Honda Racing NTT INDYCAR SERIES message points for the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix

Big Machine Music City Grand Prix

Nashville, TN
12 p.m. EDT Sunday, August 6
NBC and NBC Peacock
IndyCar Radio Network and SiriusXM

Honda at Nashville

Honda drivers and teams have won both previous editions of the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix, as Marcus Ericsson recovered from an opening lap contact and brief “flight” to head a Honda sweep of the first seven finishing positions in the inaugural 2021 event.

Following Ericsson to the checkers, Scott Dixon made it a Honda and Chip Ganassi Racing 1-2 result, with James Hinchcliffe running third to complete the podium sweep for the manufacturer. Honda drivers Ryan Hunter-Reay, Graham Rahal, Ed Jones, and eventual series champion Alex Palou completed the top seven for Honda.

In 2022. Dixon emerged victorious on the streets of Nashville, with Palou finishing third for Honda; with Andretti Autosport’s Alexander Rossi and Colton Herta fourth and fifth, respectively.

Previously, INDYCAR and the Indy Racing League conducted eight races on the 1.33-mile Nashville Super Speedway oval in Lebanon, Tennessee, from 2001-2008. Honda drivers and teams won five of the six races the manufacturer contested, from 2003-08.

Honda-powered winners at Nashville Speedway include Tony Kanaan in his 2003 championship season; and his Andretti Green Racing teammate Dario Franchitti in 2004. Scott Dixon won three consecutive races on the Nashville oval, from 2006-08, in his Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

Manufacturer Competition

After scoring qualifying poles and race wins in four of the six most recent 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES evens, Honda continues to lead the Manufacturers’ Championship standings, with seven victories and nine poles in 12 races this season.

Honda comes to Nashville with a 35-point advantage (978-943) over rival Chevrolet. Honda is seeking its fifth NTT INDYCAR SERIES Manufacturers’ Championship in the last six years.

While Simon Pagenaud continues to recover from his crash last month at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, his place in the #60 Meyer Shank Racing Honda will be taken this weekend by 2022 Indy NXT champion Linus Lundqvist, who will make his NTT INDYCAR SERIES debut in Nashville.

Honda drivers currently are ranked first, third and fourth in the INDYCAR Drivers’ Championship. With four wins this season, Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou holds an 80-point lead over Josef Newgarden (477-397). Teammate, and six-time INDYCAR champion Scott Dixon is third with 357 points; while 2022 Indianapolis 500 winner Marcus Ericsson is fourth in his Chip Ganassi Honda with 330 points.

Palou’s four wins this season include the GMR Grand Prix of Indianapolis in May; and a three-in-a-row streak that included the Grand Prix of Detroit, Road America and the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio, Presented by the Accord Hybrid. Palou also qualified on the pole for the Indianapolis 500, finishing fourth; and has seven additional top-five results in the nine races this season, including a third-place result last week in Sunday’s race of a double-header weekend.

Other Honda-powered winners this season include Ericsson, at the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg; Kyle Kirkwood at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach; and Christian Lundgaard at the Honda Indy Toronto.

Where to Watch

Television coverage of Sunday’s Big Machine Music City Grand Prix starts at 12 p.m. EDT on NBC. Complete, flag-to-flag race coverage also will be available on NBC Peacock, the INDYCAR Radio Network, and SiriusXM INDYCAR Nation (Channel 160).