Photo credit: Penske Entertainment/Chris Owens
On Thursday, IndyCar officially announced a change of both site and date for the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix, which will be the season finale in 2024, on September 15, on a mostly brand new circuit.
The present circuit mostly utilizes the infrastructure around Nissan Stadium, which is set to be replaced by a new stadium with anticipated groundbreaking next year. The new layout will keep the double-straightaway across the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge, and the pitlane will remain on the stadium side of the Cumberland River, but the will instead go in and around the nightlife district on Lower Broadway, a noted destination for country music enthusiasts.
IndyCar’s press release promises “a takeover of Broadway and a massive street party that only Nashville can throw” for each day of the weekend, with the Indycar Victory Lap Celebration taking place the next day, September 16, at Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center.
Penske Entertainment CEO Mark Miles said the race “will be an unbridled celebration of the most fierce and competitive motorsport on the planet, set against the backdrop of an innovative and breathtaking stage that includes one of the premier global entertainment districts in the world.”
Race CEO Matt Crews said “the ability to promote our city and state year-round and bring our race into the heart of Nashville is an absolute honor. The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix continues to grow to levels that I never dreamed could have been possible.”
On the heels of native son Josef Newgarden’s Indy 500 win, Tennessee state governor Bill Lee said that “with the national and international spotlight on Nashville, the world will see what Tennesseans already know to be true – that there’s no better stage for racing than Music City.”
The venue for this year’s finale, Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca, is expected to remain on the 2024 calendar on another date. Miles called it “a beloved, historic venue for our teams, drivers and fans in an important and scenic market”.
