien Bourdais in side-by-side competition.

Here’s a list of Thursday’s schedule:
4:30-5:30pm – Music City MINI Grand Prix
5:30-6:00pm – Autograph Session with NTT IndyCar Series drivers
5:30-7:30pm – FanFest Car Display
6:30-7:30pm – Pit Stop Challenge
Steven Boero