CHEVROLET RACING IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES
BIG MACHINE MUSIC CITY GRAND PRIX
STREETS OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
TEAM CHEVY PRACTICE ONE RECAP
AUGUST 6, 2021

FELIX ROSENQVIST LEADS CHEVROLET CONTINGENT IN PRACTICE ONE

NASHVILLE (Aug. 6, 2021) – In what could easily be earmarked as one of the most important practice sessions for Team Chevy in the NTT INDYCAR Series-the first laps around the new course on the streets of Nashville-is in the books. It was not without moments of excitement and gave the fans a glimpse at what is sure to be a very strategic and competitive race on Sunday.

For the Chevrolet powered teams and drivers, even though the session was shortened as a result of contact incidents, all used their time as wisely as possible to prepare for Saturday’s practice prior to Firestone Fast Six qualifying.

Felix Rosenqvist, No. 7 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet, led the way for Chevrolet with the seventh quickest time in a very tight field, maximizing his street experience in Europe earlier in his career.

Will Power, No. 12 Verizon 5G Team Penske Chevrolet, Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 DEX Imaging Team Penske Chevrolet, Simon Pagenaud, No. 22 Menards Team Penske Chevrolet and Josef Newgarden, No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet finished the session in the top-12. Colton Herta set fast lap in the session.

Contact with track walls damaged the Chevrolets driven by Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP and Conor Daly, No. 20 US Air Force Ed Carpenter Racing. Both cars will be repaired and ready for Practice No. 2 at noon on Saturday in preparation for qualifying set for 3:30 p.m. Both live on Peacock Premium.

NBCSN will telecast the 80-lap/173.6-mile Big Machine Music City Grand Prix at 5:30 p.m. ET Sunday, Aug. 8. The race, qualifications and practice will also be broadcast live on INDYCAR Radio Network affiliates, Sirius 211, XM 205, Indycar.com, and on the INDYCAR Mobile app powered by NTT DATA.

Spectators will have the opportunity to view some of Chevrolet’s newest production vehicles, including a Corvette C8, Camaro ZL1 and Silverado 1500 Trailboss, and participate in a Q&A with NTT INDYCAR SERIES history making Chevrolet team owner Beth Paretta at the Chevrolet display in the Fan Zone located in the Nissan Stadium lot.

The display will be open from 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 6; 10 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 7; and 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 8. Paretta will chat with fans at 1:15 p.m. Aug. 8. All times are local.

Team Chevy will be represented by:
A.J. Foyt Enterprises
Dalton Kellett, No. 4 K-Line Insulators AJ Foyt Racing
Sebastien Bourdais, No. 14 ROKiT AJ Foyt Racing
Arrow McLaren SP
Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP
Felix Rosenqvist, No. 7 Vuse Arrow McLaren SP
Carlin
Max Chilton, No. 59 Gallagher Carlin
Ed Carpenter Racing
Conor Daly, No. 20 U.S. Air Force
Rinus VeeKay, No. 21 Sonax/Autogeek
Team Penske
Josef Newgarden, No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske
Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 DEX Imaging Team Penske
Will Power, No. 12 Verizon 5G Team Penske
Simon Pagenaud, No. 22 Menards Team Penske

DRIVER QUOTES:
FELIX ROSENQVIST, NO. 7 ARROW MCLAREN SP CHEVROLET: ON PREVIOUS STREET COURSE EXPERIENCE: “”I think my street course experience definitely helps with this course. It is a fun track and really tricky. The straight after the bridge, where you are bottoming out, is just nuts. I had a really big moment there at the end of the session. Apart from that, it is really smooth and straight forward. Those high-speed kinks really upset the car, but it is a fantastic track. It’s going to be a good challenge and take the best out of us. The best driver will win.”

PATO O’WARD, NO. 5 ARROW MCLAREN SP CHEVROLET: AFTER CONTACT WITH WALL: “What a cool track. It is very physical and unlike any other place we go to, specifically the braking zones. Our car felt fine until I made a mistake going into Turn 3 and hit the inside wall, sending me into the outside wall in Turn 3. We didn’t get much running in today but tomorrow we will. We will be ready for qualifying, I’m not worried.”

WILL POWER, NO. 12 VERIZON 5G TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET: ON FIRST LAPS ON TRACK- “Yeah, couple of big bumps. Worst one is probably going into turn four. If they could grind that down a little bit, it would be really nice. The track is cool, man. I really enjoyed it. Really typical street course, bumps and cambers of the road you got to deal with.

“Yeah, it was fun. Fun, apart from the coming off the bridge heading into the city. That’s a bit sketchy with the bumps. That one big bump, that’s it, the rest are pretty good.

“It is so rare to break-in a new track-especially a street course. It’s always cool. I used to love any time we went to a new street course. A lot of fun. Once you’ve been there a few years, it gets really, really tough, tiny little details. Every one is good. Here you find big chunks, big chunks of time. I’m sure by the time we get to qualifying, it will be really, really tight, as it is already tight.

“But, yeah, enjoying it. I love the amount of fans that are here for a Friday. See a lot of people in the stands already, a lot of action in the paddock, a lot of stuff to do. So really cool. I think the promoters have done a great job”

SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN, NO. 3 DEX IMAGING TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET:
“Awesome to get on track here for the first Music City Grand Prix. The DEX Imaging Chevy was amazing. I felt really strong. It’s nice to go to a track that other people haven’t been to before and you can really hustle it and find your way slowly. I felt like I had a really solid run, a solid start to the session. We just slowly chipped at it and found ourselves right around 10th by the end of the session. There’s still plenty left in me and the car and I’m sure everyone up and down pit lane is the same. Overall pretty strong session. I love the track, love the atmosphere here in Nashville and I’m pretty excited for a strong weekend.”

SIMON PAGENAUD, NO. 22 MENARDS TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET:
“Beautiful day in Nashville. It’s an amazing design that they came up with for the track – I really enjoyed it. The Menards Chevy was very competitive so I look forward to tomorrow. We’ve got some work to do still to get to P1 but we definitely have a lot of lap time still in it. I’m very excited for the weekend. There is a lot of hype, a lot of people and I can’t wait to see what a good show we can bring to them.”

Chevrolet IndyCar V6 Year-By-Year Results since 2012
2021 ­– 4 wins, 5 poles in 10 races
Wins – Pato O’Ward (Texas2, Detroit2); Rinus VeeKay (Indy RC1); Josef Newgarden (Mid-Ohio). Pole – Pato O’Ward (Barber Motorsports Park, Detroit1); Josef Newgarden (Detroit2, Road America, Mid-Ohio).
2020 – 7 wins, 11 poles in 14 races
Wins – Simon Pagenaud (Iowa1); Josef Newgarden (Iowa2, St. Louis2, Indy RC2, St. Petersburg); Will Power (Mid-Ohio1, Indy RC3, St. Petersburg). Poles – Josef Newgarden (Texas, Road America1, Iowa2), Will Power (Indianapolis road course, St. Louis1, Mid-Ohio1, Indy RC3; St. Petersburg), Pato O’Ward (Road America2), Conor Daly (Iowa1), Rinus VeeKay (Indy road course October)
2019 – 9 wins, 9 poles in 17 races
Driver/owner championship (Josef Newgarden/Roger Penske); Indianapolis 500 win (Simon Pagenaud)
2018 – 6 wins, 9 poles in 17 races
Indianapolis 500 win (Will Power)
2017 – 10 wins, 11 poles in 17 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Josef Newgarden/Roger Penske)
2016 – 14 wins, 13 poles in 16 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Simon Pagenaud/Roger Penske)
2015 – 10 wins, 16 poles in 16 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Scott Dixon/Chip Ganassi);
Indianapolis 500 win (Juan Pablo Montoya). First manufacturer to capture all titles since Chevrolet returned to INDYCAR in 2012
2014 – 12 wins, 14 poles in 18 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Will Power/Roger Penske)
2013 – 10 wins, 11 poles in 19 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; Indianapolis 500 win (Tony Kanaan)
2012 – 11 wins, 10 poles in 15 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Ryan Hunter-Reay/Michael Andretti)
Total – 93 wins, 104 earned poles in 159 races