The streets of Nashville will be filled with open-wheel racing machines throughout the weekend because of the inaugural Music City Grand Prix. There have been no IndyCar races since the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio on July 4, 2021.
Josef Newgarden pulled into victory lane in Mid-Ohio, so he will look to carry that momentum into this weekend’s race. Additionally, Newgarden is from Nashville, which has pushed him to the top of bettors’ list heading into the weekend in the online bets.
The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix will be a weekend-long event beginning Friday. Testing will occur on Friday, and qualifying is scheduled for Saturday.
Qualifying and practice will be available on Peacock and IndyCar Radio. The race will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network, with coverage running between 5:30 and 8:00 p.m. ET. Josef Newgarden and Alex Palou are the two favorites heading into the weekend. For more odds and lines, check out BETUS Sportsbook.
The Course in Nashville
The Big Machine Music City GP is expected to be the second-largest race of the IndyCar season behind the Indy 500. Thousands of IndyCar fans are expected to make the trip to Nashville for the event, and they are going to be entertained by a fast and technical track.
The streets of downtown Nashville will be used in the temporary street course. Racers will drive by Nissan Stadium, home of the Tennessee Titans. The finish line will be in the streets outside of the venue.
The most intriguing part of the course is that the cars will travel on the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge into downtown Nashville. It’s the first motorsports course in history to travel over a body of water.
Racers will need to complete 80 laps and 173.6 miles. The race will be over two hours in length, and there will be a variety of events at the track to wager during the weekend, like qualifying and other smaller races.
“The Big Machine Grand Prix is expected to host 110,000 people over the course of three days, culminating with the big show on Aug. 8.”
Josef Newgarden’s Race to Win
Josef Newgarden gave Team Penske their first win in 2021 on the Fourth of July at Mid-Ohio. Newgarden has been sensational all season, but he has struggled late in races. The Team Penske headliner smashed this narrative a month ago to earn his first victory of the year.
He has led 197 laps in ten starts this season. He has notched three poles, seven top-ten, and five top-five finishes. A bet on Newgarden before qualifying will give you a lot of value.
Throughout the season, he has stated how important the Big Machine Music City GP is to him as a driver. Newgarden was born and raised in Nashville, so expect him to push the pace for an advantage to shine in his hometown.
Other Drivers to Watch
Alex Palou is a driver you should keep an eye on this weekend. Palou had a difficult rookie season in 2020, but he has turned into a sophomore sensation. Palou is leading the points standings by 39 points, and he is one of two drivers with two wins this season.
Romain Grosjean is one under-the-radar driver to note in Nashville. The other driver is Pato O’Ward, who is second in the standings. O’Ward has been strong in nearly every race, so he is a worthwhile pick this weekend.
Grosjean is a former Formula 1 driver who has embraced IndyCar. Grosjean has only raced road courses in 2021, so he is not in the points race, but he has been successful all year. He has two top-five finishes in seven starts.
