The Sunday IndyCar race lacked the drama and heart-stopping crashes of the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix. Kyle Kirkwood of Andretti Motorsports retained his cool and defeated Scott McLaughlin in the final three circuits after a vital restart. This won him the race. McLaughlin started the race on pole, but Kirkwood prevented him from passing him, deciding the winner.
Since there were only two yellow flags and one red flag, the 80-lap race with 11 tricky corners was much calmer than typical. The previous year’s race included eight severe crashes, eight caution periods, and ten unfinished cars.
Since the event will shift to the conclusion of the season in 2024 and begin its second three-year deal, the future will be interesting. This change in time recalls me of last year’s thrilling finish, when Scott Dixon held off McLaughlin’s assaults to win. The previous year’s event had 24 laps of continuous activity.
After winning this year’s event, Kyle Kirkwood contemplated the surprising outcome. “This year, everyone was getting ready for a crash fest, and they called it “Crashville.”” “Crashville” was its name.All drivers may have felt uneasy. The Detroit race the year before had a similar premise that street tracks always lead to yellow flags and a speedy turnaround from green flag racing. Will Power led the race on primary tires, contrary to expectations. He ran a green track throughout the event.
Kirkwood won his second IndyCar race after winning this race. The 24-year-old Floridian became the first American to win the Music City Grand Prix. He became the first American race winner. Kirkwood won after taking the lead on lap 29 and regaining it on lap 46. His race started well. After a brilliant pit stop on lap 54, he regained the lead, which he held until the finale.
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Kirkwood added, “My demeanor stayed pretty calm, even surprisingly so.” I should have been more worried, but I just wanted to win.
Scott McLaughlin didn’t like finishing second. Despite winning the pole position in 2022 and 2023, he couldn’t push Kirkwood after the restart and didn’t threaten in the later stages of the race. Kirkwood won. “I’m disheartened,” McLaughlin stated. I don’t know if my mistake was laziness or inexperience. I restart well, so my strategy didn’t change. I failed again. Consider what went wrong and why.
Points leader Alex Palou finished third. Nashville-born Josef Newgarden finished fourth. Palou is third, Newgarden fourth. Dixon’s fifth-place result returns him to the top five.
When David Malukas’s wing fell off, the first warning flag was shown. New driver Linus Lundqvist slammed the wall on lap 70, causing the second yellow of the race. After three back-of-the-pack vehicles wrecked hard on lap 74, the red flag waved, marking the race’s most crucial moment. This revealed that the race was far from quiet.
Our Reader’s Queries
Who is performing at the Music City Grand Prix 2023?
The Wesley Mortgage Freedom Friday Tribute Concert, held on August 4, added an extra layer of excitement to the race. Attendees were treated to performances by Brian Kelley, Chris Janson, Vince Neil, Gavin DeGraw, Sixwire, and other talented artists. Additional concerts by Frank Ray, Dillon Carmichael, and Flo Rida were also part of the lineup.
Who won the Grand Prix in Music City?
In the 2023 Music City Grand Prix, Kyle Kirkwood secured his second IndyCar victory of the season with a thrilling five-lap dash to the finish line.
Where can I watch Music City Grand Prix?
Catch the action of the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix IndyCar race today at 12:30 p.m. ET. Tune in to NBC or live stream the NTT IndyCar Series on Fubo. Start your free trial now to watch all the thrilling racing action.
How many people attend the Music City Grand Prix?
In its first year, 130,000 fans went to the festival. Last year, 117,000 attended. Gov. Bill Lee highlighted that having Josef Newgarden, who won the 2023 Indianapolis 500 and is a two-time IndyCar Series champion and Nashville resident, makes the city a great choice for the season finale.