Big Machine Music City Grand Prix Is 30 Days Away: What To Expect During Race Weekend

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Photo: Courtesy of the Music City Grand Prix

Nashville is just 30 days away from hosting the second Big Machine Music City Grand Prix in the streets of downtown Nashville and around Nissan Stadium from Aug. 5-7.

Last year’s NTT IndyCar Series 2.17-mile temporary street circuit was built around the Nissan Stadium campus and Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge. But the weekend-long festival featured different festivities such as music, food trucks and other race series.

The track construction will begin on Sunday, July 10 at 8 p.m. CT on Korean War Veterans Memorial Blvd. and bridge. The build will include temporary street closures during that period, beginning with the bridge from S. 2nd to 1st Ave. from Sunday through Wednesday. The crews will be working from 8 p.m. until 5 a.m. for the majority of the build to help alleviate traffic disruptions.

During the full build, the crews will install more than 2,000 barriers and fence panels in 12-foot sections along the course. Grandstand construction is already underway with grandstand sections No. 4, 5, 11 and 12 located on South 2nd Street currently being erected. The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix is the last of the five temporary street circuits on the 17-race NTT IndyCar Series schedule.

Dee Jay Silver. Photo: Courtesy of the MCGP

Country DJ Dee Jay Silver has been added to an already packed concert lineup for the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix. Silver will be featured on Sunday, Aug. 7, beginning at 5 p.m. on the ZYN Main Stage leading into the Grand Ole Prix performance starring Brantley Gilbert, Carly Pearce, Midland and Callista Clark.

The 2022 MCGP will once again have areas open to the public for those who don’t have tickets for the weekend. The race week activities will kick off on Thursday, Aug. 4, with the FanFest and Pit Stop Challenge on Broadway. The free event features a pit stop competition among IndyCar teams and prominent drivers, car displays from the various series competing in the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix, sponsor displays, and much more between 1st and 4th streets. More details will be announced next week.

The race could see a robust entry list of 27 drivers. An addition to the full-time driver roster for this event will be Simona De Silvestro of Paretta Autosport. The women-led organization, spearheaded by Beth Paretta, is running a limited three-race road/street schedule and the team’s final race will be the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix.

Pictured (L-R): IndyCar driver Simona De Silvestro and Paretta Autosports CEO & Team Principal Beth Paretta

Fans returning from last year’s race weekend will be welcomed by the introduction of Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires as the newest addition to this season’s on-track schedule. Indy Lights is the official development series of the NTT IndyCar Series and will offer a glimpse into some of IndyCar’s future stars.

This year’s race will feature Rick Benjamin as the official voice of the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix. Benjamin is one of the most legendary American motorsports broadcasters and will be the lead Public Address announcer for the weekend’s activities.

With a career that has spanned three decades, Benjamin has covered nearly every discipline of motorsports, including serving as the lead broadcaster for television coverage of IndyCar on ESPN, ABC, CBS and NBC; NASCAR Cup Series races on TBS, Speedvision and TNN; and the lead broadcaster for IMSA/American Le Mans Series racing on SPEED and NBC.

The MCGP is offering a budget-friendly ticket offer to all college students for any of the three days of the event. College students can purchase a single-day, general admission ticket for $30 with a maximum of two per event day per email address.

Single-day tickets for all three days recently went on sale and begin as low as $39 for general admission and $49 for reserved grandstand for Wesley Mortgage Freedom Friday on Aug. 5. Single-day tickets include admission to all on-track activities as well as that evening’s featured concert. The three-day ticket remains the best value with general admission starting at $129 and reserved grandstand at $209 and $219.

Steven Boero
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