Penske Racing

Team Penske NTT INDYCAR Series Qualifying Report - Nashville

August 7, 2021

Track:    Streets of Nashville
Race:     Big Machine Music City Grand Prix
Date:     August 7, 2021
 
No. 2 Hitachi Dallara/Chevrolet – Josef Newgarden

Practice 2           
Position:      18th
Time / Speed:  1:17.0482 seconds / 98.120 mph
 
Qualifying
Position:      12th
Time / Speed:  1:15.5062 seconds (Round 2) / 100.124 mph

 
No. 3 DEX Imaging Dallara/Chevrolet – Scott McLaughlin

Practice 2           
Position:      10th
Time / Speed:  1:16.4877 4 seconds / 98.839 mph
 
Qualifying
Position:      23rd
Time/ Speed:   1:18.1899 seconds (Round 1) / 96.688 mph

 
No. 12 Verizon 5G Dallara/Chevrolet – Will Power

Practice 2           
Position:      14th
Time / Speed:  1:16.7023 seconds / 98.563 mph
 
Qualifying
Position:      11th
Time / Speed:  1:15.5016 seconds (Round 2) / 100.130 mph

 
No. 22 Menards Dallara/Chevrolet – Simon Pagenaud

Practice 2           
Position:      11th
Time / Speed:  1:16.5904 seconds / 98.707 mph
 
Qualifying
Position:       8th
Time / Speed:   1:15.1354 seconds (Round 2) / 100.618 mph

Best Practice 2 Time:     1:15.3529 seconds (No. 26 – Colton Herta)
Best Qualifying Time:     1:13.6835 seconds (No. 26 – Herta)
 

Recap:

  • Tennessee humidity greeted the teams of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES on Saturday morning at the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix for a full day of practice and qualifying in advance of Sunday's inaugural event on the streets of Nashville.
  • Drivers were given a second practice session at noon to continue to familiarize themselves with the new Nashville circuit with Scott McLaughlin leading the way for Team Penske with the 10th-fastest lap of 1:16.4877 seconds in the No. 3 DEX Imaging Chevrolet.
  • Unfortunately, the usually adept qualifiers at Team Penske struggled on the new surface during the late afternoon time trials. McLaughlin made slight contact with the wall in first round of qualifying, resulting in a 23rd-place starting position for Sunday.
  • Josef Newgarden, Will Power and Simon Pagenaud all were able to transfer to the second round of qualifying, but no further. Newgarden, in particular, continued his unusual start to the weekend by bringing out a red-flag period to finish last in the second round after making contact with a tire barrier.
  • Pagenaud will lead the Team Penske quartet to the green flag tomorrow with his eighth-place starting position. The Frenchman is a five-time series winner on temporary street courses.

 
Coverage: The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix will air on NBCSN and the INDYCAR Radio Network beginning at 5:30 pm ET on Sunday, August 8.

Back to previous page.

Copyright ©2008-2016 Penske Racing. All rights reserved