Story By: ASHLEY KELLER / CHEVROLET – LEBANON, TN – Closing out the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, Chevrolet races to Nashville Superspeedway this weekend already securing their ninth Series’ Manufacturers title in the 2.2-liter twin turbo V6 era since 2012.
Over that time, Team Chevy has captured 122 win and 135 earned NTT P1 Pole Awards, 11 of those victories and eight poles coming this year, including the prestigious 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500.
The 1.33-mile D-shaped oval will provide a challenge for competitors in the season-finale event, featuring a high-intensity 14 degrees of banking and many in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES field seeing the track for the first time in their careers. While a few are returning since the last event in 2008, including championship contender Will Power, driver of the No. 12 Verizon Business Team Penske Chevrolet, a new challenge awaits the drivers that includes a softer, alternate Firestone Firehawk tire in addition to the harder, black primary option.
“Looking forward to returning to Nashville, and hoping we’ll have a good shot at the championship,” said Power. “I really liked the test, really liked the track. It has a consistent banking, so the car is quite predictable through the corner. I just hope we can open a second lane, and we’re fighting for a championship. Nashville, we’ve had a taste of it. Have some ideas on what will do for car changes and to improve. The No. 2 Team Penske Chevy was pretty good (in the test). The car was reasonable. I felt like (Scott) Dixon was very strong which means the Ganassi cars will be very good there. It put more emphasis on Milwaukee, and ultimately seeing how this plays out.”
Over the season, Chevrolet has captured 11 victories including the prestigious 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 with one race remaining, totaling 122 wins so far in the V6 era since 2012, in addition to eight earned NTT P1 Pole Awards in 2024 that totals 135 earned top starting positions in the V6 era. Chevrolet additionally raced to three podium sweeps in 2024 at Road America, Iowa 1, and Milwaukee 1.
“Heading to Nashville this weekend, we’ve achieved our goal of capturing the manufacturers championship, winning the Indianapolis 500 and we’re prepared to give Will and Team Penske all the support we can to give him a solid opportunity to capture the driver’s title,” said Chevrolet INDYCAR Program Manager Rob Buckner. “We’re looking forward to the event and working with our teams to cap the season with another successful weekend. It’s sure to be an exciting race. I am very proud of the hard work and dedication by our Chevrolet engineers, drivers, and teams this year.”
The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix race weekend kicks off the two-day show with a stacked Saturday, including the first practice at 11 a.m. ET, followed by qualifications at 2:15 p.m. ET. High-line practice and final practice wrap on Saturday from 5:15 p.m. ET to 7 p.m. ET. Sunday’s season-finale 206-lap, 267.8-mile Music City Grand Prix from Nashville Superspeedway takes the green flag live on NBC at 3 p.m. ET. All practice and qualifying sessions are broadcast with Peacock, INDYCAR Radio, and SiriusXM Channel 218.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING (Quotes):
Santino Ferrucci, No. 14 AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet:
“I feel like turn one of Phoenix is very similar to Nashville, but it’s gonna be weird being on a concrete track for us, as well as a series. So, I am excited about that. It can be more abrasive on the tires. Should have less grip. We’re also going with the kind of like a road course package instead of the speedway wings which I found quite interesting. It’s the same package as Iowa. A little different from Gateway and Milwaukee where we ran the full road course package. At Nashville we won’t run the upper element on the rear wing so it’s a little less downforce than what we had at Milwaukee or Gateway. Obviously, having as many top 10s as we’ve had, plus now a pair of top five has been huge. You know, the car has been really, really good this year to drive and so has the team as a whole. We really just stepped it up, everything from engineering to mechanics, even myself. You know, we’ve all kind of taken a massive step forward.”
Sting Ray Robb, No. 41 AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet:
“I did a little bit of at home simulator using iRacing (in preparing for Nashville). Other than that, the experience is very limited. There are some trends and nuances that you can learn from this but it only gets you to about 90%. The last 10% (always the hardest to find) has to be done at the track; we are trying our best ahead of time to shorten the learning curve once we arrive in person. The closest experience I have is running at Texas Motor Speedway in 2023. The pressure is the same as it has been every other race. Our goal remains the same, and the preparation does not change. Our job is the same as it has been, it just so happens that it is the last one on the schedule. Trusting my instincts. It’s easy to overthink details sometimes but keeping it simple and trusting my experience and the team around me has gotten us a lot further at times than digging too deep in search for answers that sometimes reveal themselves.”
Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:
It’ll be my first time racing at Nashville Superspeedway at this weekend’s Big Machine Music City Grand Prix. I’m looking forward to closing out the season the right way. It’s been a rollercoaster, but we’ve had some great moments, so hopefully, we can create another one in Nashville.”
Nolan Siegel, No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:
“I’m excited to get going this weekend at the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix. We had a lot of speed and potential in Milwaukee, and I think we’ll be in a similar spot at the Nashville Superspeedway. I’m looking forward to putting it all together and producing a strong result in the season finale.”
Alexander Rossi, No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:
“It’s pretty crazy to think that this is the final race of the year. I feel like the season just started, but here we are. This will be the end of my journey in papaya, but I can’t wait to end the season on a high note here in Nashville. It’s going to be a new venue for all of us, but I think we have an opportunity to have a great weekend.”
Gavin Ward, Team Principal at Arrow McLaren:
“The finale is here as we head down to Nashville for the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix. We’re excited for what we expect to be some great racing on this short oval, but also for all of the partner activation we’ll have this weekend, both on Broadway and at Nashville Superspeedway. Not wanting to blow our own trumpet, but our oval cars have been fast this year, so we’re looking to close the season out on a high note.”
Christian Rasmussen, No. 20 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet:
“I am looking forward to racing at Nashville Superspeedway! It will be an interesting weekend with the majority of the grid having never been there. We’re going in with a tight points battle for Leaders Circle positions, so we’re fully focused on finishing the season off strong.”
Rinus VeeKay, No. 21 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet:
“I am very excited for one more NTT INDYCAR SERIES race this year! It has been a crazy season and will end with a crazy last race with neither Christian (Rasmussen) or I ever having turned a lap at Nashville Superspeedway. It will be interesting, we have a bit of practice but we’ll be figuring it out on the fly! We’ve progressed so much through the season and earned a lot of Top 10s in the second half. I am looking forward to adding to that, getting some good points and hopefully moving up a few positions in the standings!”
Will Power, No. 12 Team Penske Chevrolet:
“Looking forward to returning to Nashville, and hoping we’ll have a good shot at the championship. I really liked the test, really liked the track. It has a consistent banking, so the car is quite predictable through the corner. I just hope we can open a second lane, and we’re fighting for a championship. Nashville, we’ve had a taste of it. Have some ideas on what will do for car changes and to improve. The No. 2 Team Penske Chevy was pretty good (in the test). The car was reasonable. I felt like (Scott) Dixon was very strong which means the Ganassi cars will be very good there. It put more emphasis on Milwaukee, and ultimately seeing how this plays out.”
Chevrolet at Nashville (V6 era since 2012, pre-hybrid):
Wins at Nashville: 0
Earned Pole Awards at Nashville: 0
Number of Team Chevy Podiums at Nashville: 0
Number of laps led by Team Chevy at Nashville (V6 era since 2018, pre-hybrid): 0
Of note: The NTT INDYCAR SERIES is returning to the 1.33-mile D-shaped Nashville Superspeedway for the first time since 2008, and this is the first race with the 2.2-liter twin turbo V6 engine, along with hybrid technology.
2024 CHEVROLET BY THE NUMBERS:
8: NTT INDYCAR SERIES race as V6 engine supplier with hybrid technology integration.
7: Wins in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES as V6 engine supplier with hybrid technology integration since mid-2024.
215: NTT INDYCAR SERIES races as V6 engine supplier since 2012 return to INDYCAR.
122: Wins in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES since 2012.
135: Earned poles since 2012. Chevrolet holds 140 pole awards in total, with five recorded based on points for weather.
5: Earned pole in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES as V6 engine supplier with hybrid technology integration.
9: Manufacturer Championships since 2012.
7: Driver/entrant champions since 2012.
13: Indianapolis 500 victories by Chevrolet at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
6: Indianapolis 500 wins by Chevrolet since 2012 in the V6 2.2-liter twin turbo direct injected era.
35: Number of times Chevrolet has swept the podium in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES since 2012 in the V6 2.2-liter twin turbo direct injected era. In total, a manufacturer has swept the podium 56 times since 2012.
29: Wins by Will Power since 2012 – all with Chevrolet power – most of any driver with the same manufacturer.
9: Wins from the pole by Will Power with Chevrolet power since 2012, most by any driver.
46: Pole starts by Will Power since 2012 in a Chevrolet-powered car, most of any driver.
*Will Power’s career total of 70 poles makes him the all-time pole winner in INDYCAR.