NASCAR Returns To Nashville To Host Its Champion’s Week

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Chase Elliott on Victory at the 2022 Ally 400. Photo: Courtesy of the Nashville Superspeedway

For the third straight year, NASCAR will host its Champion’s Week celebration in Nashville on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.

Drivers, industry personalities and celebrities will take over downtown Nashville to celebrate an unforgettable 2022 season. The NASCAR Awards will be held at the Music City Center to formally crown this season’s NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champions.

“We are pleased to announce our return to Music City for the celebration to crown our series champions,” says Pete Jung, SVP, Chief Marketing Officer at NASCAR. “We are delighted to bring the celebration to Nashville once again, as the city’s energy and passion for motorsports never ceases to amaze us. We are looking forward to being back following the conclusion of the 2022 season.”

This season, 2020 NASCAR champion Chase Elliott took home the Ally 400 win at the Nashville Superspeedway, punching his ticket to the Cup Series Playoffs. Last year, Kyle Larson won the first annual Ally 400 and went on to win the 2021 NASCAR Championship.

The formal postseason awards is a tradition that stretches back to 1981 when the event was held in New York City. It relocated to Las Vegas in 2009 and then called Nashville its home for the first time in 2019.

Over the last two years NASCAR has seen a tremendous turnout from the Nashville fans, not only at the racetrack, but for the celebration of Champion’s week. NASCAR looks to continue the tradition and conclude the season in one of the most iconic cities in the country.

Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain To Make Big Machine Racing Debut in Darlington

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Big Machine Racing’s No. 48 Xfinity Big Machine Spiked Cooler Chevrolet Camaro. Photo: Courtesy of Big Machine Racing

Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain will be hopping in the No. 48 Xfinity Big Machine Spiked Cooler Chevrolet Camaro this weekend (Sept. 3) at the Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help A Hero 200 at Darlington Raceway.

Chastain is having a fantastic 2022, winning two races, finishing in the top five 10 times and ending the NASCAR regular season in third place ahead of the Cup Series playoffs.

This will be his debut with Big Machine Racing

“Ross Chastain has proven all year long that he’s always a contender to win. I’m so excited for him to drive the No. 48 Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers Camaro this weekend at Darlington. We nearly won last time out and we’re all hoping that Ross and team can close the deal,” says BMR founder and owner Scott Borchetta.

BMR has had a handful of guest drivers in its second season, including Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ty Dillon, Austin Dillon and Tyler Reddick, who gave the team its first-ever win at the Texas Motor Speedway in May.

IndyCar driver for Andretti Autosports Marco Andretti will get behind the BMR car for Oct. 8’s Xfinity race at Charlotte Motor Speedway

The the Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help A Hero 200 at Darlington Raceway will run Saturday, Sept. 3 at 3 p.m. CT on USA Network.

Nashville Sports Council Share Key Takeaways From Women in Motorsports Panel

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Women in Motorsports Panel presented by the Nashville Sports Council. Photo: Courtesy of the Nashville Sports Council

Ahead of the second annual Big Machine Music City Grand Prix, the Nashville Sports Council hosted “A Conversation with Women in Motorsports presented by PNC,” which offered insights and highlighted the significant impact women are making in the motorsports industry.

Chip Ganassi Racing gearbox mechanic Anna Chatten discussed her experience keeping a high-performance race car up to speed in the NTT IndyCar Series, and shared how throughout her 20-year career she has changed her mindset to focus on being a key contributor to the success of a major racing team. Chip Ganassi Racing driver Scott Dixon and the No. 9 PNC Bank Honda went on to win the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix on Aug. 7.

“We are extremely grateful for PNC’s partnership and support not just for this panel, but also for our Women in Sports Initiative as a whole,” shares Scott Ramsey, President & CEO of the Nashville Sports Council. “This panel helped kick off a weekend of racing by shining a light on the impact women have made on INDYCAR and motor racing. We look forward to collaborating on additional projects with PNC centered around the mission of amplifying the awareness of women in sports.”

Chatten is one of four women featured in Women In Motorsports Powered by PNC Bank with Chip Ganassi Racing, a campaign launched earlier this year to showcase women industry leaders and accelerate career pathways in motorsports for women.

Beth Paretta, owner of Paretta Autosport, and her driver, Simona de Silvestro, discussed their respective journeys to becoming industry leaders for women, while Nashville Sports Council Women in Sports Initiative committee member Rose Grindstaff–who was integral to making the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix experience a reality as a member of the race’s Advisory Board–talked about making an impact in male-dominated boardrooms in business.

“The Women in Motorsports panel was a good platform to share our respective journeys in motorsports and how we seek to put a spotlight on the many roles for women in our sport and in automotive careers as well,” Paretta adds. “By being out there in numbers on the race track we hope to inspire young girls and women with the adage, ‘if you see it, you can be it.’”

The panel, moderated by WKRN’s Danielle Breezy, was held in collaboration with the Nashville Sports Council’s Women in Sports Initiative, the mission of which is to increase awareness, engagement and promotion of women in sports through events and community involvement.

“While women continue to make advances in traditionally male-dominated industries, such as motorsports, tech and finance, we recognize there’s still work to be done to empower women in the workplace,” notes Mike Johnson, PNC regional president for Tennessee. “The Women In Motorsports campaign is designed to drive awareness and support for gender equality and economic inclusion, and all of us at PNC are grateful to the panelists for sharing their unique perspectives with the Nashville business community.”

Marco Andretti Set To Drive Big Machine Racing’s No. 48 Chevrolet In Xfinity Series

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Pictured (L-R): Mario Andretti, Scott Borchetta, Marco Andretti, Michael Andretti

Prior to the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix on Sunday (Aug. 7), Big Machine Racing (BMR) owner Scott Borchetta announced that Andretti Autosport’s Marco Andretti will drive the Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for the Roval in Charlotte, North Carolina on Oct. 8.

“I am so excited that Marco Andretti will be driving our Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers No. 48 Camaro in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at the Roval in Charlotte,” Borchetta shares. “He’s done such a great job in SRX and I think his skills will shine brightly in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.”

Andretti has been driving in IndyCar for 17 years and has raced in 250 races. In 2006, he was named IndyCar Series Rookie of the Year and Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year. This pas year, Andretti won the SRX Series Championship which raced late model cars at short tracks throughout the country, including the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway.

“I’m grateful to Scott Borchetta for giving me this cool opportunity to try my hand at an Xfinity road course,” Andretti adds. “I have really taken a liking to the stock car experience and look forward to having some fun driving the Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers No. 48 Camaro in Charlotte.”

During the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, Jade Buford, Kaz Garla and Tyler Reddick have all jumped behind the wheel of the Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro. No decision has been made of who will be the full-time driver for the Big Machine Racing car in 2022, Borchetta noted.

On Saturday (Aug. 6), Borchetta took third place in the Trans Am Series at the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix. It was his best finish and best qualifying so far in the Trans Am Series.

Scott Dixon Wins 2022 Big Machine Music City Grand Prix, Becomes Second All-Time Race Winner

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Scott Dixon celebrating his 2022 Big Machine Music City Grand Prix win in victory circle. Photo: Courtesy of the Music City Grand Prix

After finishing second in 2021’s inaugural race, Scott Dixon is victorious after winning the 2022 Big Machine Music City Grand Prix on Sunday, Aug. 7, also managing to break the record for second-most IndyCar wins ever with 53.

Dixon picked up his second win of the season and moves closer to the top of the points standings after winning the fourth closest road/street course race in IndyCar history, edging fellow Kiwi Scott McLaughlin by 0.106 seconds.

“It was a wild day,” Dixon expressed in a post-race press conference. “These races can be all over the map and we had a really fast car all weekend. We never really got two consecutive laps together. We got kind of hosed in qualifying and I was so angry after qualifying because I knew we had great speed.

“This race is tough to read. Last year was much the same for us where we just tried to stay out of trouble,” he added.

Dixon started the race in 14th and found some trouble during his first pit stop. But after a handful of cautions and some golden opportunities, the Chip Ganassi driver was able to find himself in the front and hold off the rest of the field.

Like last year, the 2022 MCGP had a ton of cautions–eight to be exact–and one red flag, which came with just four laps to go. At this point, Dixon had the lead, but the pole winner McLaughlin was in second and had a fast car all weekend.

Scott McLaughlin celebrating his pole at the MCGP. Photo: Courtesy of the Music City Grand Prix

“Even though it didn’t work out in my favor, that was one of the most fun races of my career and one of the best race cars we’ve ever had,” McLaughlin noted post-race. “The car was so good, I had so much fun.

“Today I had a full go with [Dixon] and it was awesome. That was probably one of the top-three best moments in my career.”

McLaughlin finished second ahead of 2021 IndyCar Series champion Alex Palou, who also gained much need standings points.

The red flag prevented the race from finishing under caution, which allowed for a dramatic and entertaining finish. Dixon was satisfied with that decision but knew that the final restart would be extremely difficult.

“Ultimately, that last lap and a half for me was just so tough,” Dixon explains, “and that’s how it should be.”

The red flag came out after an accident between Nashville native Josef Newgarden and Romain Grosjean when Newgarden pushed Grosjean into the wall on turn nine coming off the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge. 2021 Big Machine Music City Grand Prix winner Marcus Ericsson was also involved in the wreck and had mechanical failures that made him unable to finish the race.

Newgarden had a great race, leading 12 laps and finishing sixth. His collision with Grosjean stirred up a bit of drama on social media with fans and drivers going back and forth arguing as to who was at fault.

“Welcome to IndyCar, it gets tight,” said Newgarden in a post race interview with NBC. “He’s been on a worse end of that, I don’t know what to tell him. Good thing I was ahead.”

The day started off extremely hot and muggy, but the track cooled off a bit after a weather delay pushed the race back from 2:30 p.m. to a 4:10 p.m. start.

Over 20 laps were raced before the first caution was waved and, after that point, flashbacks from last year’s yellow flag-filled race came back to haunt the drivers and fans. By lap 52, Pato O’Ward, Takuma Sato, Devlin DeFrancesco and Graham Rahal were all knocked out of the race due to collisions.

Last year’s pole winner Colton Herta started off the race all the way back in 23rd place and, within the first few laps, received nose damage forcing him to the back of the field and going a lap down. This didn’t stop the Andretti Autosports driver from fighting all the way back to finish fifth.

The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix may be a defining race this season as it was the fourth to last race of the year. Now with three races left, first place and fifth place in the points standings are only separated by 33 points.

Marcus Ericsson Driven To Win MCGP With IndyCar Championship On The Line

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Marcus Ericsson. Photo: Courtesy of the Music City Grand Prix

Marcus Ericsson is having the best year of his career, winning the Indianapolis 500 and sitting in second place in the standings as he fights for his first IndyCar championship.

He won the 2021 Big Machine Music City Grand Prix in epic fashion after going nose-first into another car on lap five, making his car go airborne. His car survived and would go on to make seven pitstops before winning the inaugural street race.

With the MCGP being the fourth to last race and Ericsson being just nine points behind Will Power in the IndyCar standings, the Sweden native will be looking for another huge win in Nashville this weekend.

“Looking back at it, it was one of the craziest races that I’ve been part of. To go from being airborne and crashing on lap five, thinking that the race is over, to being in victory lane less than two hours later was pretty surreal,” Ericsson recalled in a press conference on Thursday (Aug. 4). “I’m planning to do the victory lane part again, maybe not the airborne and crashing on lap five part. A bit less drama would be good,” he adds jokingly.

Nashville had never hosted a street course race prior to last year, so there wasn’t a precedent for how to race it. For every driver, it was a massive learning curve in the practice sessions and qualifying. Ericsson started at 18th but was able to fight his way to the top and went on to lead 37 laps.

The Grand Prix was a massive success and this year should be no different as many of the drivers want to win this race for how unique it is.

“It’s great to be back,” Ericsson noted. “I thought last year’s event was a great addition to the calendar and the way that the whole city was bustling–all the fans that came and all of us [drivers] really enjoyed it.”

With only one race experienced, Ericsson says the MCGP is one of the toughest tracks of the year. For how tight the course is coming off the bridge on turn 4 and for how fast these cars are going over the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge, the race can be very unpredictable.

“I think this is one of the toughest [tracks] of the year,” he explains. “Mostly due to the combination of the street course being super bumpy and the heat and humidity here at this time of the year. I think with all that combined it’s a really tough one. It’s definitely a very physical challenge for the drivers. You need to be in shape, you need to be hydrated and prepared for Sunday.”

There were nine cautions and two red flags at last year’s grand prix, forcing the drivers to race longer into the afternoon and early evening.

With rain predicted throughout the weekend, strategy is a big factor. You want to win, but being able to keep the car on the track and pick up the most points possible is also important, especially at an unpredictable track like Nashville.

“You have to weigh the risk versus reward calculation when you’re racing for a championship,” Ericsson said. “You can’t think too much into the points and not take any risks because then you’re going to put yourself in a difficult situation.

“I still feel the way to go is to try and maximize every weekend. If we have a chance to win, we need to win. If we have a chance to finish p5, we need to be p5 and so on.”

Stakes are higher with how late the MCGP is this year compared to in 2021, especially for how tight the standings are. Only 52 points separate first and sixth place. Ericsson looks to be crowned champion, but a poor performance can turn his chances on its head.

“[Everyone in the top five or six are] all really good drivers and teams,” he admits. “I know my teammates a bit more and they’re extremely good. I don’t have someone singled out. I think they’re all going to be tough to beat but I know we can do it.”

The first IndyCar practice is set for Friday, Aug. 5 at 3:15 p.m. and the second practice is set for Saturday at 11:15 a.m.

Qualifying will take place between 3:30 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. before Sunday’s Big Machine Music City Grand Prix, which will start at 2 p.m. CT.

Guide To The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix For New IndyCar Fans

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Marcus Ericsson celebrating his 2021 Big Machine Music City Grand Prix victory with his pit crew. Photo: Courtesy of the Music City Grand Prix.

The second annual Big Machine Music City Grand Prix is right around the corner and will feature the highly anticipated IndyCar Series street course race around downtown Nashville. For those who didn’t attend or watch the race, they can still be a bit confused by what exactly IndyCar is and how it differs from other motorsports such as NASCAR and Formula One.

First off, the NTT IndyCar Series features open-wheel race cars that race on ovals, road courses, and street course like the MCGP. At first glance, fans may see similarities between the IndyCar and the Formula One car, but they are quite different in their designs and construction.

IndyCar has only been raced in America but drivers from all around the world have come to the United States to compete in it. NASCAR, also being a distinctly American motorsport, is very different from IndyCar. The average NASCAR stock car weighs about 3,200 pounds while the average IndyCar weighs about 1,600 pounds.

Top: Colton Herta’s Andretti Autosports IndyCar. Bottom: Daniel Suarez’s No. 99 Trackhouse racing Chevrolet Camaro

NASCAR races primarily on ovals, short tracks, superspeedways and a few road courses, while IndyCar does it all.

Even if you’re not familiar with IndyCar as a whole, you’ve probably heard of the Indianapolis 500 which has been coined The Greatest Spectacle In Racing and has attracted some of the greatest drivers of all time. IndyCar has been around for decades, offering some of the best motorsports has to offer in the United States and featuring legendary drivers including A.J. Foyt, Helio Castroneves, Bobby Unser, Al Unser and the iconic Mario Andretti.

The 2022 Indy 500 winner was Marcus Ericsson, who happened to be the 2021 Big Machine Music City Grand Prix winner. Ericsson’s performance at the MCGP was one to remember for the Swedish-born driver.

This season, Ericsson leads the drivers standings but only by eight points. The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix is the fourth to last race of the year, so it may be a huge factor in who will win the 2022 IndyCar Championship.

Scott Dixon. Photo: Courtesy of IndyCar

IndyCar has a diverse field of drivers of all ages, nationalities and racing backgrounds. The top drivers to keep your eyes on for the MCGP should be Ericsson, six-time IndyCar champ Scott Dixon, 2021 IndyCar champ Alex Palou, 2021 MCGP pole sitter Colton Herta, and six-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson.

In 2021, Herta was completely dominant all weekend. The then 21-year-old led each practice and won qualifying with ease. He went on to lead 39 of the 80 laps, fighting his way back into the top spot. Sadly, with five laps to go, Herta crashed into the wall coming off of Korean Veterans Memorial Bridge. Ericsson, who lead 37 laps, held on to win.

Photo: Courtesy of the Music City Grand Prix

Herta, who is in eighth place in the standings, will be looking for redemption this year. He drove brilliantly on the new track in 2021, and with the experience and another full season under his belt, the MCGP will be his for the taking.

But you cannot write off the other drivers.

Dixon finished a close second last year and is sitting in fourth place in the standings. The IndyCar legend will be making a late season run for his seventh IndyCar championship.

Johnson will be a familiar name for most racing fans as he’s widely considered one of, if not the greatest NASCAR driver ever. He began competing in IndyCar in 2021 after retiring from NASCAR but was unable to race in the MCGP due to a crash during qualification. He’s improved a lot since last season, picking up a top five finish and two top 10 finishes.

Josef Newgarden. Photo: Courtesy of IndyCar

If you’re looking for someone to root for, look no further than Nashville’s own Josef Newgarden. The Penske driver is a two-time IndyCar champion and sits in third place in the standings after winning four races. At the 2021 Big Machine Music City Grand Prix, Newgarden started 12th but was able to finish 10th. This year, being more familiar with the track, he will be one to watch as he will be looking to win his hometown races in front of his friends and family.

Like last year, practice and qualifying will be extremely important. With it being such a unique street course and it still being so new, drivers will need to use practice to feel out the track and discover any quirks and adversities. It’s sure to be full of drama and excitement, and fans will be able to watch the practices and qualifying on Friday and Saturday.

Whether you’re a diehard IndyCar fan, went to the race last year or you’re dipping your toes in for the first time, the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix will be full of fast cars, loud engines and drama through the streets of Nashville.

You can catch concerts featuring Tim McGraw, Carly Pearce, Midland and more, or just enjoy the festival-like atmosphere around the Nissan Stadium campus.

Big Machine Music City GP Adds Cheat Codes, DJ HISH, More To Concert Lineups

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Cheat Codes. Photo: Courtesy of the Music City Grand Prix

Los Angeles trio Cheat Codes and Nashville’s DJ Hish have been added to the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix concert lineups, which also include Tim McGraw, Carly Pearce and more.

The lineup on the Nissan Stadium campus will satisfy the diverse appetite of music fans with even more off-track entertainment. Admission to each evening’s marquee concert is included in the same-day race ticket in any price range.

Cheat Codes’ total stream tally eclipses six billion plays with a diverse discography, including the Platinum pop radio top five “No Promises” (feat. Demi Lovato), the Gold-certified “Feels Great” (feat. Fetty Wap & CVBZ) and Gold breakout “Sex” with Kriss Kross Amsterdam. On the international front, “Only You” (feat. Little Mix) soared to No. 1 on pop radio in the UK while the band received dozens of Platinum certifications in 20 countries.

Special guests MacKenzie Porter and Matt Stell will also join Cheat Codes for unreleased collaborations on Sunday, Aug. 7, beginning at 1 p.m. CT on the Cumberland River Stage, located on the corner of Titans Way and Victory Ave.

The Cumberland River Stage in Big Machine X will also feature daily performances from rising stars from 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. on Friday; 9 a.m.-7:15 p.m. on Saturday; and 9 a.m.-2:15 p.m. on Sunday. Among those scheduled are CMT Next Women of Country alumnus Hannah Dasher, Spotify’s Fresh Finds artist Carter Faith, and Big Machine Label Group’s Mackenzie Carpenter and Tiera Kennedy.

Since 2011, DJ Hish has been writing songs and playing at some of the biggest events in Music City. The songwriter turned artist-producer quickly began to make a name for himself with his electro-infused spin on country music. He has toured with Brantley Gilbert, Chase Bryant and Dustin Lynch, among others, and has performed at some of country music’s most notable festivals. Hish is currently a resident DJ at prominent Nashville venues while continuing to play festivals around the globe.

Hish will open for McGraw on the ZYN Main Stage on Saturday, Aug. 6, beginning at 8:10 p.m. The ZYN Main Stage is adjacent to Cumberland Park between the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge and the pedestrian bridge.

Officially kicking off the festivities, the Freedom Friday Tribute Concert presented by Wesley Mortgage will feature Aaron Lewis, Deana Carter, Abby Anderson and Jackson Dean. The entertainment on Aug. 5 begins at 7 p.m. on the ZYN Main Stage.