Music City Grand Prix

On September 16, 2020, the IndyCar Series announced the addition of the Music City Grand Prix as a street circuit race in downtown Nashville for its 2021 schedule.[1][2] This announcement came after three years of discussion between Nashville sports and tourism officials and IndyCar executives, which had previously resulted in three failed proposals for a race in Nashville. The Music City Grand Prix will be privately funded and has a three-year contract for IndyCar Series races.[3][4] Nashville's successful hosting of the 2019 NFL Draft was one of the deciding factors in the race becoming a reality, according to Penske Entertainment Corporation President and CEO Mark Miles.[3][5] The Tennessee Titans will serve as a host for the race.[4]

The Nashville Street Circuit measures 2.17 miles (3.49 km) and includes 11 turns.[1][3][4] Running adjacent to Nissan Stadium, the circuit's most notable feature is its 3,578-foot (1,091 m) straightaway across the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge, which spans the Cumberland River.[1][4] The bridge layout makes the track the only one on the IndyCar circuit and one of the few in the world to cross a significant body of water.[3][4] Top speeds for the IndyCar race are expected to be around 200 miles per hour (320 km/h). The track varies in width from a minimum of 37 feet (11 m) to a maximum of 80 feet (24 m).[1] As at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, the Nashville Street Circuit will use a different location for starting the race (between turns 3 and 4) than the finish line.[6] Middle Tennessee State University's School of Concrete and Construction Management will be creating concrete mixes for the track's barriers and pit row.[7]

Music City Grand Prix CEO Matt Crews noted that the event organizers plan to "limit traffic interruptions as much as possible".[4] Track designer Tony Cotman intentionally avoided Nashville's major streets so as not to adversely affect tourism.[3] Discussing the design of the circuit, he called the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge "one of those landmarks where you see that bridge on TV or in photos and you’re going to know exactly where it is. It’s like seeing the Queen Mary in the background at Long Beach."[6] Cotman also noted that he expects turns 1, 2, and 7 to be the best passing locations on the circuit.[6]

The Music City Grand Prix became the first new street circuit race for the IndyCar Series since the Grand Prix of Houston in 2013.[1][4] It also became Nashville's first IndyCar race since the Indy 200 was held at Nashville Superspeedway between 2001 and 2008.[3][8] The Music City Grand Prix becomes the sixth street circuit race of the 2021 season, joining the doubleheader at Detroit along with races at Long Beach, St. Petersburg, and Toronto. All of these races have been run since at least 2012, however, and more recent events on street circuits have already become defunct, including races in Baltimore, Boston (which was never held), and Houston.[3]

Two-time IndyCar Series champion and Nashville-area native Josef Newgarden called the race "the number-one destination outside of the Indy 500".[1] He further opined that "it is going to showcase the town of Nashville probably the best way possible."[4] Nashville mayor John Cooper called the race "a catalyst for our economic recovery".[5]

The inaugural Music City Grand Prix is scheduled for 5:30 pm EDT on August 8, 2021.[9] During the August 6-8 race weekend, the GT World Challenge America series and the Trans-Am Series TA2 class will also be competing as support series.[10][11]