NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Marcus Ericsson soared over a automobile early, overcame hard-charging runs from Colton Herta and Scott Dixon late and survived the perilous metropolis streets of Nashville on Sunday to win the inaugural Music Metropolis Grand Prix.

Ericsson made the IndyCar spotlight reel lengthy earlier than the checkered flag when he jumped the bottom of Sebastien Bourdais’ Chevrolet and knocked the Frenchman out of the race. Ericsson’s airborne Honda wanted a brand new entrance wing solely 5 laps into the race and he made it the remainder of the best way unscathed for his second victory of the season.

“I am sorry he ended up within the fence there,” Ericcson mentioned.

The 30-year-old Swede gained as darkness fell in Nashville with six-time IndyCar champion Dixon making a late run. However Ericsson acquired a break when Herta clobbered his automobile into the tire boundaries with 5 laps left, ending his dominant weekend. Herta topped the primary two observe periods and gained the pole. He was gaining on Ericsson and had a possible go-ahead go on the horizon when he crushed his automobile. Herta buried his head in his fingers in shocked disbelief and appeared to harm his left thumb.

Dixon was second to provide Chip Ganassi Racing a 1-2 end. James Hinchcliffe, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Graham Rahal rounded out the highest 5.

The Grand Prix was the primary new avenue course race added to the schedule in 10 years, and sufficient followers to fill Nissan Stadium packed the grandstands, partied close to stay music phases and lined fences 10 rows deep with cameras raised to snap an image of the quickest newcomers on the town.

The most effective seat in the home may need come with out one, when followers stood excessive on the stadium concourse for a chicken’s-eye view of one of many 11 activates the monitor.

The two.17-mile course weaved by way of the stadium parking zone and over a 3,500-foot straightway that spanned over the Korean Struggle Veterans Memorial Bridge and suspended 80 ft over the Cumberland River.

Higher protected than sorry, dive groups and boats had been on standby in case of emergency.

Havoc was contained to the asphalt streets.

Workforce Penske drivers introduced the race to a halt just a few laps later from Ericsson when Will Energy dipped inside Simon Pagenaud and drove his teammate into the wall. That led to an enormous 10-race pileup and the purple flag was out for roughly 20 minutes.

There have been 9 cautions within the race.

POINT STANDINGS

Alex Palou holds a 42-point lead within the standings over Dixon.

JIMMIE’S DAY

Jimmie Johnson continues to hit bumps within the highway — or in his case, on a bridge — in his rookie season in IndyCar. Johnson destroyed his automobile within the morning observe session for his second wreck of the weekend and was pressured to make use of a backup automobile. He used a backup automobile shared by teammate Palou. He was collected within the Penske crash and was disqualified when the No. 48 crew labored on his Honda — Johnson even helped carry spare components — underneath the purple flag. Johnson was twenty sixth.

“I am having a blast, I am studying a ton and each week I am getting higher and higher,” Johnson mentioned.

ARROW EXPANSION

McLaren Racing will buy a majority stake of the Arrow McLaren SP race staff by the tip of 2021 and plans so as to add a 3rd automobile to its IndyCar lineup.

The staff fields automobiles this season for Pato O’Ward, who was second within the factors standings headed into Sunday’s Music Metropolis Grand Prix, and Felix Rosenqvist. Zak Brown, the CEO of McLaren Racing, mentioned Sunday he want to add one other full-time automobile in 2023 — maybe as early as subsequent season “if we will discover the correct mixture.”

“We have the sources, so the economics are usually not a priority, however we need to run three automobiles that win races and compete for the championship,” he mentioned.

UP NEXT

IndyCar returns Saturday to Indianapolis Motor Speedway and hits the highway course.