Six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Scott Dixon in the No.9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda heads into this weekend’s Big Machine Music City Grand Prix on the streets of Nashville, aiming to go back-to-back with victories, having scored his 53rd career series victory here last season.
The Iceman goes into this weekend’s race looking to make up for ground on championship leader and team-mate Alex Palou with Dixon being 120 points behind the Spaniard and looking ahead to the race this weekend, he said:
“Nashville has become one of the most wanted to go to races of the year. There is a great atmosphere with downtown racing, especially with the link to this fun city and how the promoters have gotten so involved with Nashville. As a driver, it’s a fun track, but a very tough track that is quite technical. Then, getting into the race, it’s even more demanding with the heat and humidity, but also trying to keep the car off the walls. It’s very bumpy with high speeds and lots of G’s coming off the bridge. There’s plenty of unpredictability, even with us winning last year and Marcus the year before. It’s been a great place for Chip Ganassi Racing. Two races so far and two victories for this team. We’ll try to keep that tradition going.”
Points leader Alex Palou in the No.10 The American Legion Honda is looking forward to getting to Nashville and bouncing back from what he describes as not the best weekend last time out in Iowa with Josef Newgarden having closed the gap in the championship to 80 points and looking ahead to Nashville he commented saying:
“Iowa wasn’t the best of weekends, but we got a podium in the No. 10 American Legion Honda. We kept improving every session throughout the weekend and now I am very excited for Nashville. We know it is going to be tough, but Chip Ganassi Racing has managed to get wins in both years, so hopefully we can make it three in a row. We’ve had a ton of speed there and it will be about surviving to get to victory lane on Sunday. It is exciting to get to this stretch of the championship run.”
Marcus Ericsson in the No.8 Huski Iced Spritz Honda will be hoping for a strong race as he aims to close the gap to the leaders in the championship and looking ahead to Nashville, the Swede who took victory here in 2021 he commented saying:
“I’m excited for Nashville, where I have good memories having won the race two years ago in the first-ever Music City Grand Prix. It is one of the highlights of my career so far. For us, going back to a street course is exciting. We know we have a very strong package on street courses, and I feel very comfortable in those races myself. We’re very much in a good position for the championship and we need to have another strong weekend for the No. 8 team and for Chip Ganassi Racing.”