Music City GP Stays At Nashville Superspeedway; Penske Takes Over Promotion
Source: Joe Skibinski/Penske Entertainment / other
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Not even a year after the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix was moved from the streets of Nashville to Nashville Superspeedway, Big Machine Records and Penske Entertainment have made a big decision regarding the event’s future.
On Thursday, both organizations announced that Penske Entertainment would be taking over sole promotion responsibility for the race, while Big Machine will remain the title sponsor of the event.
“We are very proud to continue our relationship with IndyCar and build from our record-breaking 2024 season finale as the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix becomes a true crown jewel for Nashville, Middle Tennessee and global motorsports fans,” said Big Machine CEO Scott Borchetta. “We will also continue to produce the incredibly successful downtown street party, which will serve as the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix kickoff event, on Friday, Aug. 29, so make plans to be with us!”
In its first two years of existence, the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix was held on the streets of downtown Nashville, which incorporated the Korean Veterans Blvd bridge and a major portion of the parking lot around Nissan Stadium, which is home to the Tennessee Titans.
The original goal of the event was to bill it as the “Monaco of North America.”
However, due to renovation plans to Nissan Stadium that made an unexpected impact to the event, the race was hastily removed from the redesigned street course for last season and moved to the oval at Nashville Superspeedway.
Despite the seemingly last minute change of venue, the race went off quite well and received a largely positive response as Colton Herta won the race and Alex Palou secured the IndyCar Series championship.
“Year one at Nashville Superspeedway was a tremendous success, thanks in great part to the terrific partnership and strong leadership exhibited by Scott Borchetta and his team at Big Machine,” said Penske Entertainment Corp. President and CEO Mark Miles. “As we grow our event portfolio at Penske Entertainment, it’s strategically important to take the reins of our season finale at such an exciting and renowned racetrack. And to see the relationship with Big Machine carry forward through this continued partnership only underscores the growth opportunities before us in the Music City.”
Nashville will continue to be the 17th and final race on the NTT IndyCar Series calendar for the foreseeable future.
