TEAM UPDATE 08 \\ 03

BIG MACHINE MUSIC CITY GRAND PRIX_PREVIEW

JHR hope to be in tune at final street circuit showdown in Music City

The streets of Nashville will reverberate to a different kind of sound this weekend (August 4-6) as Juncos Hollinger Racing drivers Callum Ilott and Agustín Canapino do battle in the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix.

The 13th round of the 2023 NTT INDYCAR season will be held on the streets of Tennessee’s capital city – the spiritual home of America’s country music scene – and the three-day event promises to offer an unmissable mix of music, food, and racing for more than 100,000 fans in attendance.

Downtown Nashville’s street circuit pushes the boundaries of motorsport innovation, being the first racetrack of its kind to cross a major body of water; the Cumberland River.

The 2.1-mile lap represents the longest street course of the season and the bumpy 11-turn layout will provide a harsh physical test for both Callum and Agustín across 168 miles of racing action.

However, the two-week break since INDYCAR’s last outing at Iowa Speedway has given the duo valuable time to prepare.

They used a mix of skill and strategy to successfully emerge from the Hy-Vee doubleheader with P15 and P16 finishes in race one, while race two returned a P14 result for Callum and a P26 for his rookie team-mate.

The team will be looking to a successful race performance at last year’s corresponding fixture in Tennessee for inspiration this time out. Callum progressed from his P19 starting spot to finish P15.

“Nashville is a pretty cool place, so I’m excited to go back. It’s a fun place to be, the vibes are good, and the music scene is incredible there.

“Last year, the race was a little bit messy, so that is something to be careful of. It’s a very tight and technical circuit with not much margin for error. The main thing will be to get a good qualifying position and then stay up there to see what we can achieve.”

“We’re heading to Nashville this weekend, a very extreme street circuit which will be another new experience for me. I will go step-by-step to carefully learn the track layout and get up to speed. The races there have been very eventful in previous years, and there is also a lot of heat forecast. It will be a very physically demanding weekend, but one which I am looking forward to.”

INDY NXT UPDATE

Juncos Hollinger Racing’s junior drivers also arrive in Nashville full of optimism, ahead of this weekend’s INDY NXT by Firestone Music City Grand Prix. Rasmus Lindh and newcomer Victor Franzoni will be determined to continue the squad’s excellent form in recent weeks.

A race distance of 73.5 miles will need to be successfully negotiated before the checkered flag flies on Sunday, and round nine of the season will provide Rasmus with the opportunity to replicate his recent success.

The Swede recorded his best result of the year last time out in Iowa, when he earned a place on the podium by moving up seven positions into P3.

The squad will also be bolstered by Victor bringing his extensive open-wheel racing experience to the JHR awning and track this weekend.

The Brazilian won the INDY PRO title with Juncos Racing in 2017 and will be keen to add to the success he recorded with the team as an Indy Lights driver in 2018.

#75
\ VICTOR
FRANZONI

“I’m extremely happy to be back with Juncos Hollinger Racing. We had a lot of success in the past together; winning a championship and securing
many wins.

“Having this opportunity to come back to Juncos Hollinger Racing again makes me super happy and I’m excited to give my best in every lap. I’m focused on representing the team and our sponsors in the best way possible as an INDY NXT driver.”

#76\
RASMUS
LINDH

“I’m excited to be back racing on a street track in INDY NXT. It will be a challenge for myself and the team, as it will be the first time that I’ve raced in Nashville. However, I’m looking forward to what should be a great occasion.”