Know Before You Go: The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix

The three-day race weekend features an action-packed schedule.

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Rev it up, Nashville! The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix is racing into town for an unforgettable festival of live music, sensational food, and speeds you must see to believe.

Running August 4 through 6, the three-day race weekend features: the NTT IndyCar Series, Indy NXT, GT America, GR Cup, the Big Machine Spiked Cooler Trans Am TA2 Series, and Stadium Super Trucks. In a race unlike any other, some of the nation’s top drivers will zoom through an 80-lap, 2.1-mile, 11-turn course that winds through Nissan Stadium, over the Cumberland River, and curves around downtown Nashville. And as fans who have attended the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix in years past know, this event is the first professional motorsport race to cross a body of water making it that much more memorable.

Kick off the pulse-pounding weekend on Thursday, August 3 with some of the biggest names in the NTT IndyCar Series at the FanFest Pit Stop Challenge. From 5 to 8 p.m. on Broadway from 1st through 4th Streets, FanFest is free and open to the public, providing fans with the opportunity to get drivers’ autographs and check out various cars and displays. The show car display will be set up between 2nd and 3rd Streets featuring vehicles from several series competing that weekend and will grant fans the chance to take photos near the cars to capture the memories made. A sponsor display section will also be set up between 3rd and 4th streets including multiple merchandise trailers.

First-timers and returning race fans alike can look forward to some exciting new additions for the 2023 race weekend including GT America and GR Cup Saturday Night Race experience for fans, with breathtaking views as cars zoom by illuminated by the bright city lights beneath the night sky. Other additions include the Turn 9 Club, an all-inclusive club located in one of the most notoriously action-packed corners in IndyCar, and increased capacity in the NetJets Club RPM presented by Flatrock Motorclub. The event’s most premium all-inclusive club sold out last year, so take advantage of the increased capacity and don’t wait to snag a spot. This year also features a new Family Fun Zone with games, food, a video board for race coverage, and more. Extra shaded seating and water refill stations have been added throughout the grounds as well to keep fans cool in the Tennessee heat.

Beyond the exhilarating speeds, sights, and sounds of racing, the Big Machine Music Grand Prix is a complete festival experience that could only come to life in Nashville. And what’s a festival without live music? The weekend features more than 20 artists performing across multiple stages. The festivities begin with the Wesley Mortgage Freedom Friday concert honoring the men and women of our military  with performances by Brian Kelley, Chris Janson, Vince Neil, Gavin Degraw, and other special guests on the Zyn Main Stage. On Saturday, Flo Rida takes the Zyn Stage and on Sunday, Red Street Records presents Jay DeMarcus, Jason Crabb, Consumed by Fire, Cade Thompson, and Iveth Luna on the Fish Stage. Countless talented artists will also be performing throughout the entire three-day festival on the iHeartRadio Country Stage.

Attendees can get a taste of Music City in a more literal sense with various food truck offerings, along with countless downtown dining options that will shine a light on Nashville’s delicious food scene throughout the weekend. Tickets are available for purchase in several packages, including single-day tickets, a three- day package, and family packs, enabling fans to choose from a variety of seating options for their view of choice. Clubs and suites are also available for those looking to elevate the experience. Or, opt for the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix Fast Pass. This program is in partnership with some of Nashville’s most popular venues enabling ticket holders to present a QR code upon entry to participating venues that will allot a limited capacity for Fast Pass holders and operate on a first-come, first-serve basis. Some of the participating downtown favorites include Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Rooftop Bar, Luke Bryan’s 32 Bridge, Ole Red, Miranda Lambert’s Casa Rosa, Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row, The Twelve Thirty Club, Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville, Big Machine Distillery, and many more.

From fierce competition among world-class drivers to unforgettable entertainment, the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix is bringing a new sound to Nashville with this once-in- a-lifetime experience. So, buckle in for an adrenaline rush unlike any other. (75 Victory Ave., 615-270-8705; musiccitygp.com)