Everything You Need To Know About Nashville’s Big Machine Music City Grand Prix 2021

INDYCAR will be taking over Nashville with the inaugural Big Machine Music City Grand Prix, which is just around the…

By

Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

July 26, 2021

at

6:41 pm

Share on:

Photo Courtesy Music City Grand Prix

INDYCAR will be taking over Nashville with the inaugural Big Machine Music City Grand Prix, which is just around the corner!

The three-day racing and music event will take place in Downtown Nashville from August 6-8, 2021 and will include a star-studded list of performances, IndyCar races, food/drinks and an all-around good time.

With several stages in place just a few blocks away from the artist-owned bars and iconic honky-tonks on Broadway, fans are able to catch a live concert from some of country music’s most popular artists, including The Oak Ridge Boys, Brooks & Dunn, Jon Pardi, Jamey Johnson, & more. The event will also feature some fast rising stars such as Callista Clark, Dillon Carmichael, Conner Smith and more.

Below, we’ve compiled a list of everything you need to know about the highly-anticipated event.

WHEN & WHERE?

Friday, August 6 through Sunday, August 8 in Downtown Nashville. 

The races will take place on a 2.17-mile-long temporary grand prix circuit on city streets, around the Nissan Stadium campus and across Korean Veterans Memorial Bridge. The temporary track will start and finish near the Stadium that houses the Tennessee Titans.

Concerts will take place near the Bridge Building in the parking lot area of Nissan Stadium. 

Gates for the event are as follows: Friday (10:00AM-9:30PM), Saturday (10:00AM-11:00PM) and Sunday (9:00AM-9:00PM)

GRAND MARSHAL

INDYCAR series legend Dario Franchitti will act as the Grand Marshal for the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix NTT INDYCAR Series race on Sunday, August 8.

“Taking a sport that I love to a wonderful city and area that I called home for over a decade is a perfect match and I’m honored to be the Grand Marshal for the inaugural Big Machine Music City Grand Prix,” Franchitti said. “The NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers and teams will put on a cracking show and with my friend, Scott Borchetta, involved as the title sponsor I’m sure this event will be a huge success.”

LIVE MUSIC (PERFORMERS)

Friday, August 6

New Sound Of Nashville Stage
10:00 AM – Chris Shrader
11:30 AM – Waker
1:00 PM – Dusty Black
2:15 PM – Hannah Dasher
Main Stage
5:15 PM – Drew Green
7:00 PM – Wesley Financial Freedom Friday Tribute Concert, including performances by Brooks & Dunn, Jamey Johnson, Motley Crue’s Vince Neil, Tyler Farr, John Elefante and Sixwire.

Saturday, August 7

New Sound Of Nashville Stage
10:00 AM – Kelsey Hart
11:30 AM – Mae Estes
12:45 PM – Conner Smith
6:15 PM – Julie Smith
Main Stage
5:00 PM – Tim Duggar
8:30 PM – Jon Pardi

Sunday, August 8

New Sound Of Nashville Stage
9:00 AM – Bexar
11:00 AM – Dillon Carmichael
12:30 PM – JD Shelburne
Main Stage
10:00 AM – CeCe Winans
1:00 PM – Pre-Race Party With DJ Hish
7:00 PM – Grand Ole Prix, Opry Show featuring The Oak Ridge Boys, Justin Moore, Riley Green, Danielle Bradbury and Callista Clark.

Note: Alan Jackson was originally scheduled to appear, however, a scheduling conflict prohibited him from performing.  

 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

A post shared by Music City Grand Prix (@musiccitygp)

NTT INDYCAR SERIES TENTATIVE DRIVER LIST

1. Sebastien Bourdais | No. 14 | A.J. Foyt Enterprises
2. Helio Castroneves | No. 06 | Meyer Shank Racing
3. Max Chilton | No. 59 | Carlin
4. Conor Daly | No. 20 | Ed Carpenter Racing
5. Scott Dixon | No. 9 | Chip Ganassi Racing
6. R.C. Enerson | No. 75 | Top Gun Racing
7. Marcus Ericsson | No. 8 | Chip Ganassi Racing
8. Santino Ferrucci | No. 45 | Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
9. Romain Grosjean | No. 51 | Dale Coyne Racing with RWR
10. Jack Harvey | No. 60 | Meyer Shank Racing
11. Colton Herta | No. 26 | Andretti Autosport
12. James Hinchcliffe | No. 29 | Andretti Autosport
13. Ryan Hunter-Reay | No. 28 | Andretti Autosport
14. Jimmie Johnson | No. 48 | Chip Ganassi Racing
15. Ed Jones | No. 18 | Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan
16. Dalton Kellett | No. 4 | A.J. Foyt Enterprises
17. Scott McLaughlin | No. 3 | Team Penske
18. Josef Newgarden | No. 2 | Team Penske
19. Patricio O’Ward | No. 5 | Arrow McLaren SP
20. Simon Pagenaud | No. 22 | Team Penske
21. Alex Palou | No. 10 | Chip Ganassi Racing
22. Will Power | No. 12 | Team Penske
23. Graham Rahal | No. 15 | Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
24. Felix Rosenqvist |No. 7 | Arrow McLaren SP
25. Alexander Rossi | No. 27 | Andretti Autosport
26. Takuma Sato | No. 30 | Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
27. Rinus VeeKay | No. 21 | Ed Carpenter Racing
28. Cody Ware | No. 52 | Dale Coyne Racing with RWR

PRE-SHOW

A three-hour pre-show event dubbed FanFest will take place on Thursday, August 5 in Downtown Nashville. The event is free and open to the public, and will include autograph sessions, a Pit Stop challenge, photo opportunities with more than 15 race cars, and more.

Autograph sessions will feature NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers Alex Palou and Marcus Ericsson of Chip Ganassi Racing; Alexander Rossi of Andretti Autosport; James Hinchcliffe of Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport; Pato O’Ward and Felix Rosenqvist of Arrow McLaren SP; Max Chilton of Carlin; Jones of Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan; Dalton Kellett of A.J. Foyt Enterprises; Santino Ferrucci of Rahal Letterman and Lanigan Racing; and Cody Ware of Dale Coyne Racing with RWR. This will be the only multiple-driver autograph session available for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES during Big Machine Music City Grand Prix.

FanFest will be located on Broadway between 1st Ave. and 2nd Ave.

“We are thrilled to be able to kick off the weekend with this free and inclusive experience for racing fans in downtown Nashville,” Big Machine Music City Grand Prix President Chris Parker said. “The chance to get up close with the drivers and cars before the big race will be an unforgettable chance of a lifetime.”

FanFest schedule

4:30-5:30pm – Music City MINI Grand Prix pedal car race for kids
5:30-6:00pm – Autograph Session with NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers
5:30-7:30pm – FanFest Car Display
6:30-7:30pm – Pit Stop Challenge

 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

A post shared by Music City Grand Prix (@musiccitygp)

ROAD CLOSURES

Effective Thursday, August 5 at 10 AM CT through Sunday, August 8 at 5AM CT, several roads will be closed in preparation for the Music City Grand Prix events in and around Downtown Nashville. A map of all road closures can be found HERE or pictured below.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This is a cashless event, however, fans will be able to exchange cash for gift cards to the event at section 108. Accepted methods of payment throughout the event will include: Credit or Debit cards, Gift Cards in addition to mobile payment methods such as Apple Pay and Google Pay.

All ticket options are on sale now while supplies last. Fans can purchase Big Machine Music City Grand Prix three-day packages starting at $119, single-day tickets starting at $35 and festival add-ons at musiccitygp.com/ticketsTicketmaster.com or by calling the Tennessee Titans’ ticket office at 615-565-4650.

Please note, a ticket to the event is all inclusive, meaning that your ticket will grant you access to all events, including all activities, races and concerts.

For more information on the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix, visit musiccitygp.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @musiccitygp.

Share on:

Lauren Jo Black

Written by

Lauren Jo Black

Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.