The proposed street race around downtown Nashville, known affectionately as Music City, is one step closer to being finalized for the 2021 IndyCar schedule.
IndyCar owner Roger Penske held a meeting with other series officials and organizers at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee this past Thursday to discuss details of the potential addition to the calendar.
In a statement, the Music City Grand Prix organizers said they “collectively agreed to work toward finalizing an agreement to bring an urban racing festival to Nashville with a presence at Nissan Stadium.
“While we are all excited by the Music City Grand Prix plans, to be clear this process is not finalized.”
Penske has recently said that he intends to have next season’s schedule complete within two months, and there will likely be confirmation of the new event at that time.
The course layout has not yet been finalized, but the intention is to hold the race downtown, near the Nissan Stadium and the Country Music Hall of Fame.
The last time IndyCar visited Nashville was at the short oval of Nashville Speedway in 2008, when Scott Dixon took victory over Dan Wheldon on his way to his second IndyCar title.
The only street circuit on the schedule this year is the delayed finale at St. Petersburg in October. But in a normal season, without the extra complications of organizing road conversions in a pandemic, IndyCar visits multiple street circuits a year.
Read the full statement from the Music City Grand Prix organizers below:
We are pleased to confirm that plans to bring an annual NTT IndyCar Series urban street race to Nashville progressed this week bringing us one step closer to establishing the inaugural Music City Grand Prix. Event promoters and organizers from Music City Grand Prix hosted Roger Penske and members of the IndyCar team at Nissan Stadium alongside key staff from the Tennessee Titans and other key stakeholders. We collectively agreed to work toward finalizing an agreement to bring an urban racing festival to Nashville with a presence at Nissan Stadium. While we are all excited by the Music City Grand Prix plans, to be clear this process is not finalized.
MCGP has been very deliberate in our planning, particularly in light of the evolving challenges that COVID-19 has presented. MCGP will continue to be thoughtful and thorough in our preparation and communications in order to create an event that meets our vision, delivers for INDYCAR and reflects the high standards Nashville has set for major annual events. We look forward to sharing more information once agreements are fully completed.
