NASHVILLE, Tenn. — IndyCar loves racing via the streets of Music Metropolis a lot that the collection is making Nashville the ultimate race of the season and the stage for its annual awards beginning in 2024.

Mark Miles, president and CEO of Penske Leisure Corp., introduced Thursday that the mixture of Nashville and the Huge Machine Music Metropolis Grand Prix will assist elevate the IndyCar Collection even larger globally.

“Subsequent yr’s race in Nashville can be an unbridled celebration of probably the most fierce and aggressive motorsport on the planet, set in opposition to the backdrop of an modern and breathtaking stage that features one of many premier international leisure districts on the earth,” Miles mentioned.

The change takes impact in 2024 with the Huge Machine Grand Prix capping the collection schedule Sept. 15. IndyCar’s Victory Lap Celebration can be held Sept. 16 on the Schermerhorn Symphony Middle.

The Huge Machine Music Metropolis Grand Prix concludes its authentic three-year contract with Sunday’s race. This occasion makes use of the NFL’s Tennessee Titans’ Nissan Stadium as a paddock and base with grandstands resulting in the two.17-mile course highlighted by dashing over the Korean Veterans Struggle Memorial Bridge.

The Titans plan to interrupt floor by spring 2024 in that parking zone for a brand new stadium the NFL crew hopes to open for the 2027 season. That meant the course for this occasion was going to should be relocated together with the fan zone simply exterior the stadium.

The course will stay 2.17 miles lengthy with seven turns and nonetheless embrace the bridge the place drivers attain speeds of 180 mph earlier than hitting the brakes.

The course additionally will characteristic the Nation Music Corridor of Fame with IndyCars dashing into Nashville’s historic leisure district and previous honky tonks owned by Garth Brooks, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Alan Jackson and Miranda Lambert together with the Nation Music Corridor of Fame.

The three-day occasion additionally is a component music pageant. Carly Pearce is singing the nationwide anthem earlier than Sunday’s race.

IndyCar’s remaining race this season is at Monterey, and Miles mentioned that location will stay on the 2024 collection schedule that has but to be launched.

“WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca stays a beloved, historic venue for our groups, drivers and followers in an vital and scenic market,” Miles mentioned.

This modification is a large step in development for Nashville with Sunday’s race simply the third yr for this occasion.

Jason Rittenberry, the president and CEO of the Huge Machine Grand Prix, mentioned they by no means had an concept from the beginning they might be in such a place within the IndyCar hierarchy. The preliminary objective was making Nashville one of many collection’ premier occasions behind solely the Indianapolis 500.

“We did not got down to be, ‘Hey, we’ll finish the season right here in Nashville and crown a champion right here,'” Rittenberry mentioned.

“However after yr one and yr two, the IndyCar group, the IndyCar Penske Leisure crew, IndyCar crew and all of the groups that take part, all of them noticed what Nashville has to convey to the desk with the nightlife, with the actions, all of their sponsors. This has grow to be a not miss occasion.”

Demand for the race has grown a lot that organizers added a number of thousand new grandstands over final yr. Rittenberry mentioned the brand new course structure will permit followers to observe from the honky tonks alongside Decrease Broad.

Driver Colton Herta not too long ago moved to the Nashville space and mentioned Music Metropolis loves IndyCar as a lot because the drivers and followers do.

“It is an occasion that’s tremendous enjoyable for us to do, and I am certain it is in all probability even much more enjoyable for the followers that get to go hang around and do all this enjoyable stuff that the town has to supply,” Herta mentioned. “However yeah, I hope it is on the schedule for a few years to come back as a result of it’s an superior occasion.”