Category: NTT Indy

CHEVROLET RACING IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES
BIG MACHINE MUSIC CITY GRAND PRIX
STREETS OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
TEAM CHEVY QUALIFYING RECAP
AUGUST 7, 2021

FELIX ROSENQVIST LEADS CHEVROLET IN FIRESTONE FAST SIX QUALIFYING ON STREETS OF NASHVILLE

NASHVILLE (August 7) — Felix Rosenqvist, No. 7 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet, will roll off 5th for the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix for the NTT INDTCAR Series on the Streets of Nashville. Rosenqvist has been fast since he took his first laps around the new street course on Friday, and continued that consistency through the Firestone Fast Six qualifying.

Colton Herta won the NTT P1 award. The remainder of the Firestone Fast Six were Scott Dixon, Alex Palou. Alexander Rossi and Romain Grojean.

Simon Pagenaud, No. 22 Menards Team Penske Chevrolet and Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet will start in the top-10, eighth and ninth respectively.

Contact with the wall late in Round Two for two-time Series’ champion, Josef Newgarden, No.2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet took him out of contention for a run for the pole at his hometown race.

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 QUALIFYING RESULTS:
5th: Felix Rosenqvist, No. 7 Vuse Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet
8th: Simon Pagenaud, No. 22 Menards Team Penske Chevrolet
9th: Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet
11th: Will Power, No. 12 Verizon 5G Team Penske Chevrolet
12th: Josef Newgarden, No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet
16th: Sebastien Bourdais, No. 14 ROKiT AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet
19th: Dalton Kellett, No. 4 K-Line Insulators AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet
20th: Conor Daly, No. 20 U.S. Air Force Chevrolet
21st: Max Chilton, No. 59 Gallagher Carlin Chevrolet
22nd: Rinus VeeKay, No. 21 Sonax/Autogeek Chevrolet
23rd: Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 DEX Imaging Team Penske Chevrolet

DRIVER QUOTES:
FELIX ROSENQVIST, NO. 7 ARROW MCLAREN SP CHEVROLET, QUALIFIED 5TH
“We had a pretty solid qualifying. There was quite a lot of stuff going on here and there, a lot of people making mistakes. I feel like we were kind of doing solid. Maybe we weren’t the fastest car, but we were staying inside the qualifying all the time and getting through.
“Then coming to Fast 6, I was like, Okay, let’s go, let’s try to go for the pole. Maybe I overdid it a little bit. But I also didn’t really feel like — I didn’t really nail my tires. They kind of came in end of my first lap, then during my second lap they kind of faded away a little bit.
“I think Chevy has done a really good improvement for this weekend. We were working really hard the last couple weeks to improve some stuff. Seemed to have really helped.
“Yeah, the whole team, I think it’s good to kind of bounce back inside a top five again. It’s been a while since we were there.
“Yeah, good day.”

SIMON PAGENAUD, NO. 22 MENARDS TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET – QUALIFIED 8th
“It was a really good lap. This one is something else. You’ve got to just nail everything and it’s on the edge, on the edge, on the edge. It’s so much fun. Congrats to Nashville and the people that designed the race track. It’s just beautiful. It’s bumpy. We’re just not fast enough, you know? It feels good, but sometimes when it feels good, it’s a good race car but not a good qualifying car. So maybe with the track coming up in temperature and the red tires on, which we didn’t get to try this morning, maybe we built too much stability in the race car and couldn’t roll the speed through the corners. I’m assuming that’s what it is. We’ll look into it tonight. Well it’s a P78start for us in the Menards Chevy in Nashville. I really enjoy the track. It was really really fun to throw the car around in qualifying. We did everything we could, I think. I’m pretty proud of the 22 team and tomorrow we have a long race – 80 laps. It’s really hot and humid so we’ll try everything we can to go to the front and get on the first step tomorrow.

IS THERE ARE PART OF THIS TRACK YOU LIKE THE MOST?
“For those who know what it is, I love Rally Racing, like World Rally Championship. Actually when I retire in about 20 years of time, I will try that. I’ve done some and I’ve loved it. That section between Turn 4 all the way to Turn 8, is exactly like a Rally stage. I love it. It’s fun. And you really have to dance with the race car. I really enjoyed it.”

JOSEF NEWGARDEN, NO. 2 HITACHI TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET-QUALIFIED 12TH
“Its good to be here in Nashville and everybody has done a great job bringing this event to this city and this is the city where INDYCAR needs to be. I am really proud to be from here and have INDYCARs back, especially downtown, which is crazy cool. I would have never dreamed this type of event actually getting off the ground. I am pretty pumped for tomorrow, I just wish we were a little higher up. We were trying to claw some performance back there and I over-pushed. I think Team Chevy is doing a good job and we have a fast Hitachi Chevy for the most part. We can make the most of it, its just going to be harder now.”

DO YOU AGREE WITH THE PENALTY BY INDYCAR IN TAKING AWAY THE FASTEST LAP HERE?
“Yeah, look, you can’t wreck and not get penalized. Its on me and that is how it works.”

WHAT HAS THE DEFICIT BEEN JOSEF?
“I don’t know. It’s hard to say because it’s been a quick weekend. You take a swing at it with a new track like this and its either right on, or it’s a little off. We have worked really hard and have been trying to be prepared as possible and I think we have gotten some more performance back. I am not sure exactly what we are going to need. I think we were a lot closer, I just over-stepped.”

YOU BROUGHT OUT THE CAUTION WHEN YOU HIT THE WALL. TALK ABOUT THE CIRCUIT AND THE INCIDENT
“Yeah, it’s been a great circuit. It’s super fun to drive. It’s tricky. I don’t think we were on the best vote rolling off, trying to make up a little bit of a performance gap. But I feel positive for tomorrow. I think we can make something happen in the race. It’s just a little harder from 12th now.”

WHERE DID YOU REALIZE YOU WERE GOING TO HIT THE WALL? IT LOOKED LIKE THE CAR JUST WENT RIGHT INTO THE TURN
“Yeah, I just made a mistake.”

SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS, NO. 14 ROCKIT AJ FOYT RACING CHEVROLT—QUALIFIED 16TH
“It’ not good. That’s all, nothing else to say. The car felt pretty decent on blacks (tires) and then didn’t change anything, got loose on reds. I don’t know. We cant seem to get a read on the car or at least get consistent reads and understand what’s going on, so just hit and miss all the time.
“I was just hoping that I could bring some results to those guys and it’s just not happening. Can’t seem to find the sweet spot, been overshooting, undershooting and it’s very frustrating. That’s the name of the game. Tomorrow’s another day, we’re going to see what we can do.”

DALTON KELLETT, NO. 4 K-LINE INSULATORS AJ FOYT RACING CHEVROLET—QUALIFIED 19TH
“We just finished qualifying here at the Music City Grand Prix and I think was best qualifying so far on a road course this year so happy with that. It was a good improvement from practice two and having missed practice one, we’ve just been playing catch up. It was really helpful last night going over stuff with Seb, looking at onboard, looking at data and getting some input on car positioning for lines and stuff, so that’s definitely been a big help as far as getting up to speed. The car felt good. We’re really just fighting for traction overall. It’s pretty slippery in that back section as you go over the bridge and into those tight couple of areas, so just trying to manage that while still having a car that’s balanced for the rest of the lap. Overall it’s feeling pretty good. Looking forward to some long runs tomorrow and we’ll see how our fuel milage is in warmup and go from there for the race.”

RINUS VEEKAY, NO. 21 SONAX/AUTOGEEK CHEVROLET – QUALIFIED 22ND
“I had a pretty good decent first lap on the reds. And then on my second lap, I hit the wall. The right rear suspension was bent. And qualifying is already gone.”

IS IT THAT YOU ARE PUSHING SO HARD OR IS IT THE TRACK OR WHAT IS IT?
“Yeah, the track is gutsy. Everybody is new to this track. You’re pushing super hard and trying to find the limits. And it’s hard to get the car around this track. It’s been hard since lap 1 yesterday. But really now, I just threw it away.”

DID THE TRACK CHANGE FROM THIS MORNING’S SESSION TO QUALIFYING?
“Just a bit more grip, that’s all. No real balance changes. To be honest, quite consistent. But unfortunately, we couldn’t do well.”

SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN, NO. 3 DEX IMAGING TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET – Qualified 23RD
‘I just cut the wall on my last lap there and broke a tire link. I really got into it there with our DEX Imaging car, we have a fast race car. I’ve don’t it to myself the last couple of races, just putting myself at the back of the pack and just don’t get enough. So it is what it is. It was an unfortunate end to a pretty promising weekend for us on the DEX Imaging Chevy. We had one fast lap at the end there in qualifying and unfortunately I tapped the wall and bent the suspension and that was it. So we start 23rd tomorrow. Definitely not where we should be, we probably should be in the top 10 but it’s a little mistake on my part. You just get paid big time here. It’s tough, but we’ll get on it as a team. We’ll work on strategy overnight and see if we can come back stronger tomorrow.

HAVE YOU STARTED THINKING ABOUT STRATEGY FOR TOMORROW?
“I don’t know. We’ll debrief tonight and work on what we’ve got to do. But yeah, I’m pretty disappointed with myself. Three times in a row now I’ve stuffed qualifying. So, I’ve got to work on that.”

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Saturday, Aug. 7, 2021) – Mouths were agape and heads were being scratched on pit lane after Colton Herta won the NTT P1 Award on Saturday for the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix on the streets of Nashville, Tennessee.

Herta also earned the Bryan Clauson Pole Trophy for his second pole of the season in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda, pacing the field by nearly six-tenths of a second with his top lap of 1 minute, 13.6835 seconds. Herta led both practices on the 11-turn, 2.17-mile street circuit before qualifying.

California native Herta set the table for his sizzling lap in the Firestone Fast Six during the first segment of qualifying, when he didn’t use a set of the Firestone alternate “red” tires to advance into the second segment with the second-quickest time in his group, just behind Scott Dixon. That allowed Herta to save an extra set of alternate tires for the Firestone Fast Six, and he used them to devastating effect.

“It was a good lap, but what we did in Q1 really helped us there, with being able to transfer on the black tires,” Herta said. “That was the biggest thing. Being fast on the blacks made it just a lot easier for the rest of the way. Great job by everybody.

“The car is fantastic, as you can see what we were able to do on the black (primary tire) laps compared to everybody. We were really in a league of our own. It felt amazing. Good car to take into the race tomorrow, too. Nice and stable.”

The 80-lap race starts at 5:30 p.m. (ET) Sunday, live on NBCSN and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

Herta earned his sixth career NTT INDYCAR SERIES pole and second this season. And this statistic should send chills down his rivals’ spines: Herta has converted his last three NTT P1 Awards into victories, including a win April 25 in the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

Six-time and defending series champion Dixon qualified second at 1:14.2327 in the No. 9 PNC Bank Grow Up Great Honda, joining Herta on the front row. That was a solid comeback for Dixon, who admitted he was a bit spooked early in qualifying after spinning twice in the morning practice on the challenging street circuit.

“It kind of sits in the back of your head,” Dixon said. “In the first two rounds of qualifying, I was taking it a little bit cautious and made sure we converted. I knew the PNC Bank No. 9 was super fast.

“We knew Herta was going to be fast (in the Fast Six) because he was the only guy with new tires. But he’s been quick all weekend, so he definitely deserved that. So, kudos to their group, and we’ll see how tomorrow plays out. Starting on the front row is fantastic.”

The gap of .5492 of a second between Herta and Dixon was the largest between the top two qualifiers in an NTT INDYCAR SERIES road or street course race this season, easily besting the margin of .3206 between pole winner Josef Newgarden and Herta for the second race at Belle Isle in Detroit.

Series leader Alex Palou qualified third at 1:14.6316 at Nashville in the No. 10 NTT DATA Honda, but he will start ninth due to a six-spot starting grid penalty for an unapproved engine change after testing last month. 2016 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner Alexander Rossi qualified fourth at 1:14.6646 as one of two Andretti Autosport cars in the top four in a resurgent weekend for the team.

Felix Rosenqvist also continued a strong weekend by qualifying fifth at 1:15.0045 in the No. 7 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet, while rookie Romain Grosjean rounded out the top six in qualifying at 1:15.3980 in the No. 51 Nurtec ODT Honda.

The complex nature of this new circuit, which includes two crossings of the Cumberland River per lap over the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge, will force nearly every team into pondering various strategies and tire choices this evening. Dixon, though, already has simplified his approach to the race.

“Go fast, take chances,” Dixon said.

That also probably may be the mantra for championship contender Pato O’Ward, who is second in the series standings, 39 points behind Palou. He qualified ninth in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet.

The first two segments of qualifying featured plenty of drama.

Two-time series champion Newgarden, a Nashville native and resident, appeared to be poised to advance to the Firestone Fast Six when he clouted the Turn 11 wall with his No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet with moments left in the second segment.

The wreck caused heavy damage to the right front and moderate damage to the right side and right rear of Newgarden’s car, and he lost his quickest lap due to causing a local yellow that affected another competitor and dropped out of the Fast Six, elevating Grosjean into the Fast Six. Newgarden will start 12th.

“I was just trying to make up the deficit from yesterday and today,” Newgarden said. “Pretty pumped for tomorrow. Just wish we were a little higher up. Trying to claw some performance there and just overpushed. You can’t wreck and not get penalized. That’s on me. That’s how it works.”

Drivers in the first group of the first segment were forced to hustle to put in a qualifying lap after Jimmie Johnson crashed heavily in Turn 10 in the No. 48 Carvana Honda. The other 12 drivers in the group had just three minutes, 20 seconds to put in a qualifying lap.

A 30-minute warmup at 1 p.m. (ET) Sunday (live, Peacock) will precede the race.

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

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Friday, Aug. 6, 2021) – Colton Herta led the opening practice Friday for the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix on the streets of Nashville, taming the varied corners and considerable bumps of the challenging street circuit for this new NTT INDYCAR SERIES event.

Herta’s best lap was one minute, 16.5875 seconds in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda around the 11-turn, 2.17-mile temporary street circuit that includes two trips over the Korean Veterans Memorial Bridge per lap.

“We’re just getting to grips with the track,” Herta said. “Obviously, we came here with a really good package. We were fast right away, and I felt very comfortable getting up to speed.

“It’s a little nerve-wracking, the first time you have to go flat over the bridge with the bumps because the last thing you want to do is for the car to bottom and you send it into the wall on a straight; you kind of look stupid with that. The simulations we did beforehand were on point for what we expected, and it made my job a lot easier.”

Six-time series champion Scott Dixon was second at 1:16.9653 in the No. 9 PNC Bank Grow Up Great Honda. Rookie Romain Grosjean was third at 1:17.1305 in the No. 51 Nurtec ODT Honda.

2016 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner Alexander Rossi was fourth at 1:17.1742 in the No. 27 AutoNation/NAPA AUTO PARTS Honda, and Marcus Ericsson rounded out the top five at 1:17.2168 in the No. 8 Bryant Honda.

Honda-powered drivers took the top six spots on the time sheet during the 75-minute session. Series points leader Alex Palou was sixth at 1:17.2264 in the No. 10 NTT DATA Honda.

Track action resumes at 1 p.m. (ET) Saturday with a 45-minute practice, with NTT P1 Award qualifying following at 4:30 p.m. Both sessions will be live on Peacock Premium, NBC’s streaming service. The 80-lap race starts at 5:30 p.m. (ET) Sunday, live on NBCSN.

The 27-car field – the biggest outside of the Indianapolis 500 in the series since 2013 – took its time getting up to speed on the fascinating new circuit, which includes sweeping corners around the paddock complex, two long straights over the Cumberland River and a tight section in downtown Nashville. But two drivers still had unplanned meetings with concrete retaining walls or tire barriers.

Championship contender Pato O’Ward opened his weekend with a small setback when he crashed in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet 22 minutes into the session. O’Ward’s right front wheel clipped the barrier in Turn 3, which leads to the bridge, which then pitched the car into the barrier on the other side of the circuit.

O’Ward climbed from the car without injury, and the left front wheel/suspension assembly and left front wing suffered moderate damage. O’Ward is second in the series standings, 39 points behind leader Alex Palou.

“I got caught out by the inside wall in Turn 3,” O’Ward said. “I’ll be fine, man. I love this place. What a cool track. The damage doesn’t seem to be too bad. We’ll be ready to go tomorrow.”

The retaining wall also collected Conor Daly with four minutes to go. The rear wheels of Daly’s No. 20 U.S. Air Force Chevrolet locked up as he braked for Turn 9 exiting the bridge, and the right side of car slid into the tire barrier. Daly climbed without assistance from the car, which suffered moderate damage.

Fans encouraged to donate non-perishable food items at the track

August 5, 2021, St. Louis Region – World Wide Technology Raceway, the home of NASCAR, INDYCAR and NHRA in the St. Louis-Metro East region, will be working in conjunction with the St. Louis Area Foodbank to feed those experiencing hunger during its August 20-21 Bommarito Automotive Group 500 weekend. Fans attending the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races at WWTR are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to the track to help #DriveOutHunger. Donation bins will be located at the fan entrances.

WWTR already has been working with the St. Louis Area Foodbank, collecting non-perishable food items at select local events and in its lobby.

The best items to donate include non-perishable food items such as canned meats, canned fruits and vegetables, cereal, and peanut butter. There is also a great need for personal care items including shampoo, conditioner, and feminine product as well as household items such as toilet paper and paper towels. For a full list of the best items to donate visit https://stlfoodbank.org/get-involved/food-drives/.

The St. Louis Area Foodbank distributes food to more than 600 area food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and other feeding programs throughout 26 area counties (14 in eastern Missouri and 12 in southwestern Illinois).

With each dollar, the St. Louis Area Foodbank can provide four meals to hungry people in the bi-state region.

The St. Louis Area Foodbank distributed more than 55.1 million pounds of food in the past year, which equates to more than 44 million meals for our neighbors in need. The Foodbank is the bi-state region’s largest nonprofit 501(c)(3) food distribution center dedicated to making sure making sure no one goes to bed hungry. One in six people in the bi-state region need food assistance.

Tickets now are on sale for the August 20-21 Bommarito Automotive 500 Weekend, featuring the NTT INDYCAR SERIES (the cars and stars of the Indianapolis 500), NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 200, Indy Lights and Indy Pro 200 races and vintage Indy car exhibitions. Tickets may be purchased by calling the WWTR ticket office at (618) 215-8888, online at www.WWTRaceway.com or at the WWTR ticket office at 700 Raceway Blvd., Madison, Illinois. WWTR is located just five minutes from downtown St. Louis. Follow WWTR on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram.

About World Wide Technology Raceway

World Wide Technology Raceway is the home of INDYCAR, NASCAR and NHRA racing in the St. Louis region. Located just five minutes from downtown St. Louis and covering more than 600 acres, WWTR is the largest outdoor entertainment facility in the area. WWTR’s facilities include a 1/4-mile drag strip, 1.25-mile superspeedway, recently-expanded 2.0-mile road course, a state-of-the-art karting facility, a 14-acre, multi-purpose dirt off-road venue and the Gateway Drive-In Theater at World Wide Technology Raceway (a drive-in entertainment venue able to accommodate 3,000 cars). WWTR acquired Gateway National Golf Links, adjacent to the speedway property, in 2019. WWTR was the recipient of the 2017 Outstanding Facility of the Year Award from the Race Track Business Conference and the 2017 Spirit of St. Louis Award from the St. Louis Attractions Association. In 2018, owner and CEO Curtis Francois received the Innovator Award from the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission in recognition of his work for restoring World Wide Technology Raceway (known then as Gateway Motorsports Park) to prominence. In 2020, WWTR received the Track Award at the annual NASCAR Drive for Diversity Awards. The 2021 season marks the 10th year of Francois’ ownership of the facility.

CHEVROLET RACING IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES
BIG MACHINE MUSIC CITY GRAND PRIX
STREETS OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
AUG. 6-8

RACE 11 OF 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES SEASON

Chevrolet aims to strike right chord in inaugural Nashville event
Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden brings momentum to hometown race

DETROIT (Aug. 5, 2021) – Months of promoting the inaugural NTT INDYCAR SERIES race on the streets of Nashville will be an afterthought when Josef Newgarden, belted in the No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet, is rolling behind the Chevrolet Corvette C8 pace car.

That’s when he will be focused on winning in his hometown.

“Being in my actual hometown is a completely new set of expectations, but at the end of the day this event is going to count just as much as any other event on the calendar for our championship race. For us, it’s maximizing this weekend just like any other race,” the two-time champion said.

The 80-lap Big Machine Music City Grand Prix on Sunday, Aug. 8, will be contested on an 11-turn, 2.17-mile temporary street course that incorporates the 553-yard Korean Veterans Memorial Bridge and the home of the NFL Tennessee Titans among city landmarks.

“We’re looking forward to an exciting weekend on the Nashville street circuit and confident of mitigating the inherent unknowns of a first-year event. Chevrolet, in conjunction with other NTT INDYCAR SERIES partners, is dedicated to delivering a safe race for drivers and an entertaining event for spectators and the TV audience,” Chevrolet NTT INDYCAR SERIES program manager Rob Buckner said.

Claiming his 20th career win would a career highlight and points boost for Newgarden, a 30-year-old Nashville resident.

“For all the drivers, this has been the one where we’re marking on the calendar,” said Newgarden, who sits fourth in the standings. “Outside of the Indy 500, this is the race you want to be at and perform well.”

Drivers powered by Chevrolet’s 2.2-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 engine have recorded five pole starts, including the past four races, and three victories on street/road course this season. Newgarden won from the pole at Mid-Ohio – the most recent race on the schedule – and was runner-up to Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet driver Pato O’Ward on the street circuits in Detroit and at St. Petersburg.

“Nashville is new to everyone,” said O’Ward, two-time winner to-date this season. “It’s the first time I get to race over a giant bridge! The track looks very unique to anything else on the calendar, and I think that will throw a curveball to both teams and drivers to be on their A game and execute when crunch time comes. I am more than ready to start the last two intense months of the season with six races remaining and fight for this championship.”

Two street circuits, including the season finale at Long Beach, three road courses and a 1.25-mile oval comprise the remaining races in an eight-week schedule.

“Chevrolet engineers are confident that performance data from strong street and road course results this season and gains in chassis set-up by teams will be determining factors as we progress through the remainder of the season and chase Team Chevy’s latest manufacturer, owner and driver championships,” Buckner said.

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.

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.

Practice and qualifications will stream on Peacock Premium.

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

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

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

Big Machine Label Group Artist To Help Celebrate Inaugural Big Machine Music City Grand Prix

INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021) – Country music star and Big Machine Label Group recording artist Danielle Bradbery will provide a fitting kickoff to INDYCAR’s new race on the streets of downtown Nashville, riding in the Ruoff Fastest Seat in Sports at this weekend’s Big Machine Music City Grand Prix. Bradbery, whose latest single “Stop Draggin’ Your Boots” was released just last week, will be driven by legendary racing icon Mario Andretti.

“I’ve been extremely fortunate to do some amazing things in my career but never, in my wildest dreams, would I have ever thought I’d be able to ride with the legend, Mario Andretti,” Bradbery said. “On Sunday, that dream comes true!”

Said Andretti: “Danielle is going to have an epic adventure on Race Day experiencing the speeds and G-forces of a real INDYCAR SERIES car. I’m looking forward to the very first Music City Grand Prix on the streets of Nashville. The drivers and fans are clearly very excited for this new event, which will bring the world-class racing of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES to a marquee city that celebrates top entertainment.”

Fine-tuning her unique sound since getting her start winning Season 4 of NBC’s ”The Voice,” Bradbery has earned multiple award nominations and toured across the globe with some of the biggest names in music. With “Stop Draggin’ Your Boots,” Bradbery shows a side of herself fans have never seen before in a fiery coming-of-age declaration. She takes the put-up-or-shut-up honky tonk shuffle one step further with a boot-stompin’ video embodying the song’s feisty message – watch here.

Bradbery’s sophomore album, “I Don’t Believe We’ve Met,” infused her story into her songs for the first time, with Bradbery penning seven of the album’s 10 tracks, including “Worth It,” “Potential” and gold-certified “Sway.” Kicking off a new chapter last year, she infused her heartfelt and personal stories into releases “Never Have I Ever” and “Girls In My Hometown .” The powerhouse vocalist continued to broaden her impressive range as she deepened her connection with her Mexican heritage by enlisting Latin Grammy-nominated artist KURT for a Spanish version of “Never Have I Ever” (“Yo Nunca He…”), singing entirely in Spanish for the first time.

The Ruoff Fastest Seat in Sports helps lead the stars of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES to the green flag across the race season. Often driven by Andretti, with a celebrity or social media influencer in the passenger seat, the Ruoff Fastest Seat in Sports represents perhaps the most daring and extraordinary pre-race element in all of motorsports.

The Ruoff Fastest Seat in Sports has a long history of attracting star-power from the worlds of sports, TV, movies, music and social media. Recent participants include NFL All-Pro Julian Edelman, Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman, EDM mega-star Zedd, social influencer and “TODAY” contributor Dr. Mike and more.

Viewers can tune in to the inaugural Big Machine Music City Grand Prix at 5:30 p.m. (ET) this Sunday, Aug. 8 on NBCSN.

Race weekend: Friday, Aug. 6 – Sunday, Aug. 8
Track: Streets of Nashville, an 11-turn, a 2.17-mile temporary street course in Nashville, Tennessee
Race distance: 80 laps / 173.6 miles

Push-to-pass parameters: 150 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 15 seconds per activation.

Firestone tire allotment: Seven sets primary, four sets alternate to be used during the event weekend. One additional set of primary tires may be used by teams fielding a rookie driver. Teams must use one set of primary and one set of new (sticker) alternate tires for at least two laps in the race.

Twitter: @MusicCityGP, @IndyCar, #MusicCityGP, #INDYCAR

Event website: www.musiccitygp.com/
INDYCAR website: www.IndyCar.com
2020 race winner: Inaugural event
2020 NTT P1 Award winner: Inaugural event
Qualifying record: Inaugural event

NBCSN telecast: 5:30 p.m. ET Sunday, NBCSN (live). Kevin Lee is the lead announcer for NBC Sports telecasts this weekend alongside analysts Townsend Bell and Paul Tracy. Marty Snider and Dave Burns will report from the pit lane.

Peacock Premium Live Streaming: All NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice sessions and qualifying will stream live on Peacock Premium, NBC’s direct-to-consumer livestreaming product.

INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the chief announcer alongside analysts Davey Hamilton and Rob Blackman. Jake Query and Nick Yeoman are the turn announcers with Ryan Myrehn and Michael Young in the pit lane. The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix will air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM 205, Sirius 119, indycar.com and the INDYCAR Mobile app powered by NTT DATA. All NTT INDYCAR SERIES practices and qualifying are available on SiriusXM 205, indycar.com and the INDYCAR Mobile app.

At-track schedule (all times local):

Friday, Aug. 6

3:10-4:25 p.m.: NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice 1, Peacock Premium (live)

Saturday, Aug. 7

Noon-12:45 p.m.: NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice 2, Peacock Premium (live)

3:30–4:45 p.m.: Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (Three rounds of knockout qualifying), Peacock Premium (live)

Sunday, Aug. 8

Noon-12:30 p.m.: NTT INDYCAR SERIES final practice, Peacock Premium (live)

4:30 p.m.: NBCSN on air

4:38 p.m.: “Drivers, start your engines”

4:45 p.m.: Big Machine Music City Grand Prix (80 laps/173.6 miles), NBCSN (Live)

Race notes:

• There have been eight different winners in 10 NTT INDYCAR SERIES races this season. Alex Palou (Barber Motorsports Park, Road America), Colton Herta (Streets of St. Petersburg), Scott Dixon (Texas Motor Speedway-1), Pato O’Ward (Texas Motor Speedway-2, Raceway at Belle Isle Park-2), Rinus VeeKay (Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course-1), Helio Castroneves (Indianapolis 500), Marcus Ericsson (Raceway at Belle Isle Park-1) and Josef Newgarden (Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course) have all won in 2021. The modern record (1946-present) for most different winners in a season is 11 in 2000, 2001 and 2014.
• There have been eight different winners in the last 10 NTT INDYCAR SERIES races (Alex Palou, Colton Herta, Scott Dixon, Pato O’Ward, Rinus VeeKay, Helio Castroneves, Marcus Ericsson and Josef Newgarden) The only repeat winners in that stretch are O’Ward (Texas-2, 2021 and Belle Isle-2, 2021) and Palou (Barber 2021 and Road America 2021)
• The NTT INDYCAR SERIES will compete on the streets of Nashville for the first time using a new street circuit that incorporates some of the city’s most iconic sites. Among the landmarks incorporated into the 2.17-mile, 11-turn track is the Korean Veterans Memorial Bridge and the home of the NFL’s Tennessee Titans. The race’s start of the race will take place over the bridge’s eastbound lanes between Turns 8 and 9.
• Middle Tennessee hosted INDYCAR SERIES racing from 2001-2008 at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tennessee. Scott Dixon, who won three consecutive races at the 1.33-mile oval from 2006-2008, is one of five drivers entered who raced in the most recent Nashville event along with Helio Castroneves, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Will Power and Graham Rahal.
• The last driver to win an inaugural event was Will Power, who won the Grand Prix of Baltimore in 2011. The last driver to win the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship after winning an inaugural event at a track was Dario Franchitti in 2007. Franchitti is grand marshal for this weekend’s Big Machine Music City Grand Prix.
• The 27 cars entered in the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix is the most in a non-Indianapolis 500 NTT INDYCAR SERIES race since Long Beach in 2013 when 27 cars started that race.

ARCA Menards Series West and USAC National .25 Midget Series join Sept. 10-12th race weekend

PORTLAND, Ore. (July 27, 2021) – After race fans and festival-goers missed out on this spectacular event last year, the admission gates will open again to fans in just 45 days for the Grand Prix of Portland. Single Day tickets go on sale today at 10 a.m. PT for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES race weekend returning to Portland International Raceway (PIR), Sept 10-12, 2021. Tickets can be purchased online at portlandgp.com.

Ticket prices start as low as $20 for Single Day General Admission and $70 for Single Day Grandstand seats. Three-day tickets remain available for purchase and offer the best fan value. General Admission for the entire weekend is just $65, and a 3-Day Grandstand reserved seat starts at $85 which includes gate admission.

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES, featuring the cars and star athletes of the Indianapolis 500, headlines the race weekend. Will Power and Takuma Sato, the two previous Grand Prix of Portland winners, are past Indianapolis 500 champions who will be in the field again. This year’s winner and now a four-time champion of the Indy 500, Helio Castroneves also will make an appearance at PIR. A famous rookie to the series is Jimmie Johnson, the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, and is joined by other hot young drivers in Alex Palou, the current NTT INDYCAR SERIES points leader, and Pato O’Ward who ranks second in the season standings. The six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion and 2008 Indy 500 winner Scott Dixon will be looking to score the first win of his illustrious career at PIR.

“After last year’s disappointment, the anticipation really accelerates now for the Grand Prix of Portland with race fans across the Pacific Northwest at the release of our single day tickets,” said Kim Green, co-owner, chairman and CEO of Green Savoree Racing Promotions, organizers of the Grand Prix of Portland. “The NTT INDYCAR SERIES always provides exciting finishes over its history running at PIR, and this year will be no exception as the championship enters its final stretch run on the West Coast. We are excited to also feature racing’s future stars on the weekend schedule with three support series on track.”

The Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires returns with its Indy Lights series, the top rung of its open-wheel development ladder for aspiring NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers, featuring doubleheader races. Two new weekend features to the 2021 Grand Prix of Portland are the ARCA Menards Series West and USAC National .25 Midget Series.

It will be the first time at PIR since 2012 for the ARCA Menards Series West showcasing the rising stars of NASCAR in fender-banging stock car racing action. USAC National .25 Midget Series will take the green flag at PIR for the first time on a temporarily constructed 1/20th mile-long course in one of PIR’s paddocks. The national dirt and pavement series features drivers ages five and up from all across the country competing in quarter midgets and looking to climb the ladder as the next stars of motorsports.

A limited quantity of 3-Day Gold Level Grandstand offering reserved seating for the highest rows are still available and include a Paddock Pass to get up close to the cars and drivers in the “locker room of motorsports.” A Pit Pass provides access to the pitlane during practice and qualifying sessions.

Children 12 and under receive free general admission to the event. This also includes complimentary access to the NTT IndyCar Series Paddock throughout the weekend when accompanied by a ticketed adult. To enhance their experience further, the youngest fans can participate in the Grand Prix of Portland Rookie Racers. This immersive program, offering unique experiences throughout the race weekend, will go on sale soon at portlandgp.com for a nominal fee.

The Grand Prix of Portland will follow all state and local guidance for COVID-19 at the time of the event in September. For ticket pricing, grandstand seating locations and additional festival information, visit portlandgp.com. Stay up to speed on the Grand Prix of Portland on social media all year long by following #PortlandGP.

About Grand Prix of Portland:
Portland International Raceway (PIR) is the home of the Grand Prix of Portland. PIR is a 1.964-mile, 12-turn permanent road course owned by the City of Portland and operated under the Portland Parks and Recreation. Opened in 1960 to host sports car and drag racing, the 268-acre property hosts over 550 events annually including automotive and motorcycle road racing, motocross, cruise-ins and other special events including the Rose Cup Races. PIR has been the site of many memorable Indy car races. Al Unser Jr. won the inaugural one in 1984, and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES returned in 2018 after an 11-year absence with Takuma Sato the winner and another Indianapolis 500 champion Will Power winning in 2019. The Father’s Day race of 1986 featured Mario Andretti victorious over his son Michael on the last lap by less than a second. The closest three-way road racing finish in INDYCAR SERIES history took place at PIR in 1997 when the top three were covered by just 0.055 of a second. The Grand Prix of Portland is owned and operated by Green Savoree Portland, LLC, whose affiliates also promote three additional INDYCAR SERIES races, Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (April 23-25, 2021), The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio (July 2-4, 2021), and Honda Indy Toronto.

For more information, visit portlandgp.com, ‘like’ its Facebook page @PortlandGP or follow updates on Twitter @Portland_GP and Instagram at @Portland_GP using #PortlandGP.