Single Day Tickets For Big Machine Music City Grand Prix On Sale July 6

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Single-day tickets for the inaugural IndyCar Big Machine Music City Grand Prix scheduled for August 6-8 will go on sale to the general public Tuesday, July 6, beginning at 10 a.m. CST.

“We are counting down the days until the inaugural Big Machine Music City Grand Prix hits the streets of Nashville,” says Big Machine Music City Grand Prix President Christian Parker. “We continue to be so impressed and humbled by the demand and enthusiasm we see and hear every day from around town and across the country. We look forward to showing off Music City to the world and providing a wonderful experience for everyone involved.”

With a majority of the reserved grandstands sold out (including grandstands 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, and 10), a limited amount of single-day reserved grandstand and general admission tickets will be available for each of the three days of the urban racing festival. Reserved grandstand seats will be available in grandstands 7, 8, and the just-added grandstand 11, which will only be available for individual purchases. Additionally, a general admission college ticket will also be offered all three days for any student possessing a valid college or university email address.

Fans can visit the grand prix’s website to view available seating options.

Here’s a look at the ticket prices for each day of the three-day weekend:

Nashville-Based Trackhouse Racing Buys Chip Ganassi Racing

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Nashville-based Trackhouse Racing’s Founder and Owner Justin Marks has announced that the company is buying Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) and will take over NASCAR operations starting in 2022.

Marks, along with Trackhouse Team President Ty Norris, and CGR CEO Chip Ganassi, shared the news about the acquisition at the NASCAR Hall of Fame on a live stream on Wednesday, June 30. According to the announcement, Trackhouse Racing will acquire all NASCAR equipment as well as the two charters from CGR. The changes will go into effect after the completion of the 2021 Cup Series season.

“This process took several weeks and I want to thank Chip for being so open and candid with me every step of the journey,” Marks said. “Chip has built an iconic motorsports empire and the Ganassi brand is globally recognized as a winner in the auto racing industry.”

The Trackhouse Racing Team was formed in October of 2020 and continues to grow as international pop star Pitbull was made a part-owner in the team just before February’s Daytona 500. Trackhouse currently has one Cup Series team with 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Daniel Suarez at the helm of the No. 99 Chevrolet. It was also revealed during the livestream that Suarez will continue with Trackhouse into the 2022 season with a second driver to be named at a later date. The Monterrey, Mexico native has three top-10 finishes this season and is ranked 18th overall. His most recent top 10 was a seventh-place run in NASCAR’s return to Nashville Superspeedway.

Chip Ganassi Racing has two drivers in the Cup Series this season with 2004 Cup champion Kurt Busch in the No. 1 Chevrolet and rookie Ross Chastain in the No. 42 Chevrolet. Busch ranks 14th in points while Chastain ranks 22nd.

“My NASCAR team was not for sale,” Ganassi shared. “Justin simply came to me with a great offer and an even better vision. As everyone knows, I care deeply for my employees so selling to someone like Justin, who is part of the CGR family, made the reality of selling much easier.”

CGR also has teams in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the NTT IndyCar Series, and Extreme E. The NASCAR operation was established in 1989 by Felix Sabates under the name Team SABCO. In 2001, Ganassi purchased a majority stake in the team to form Chip Ganassi Racing with Sabates.

NASCAR Names iRacing As Official Simulation Partner

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NASCAR has named iRacing as the official simulation partner of the league after maintaining a licensing agreement since 2010. The two organizations will work closely to promote the various eNASCAR series which live on the iRacing platform, while also collaborating around a number of innovation initiatives which have far-reaching implications on the future of NASCAR.

iRacing and NASCAR will also work together including the design of new and proposed NASCAR race tracks, collaboration and technical support on the NASCAR NextGen race car project, the creation of sim racing-oriented content for NASCAR Digital Media channels, and the use of iRacing as a training tool for NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity class.

“NASCAR fans know and love iRacing for their accomplishments in the development of virtual racing series, but what many may not realize is that the company is so much more than just an esports partner,” says Tim Clark, NASCAR senior vice president and chief digital officer. “iRacing is a full-on technology partner in every sense of the word, and their best-in-class simulation and engineering capabilities are helping us innovate across multiple layers of our business — whether that be in designing new race tracks, developing new race cars, creating compelling digital content, or providing a virtual training ground for the next generation of NASCAR stars.”

iRacing has provided NASCAR’s first officially sanctioned professional virtual racing series, what is now known as the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series. It also played a central role in the formation of the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series in 2020, which bridged the gap between events during the early stages of COVID-19. The seven-race series set records for the most viewed esports events in U.S. television history, earned both Sports Emmy Outstanding Esports Coverage and Sports Business Awards Breakthrough of the Year nominations, and was renewed for a 2021 season .

“NASCAR has been immensely supportive of iRacing over the past decade, and a huge contributing factor in our growth as an organization,” says iRacing President Tony Gardner. “From their world-class support of the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series for more than a decade, to the explosion of new initiatives like Pro Invitational events and track development projects, NASCAR’s assistance has helped iRacing remain at the forefront of the esports industry while also taking our organization to exciting new places. We’re incredibly excited to extend our partnership, and look forward to continuing to evolve these efforts for years to come.”

iRacing first collaborated with NASCAR in 2020 on the reconfiguration of the Auto Club Speedway into a half-mile short track, and later scanned the streets of Chicago to create a proposed street circuit that debuted during an eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series event which aired live on FS1 this month. In addition to track development, iRacing assisted NASCAR in developing the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series NextGen car, which was revealed to the public earlier this year and made its racing debut during the Pro Invitational events.

Big Machine Music City Grand Prix Accepting Volunteer Applications

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The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix is looking for volunteers through the Nashville Sports Council for the upcoming 3-day festival of races and concerts in early August.

The event has 10 different areas that need volunteers, including Access Control, Credential Center, Fan Zone, General Volunteer, Hospitality, Hotel Ambassador, Race Day Ambassador, Special Event (Music City 5K), and Volunteer Services. All those who apply to be volunteers will undergo a background check and will have to pay a fee of $50. The fee will pay for the volunteers’ meals, hat, t-shirt, lapel pin, lanyard and two polo shirts.

There are many shifts available for Friday, Aug. 6 through Sunday, Aug. 8. For more information or to fill out an application, visit the Nashville Sports Council website.

The grand prix will be the first ever IndyCar street course and will take place on Sunday, Aug. 8. A star-studded concert presented by the Grand Ole Opry will also take place over race weeken, featuring country stars Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Jamey Johnson, and more.

Big Machine To Sponsor Jr. Motorsports Driver Sam Mayer

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Sam Mayer’s No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro.

Big Machine is set to sponsor Jr. Motorsports driver Sam Mayer as he makes his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut on Sunday, June 27 at the Pocono Raceway.

The 17-year-old driver will be taking over Hendersonville native Josh Berry‘s spot in the No. 8 Chevrolet Camara. Mayer was unable to compete in the Xfinity Series before due to his age but will be turning 18 on Saturday, prior to his racing debut.

“Sam already has so much experience in a race car and I’ve raced with him – he’s fearless and he knows his way to the front.” says founder and CEO of Big Machine Scott Borchetta. “It’s exciting for Big Machine Racing to partner with JR Motorsports as we grow our brands and continue to identify and support young racing talent.”

Mayer is the latest to join the Big Machine lineup of drivers, which also includes Borchetta, Tony Kanaan, Jade Buford, Sebastian Wheldon, and Oliver Wheldon.

Mayer, a Wisconsin native, became the youngest champion in NASCAR history when he secured the 2019 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship at Dover Speedway on October 4, 2019. He held this title until November 2020. His success in 2020 includes eight wins and 17 top-five finishes in 19 starts across ARCA and its East and West divisions.

He is one of the most talented up and coming drivers and has seven starts to date in the Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series. At Bristol Motor Speedway on September 17, 2020, he won his first Truck Series race, making him the second-youngest winner in the history of the series. Immediately following that race, Mayer also won the ARCA Menards Series race.

Jeff Gordon Joins Former Team, Hendrick Motorsports, As Vice Chairman

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Rick Hendrick and Jeff Gordon. Photo: Courtesy of Hendrick Motorsports

Four-time NASCAR Cup champion Jeff Gordon is leaving Fox Sports to rejoin his former team, Hendrick Motorsports, as Vice Chairman. This makes Gordon, who’s also a part owner in the team, second in command behind majority owner and legendary NASCAR owner Rick Hendrick.

Gordon will formally assume the strategic executive management role on Jan. 1, 2022. As vice chairman and co-owner, he will maintain a daily presence at Hendrick Motorsports with a focus on the organization’s competition and marketing groups. He will report to Hendrick and work alongside president Marshall Carlson and general manager Jeff Andrews. In addition, he will join Hendrick on NASCAR’s team owner council and assume Hendrick Motorsports’ seat on the sanctioning body’s diversity, equity and inclusion committee.

“I cannot put into words what Hendrick Motorsports means to me,” Gordon says. “In many ways, it’s my home and the people here are my family. I’ve never lost my passion for the organization, for our sport, and for the sheer challenge of racing and winning at the highest level. Being part of the competition is where I’m happiest and feel I can make the biggest contribution to the continued, long-term success of the team. Rick and I have a shared vision, which is based on the values he’s instilled, the culture he’s built and our desire to be the very best in all categories, on and off the track.”

“Jeff and I have talked about this for many years, and I feel it’s a natural evolution for him and our company,” says Hendrick. “I’ve always been impressed with his business instincts. On some level, he’s been involved in every major decision we’ve made over the last two decades, and his influence has continued to grow since he stopped driving. He understands our culture, our values, and the importance we place on our people and our partnerships.” Hendricks continues, “I love racing and competing, and Jeff is the only person I know who hates to lose as much as I do. I feel great physically and have no plans to go anywhere anytime soon, which is exactly why it’s the right time. In the years to come, I couldn’t be more energized about working arm-in-arm with him and cementing the future of Hendrick Motorsports together.”

Gordon joined Fox Sports as an analyst in 2016 and has been a mainstay of its NASCAR Cup Series race telecasts and other programming. He will continue to work as a FOX broadcaster through the end of the 2021 calendar year.

Hendrick Motorsports is now the leader in all-time Cup Series race wins by any team in the sports history. The team passed Petty Enterprises after Kyle Larson won the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 30. Since then, Larson went on to win three of the next four races including the Ally 400 at the Nashville Superspeedway.

Women With Drive Summit To Kick Off Big Machine Music City Grand Prix Weekend

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Cindy Sissons and Lyn St. James. Photo: by Deremer Studios, LLC

The inaugural Big Machine Music City Grand Prix weekend will start off with the Women with Drive Summit highlighting women taking the initiative in the motorsports industry. The two-day conference will take place in downtown Nashville on August 5-6.

“We are honored to host the inaugural Women with Drive Summit and are pleased with the outstanding lineup of men and women in the automotive industry playing a role in its diversity,” says Matt Crews, CEO, Big Machine Music City Grand Prix.  “The Summit follows our highly successful and female-focused series of Women with Drive virtual events that have combined women in automotive with Nashville’s country music artists.”

Lyn St. James, former Indycar driver, author, coach, mentor, and motivational speaker, and Cindy Sisson, GSEvents and Shifting Gears CEO, have teamed up to chair this important first step toward increasing women empowerment within the motorsport’s world.

“When Matt called me last November, he was anxious to do something big, bold and 100 percent focused on women,” says Sisson. “He was adamant that women are too important to the long-term growth of the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix, IndyCar racing, and the motorsports industry in general, and creating a special program just for women was simply the right thing to do.”

The summit will benefit the Play Like a Girl charity, and will be hosted by Amanda Busick, broadcast professional and Shifting Gears podcast host. It will kick off with an Opening Reception on August 5 from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. at AJ’s Good Time Bar on Broadway.

“I’m excited to hear from successful people in motorsports who are passionate and care not only about their careers, but also how they can help and welcome future generations to look at motorsports as a career,” says St. James. “Whether it’s encouraging STEM education or understanding how they’ve transferred their experience and skills to careers in motorsports, these men and women are in the trenches and willing to share how it happened for them and how it can happen for others. Thank you to the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix for inviting us to be part of this exciting inaugural race and Women’s Summit in Nashville.”

The summit will be held August 6 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at The George Jones on 2nd Avenue. The panel discussions will highlight stories that explore, encourage, celebrate, and engage expanded opportunities for women and other diverse communities to become involved in motorsports. Fans can also purchase a VIP experience which includes a tour of the IndyCar paddock with girls from ‘Play Like a Girl and hosted by women of NTT IndyCar.

Fans can learn more about the events and summit as well as purchase tickets on the event’s website.

Invited panelists include:

  • Dr. Kimberly Clay, CEO/Founder, Play Like a Girl
  • Sarah Fisher, former Indycar driver/pace car driver
  • Jessica Fickenscher, CXO, Speedway Motorsports Inc.
  • Sabre’ Cook, W Series and Road to Indy Driver
  • Jimmie L. McMillian, Chief Diversity Officer and Senior Corporate Counsel, Penske Entertainment
  • Rod Reid, founder NXG Youth Motorsports/Force IndyCar team owner
  • Myles Rowe, Force IndyCar driver
  • Beth Paretta, Team owner Paretta Autosports
  • Anscia Brown, Social Media Manager, Money Lion
  • Allison Melangton, Senior Vice President, Penske Entertainment
  • Cara Adams, Lead Engineer, Firestone IndyCar Series
  • Margo Cooke, Vice President, NTT IndyCar, title sponsor
  • Heidi Massey-Bong, Global Manager, Sponsorships & Creative Solutions, Shell
  • Bree Sandlin, Vice President North America Lubricants Marketing, Shell

NASCAR Weekend Highlights: Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch, Ryan Preece Earn Coveted Nashville Guitars

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Kyle Larson in Victory Lane after winning the Ally 400 at the Nashville Superspeedway. Photo: Courtesy of Nashville Superspeedway

After a weekend of three races, up to 90 degree heat, and 850 miles raced, Nashville’s first racing weekend in 11 years comes to an end with a Cup Series win for Kyle Larson.

Larson continues his historic win-streak with his most dominant performance of the year at the Ally 400 at the Nashville Superspeedway. Larson had a fast car and won stage two of Sunday’s Fathers Day race. He lost stage one to Chase Elliott–who was later disqualified for loose lug nuts post-race–but ultimately led 264 out of the 300 laps.

Larson’s win came in front of a sold-out crowd of about 38,000 NASCAR fans. After his win, Larson gave fans a burn-out in front of the grand stands, attempting to go the length of the far stands before tearing up his tires.

“This crowd is awesome,” Larson said of his Ally 400 performance. “We’ve had the best car on the race track for about a month and a half now. It’s good to take advantage of that. We had a near-perfect day.”

Sunday’s race marked Larson’s 5th win of the season for Hendrik Motorsports and his third straight trip to victory lane. The last time Nashville hosted a Cup Series race was in 1984 when Geoffrey Bodine won driving the No. 5 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports just as Larson did this weekend.

Larson was followed by Ross Chastain in second and William Byron in third while Aric Almirola, Kevin Harvick, Ricky Stenthouse Jr., Daniel Suarez, Kurt Busch, Christopher Bell, and Joey Logano round out the rest of the top ten, respectively.

Kyle Busch in Victory Lane after winning his 100th Xfinity Series race. Photo: Courtesy of Nashville Superspeedway

On Saturday night, Kyle Busch won his 100th career Xfinity Series race after leading 122 of 189 laps. It was Busch’s second career Xfinity win at the Superspeedway and his fifth overall in Nashville. Busch completed the slightly extra distance of 251.37 miles in 2 hours, 20 minutes, 48 seconds, averaging 107.118 mph.

Like Larson, Busch, driving the No. 54 M&M’s Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, dominated the rest of the field with an extremely fast car on Saturday night’s race. After coming in second in the first stage and winning the second stage, Busch never really looked back for the remainder of the Tennessee Lottery 250.

“I remember growing up as a kid and watching Mark Martin win every week,” said Busch. “It’s just been phenomenal years to have be associated with Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota.” Of the race, Busch said, “It was way racier than I remember Nashville being. At the end, I knew if we could clear those guys and I could hit my marks I could pull away.”

Busch survived a series of restarts in the race’s final stretch and powered past Justin Allgaier in a green-white-checkered overtime finish. Allgaier, who led 11 laps in the race’s final stage, held on for second, 1.110 seconds behind Busch at the finish line. Harrison Burton finished third, Hendersonville, Tenn., native Josh Berry was fourth, and A.J. Allmendinger placed fifth.

Ryan Preece after winning June 18’s Rackley Roofing 200. Photo: Courtesy of Nashville Superspeedway

Friday night’s Rackley Roofing 200 Truck series race kicked off the tripleheader at Nashville Superspeedway. Making his truck series debut, driver Ryan Preece won the race, taking home the first Gibson guitar of the weekend. Starting the race in sixth place, Preece only led 8 laps but was able to hang on for the win.

“I never quit and never give up,” Preece said. “We were able to get back by him and pull away. It was a real team effort.”

NASCAR’s first race weekend in Nashville in 11 years was provided fans with three exciting races, star-studded performances from Chris Janson and John Anderson, and packed stands.