Josef Newgarden and Scott Dixon have been given the honor of completing the very first laps around the new Music City Grand Prix course.
The pair weren’t quite able to get up to full speed as they were lined up behind the Corvette pace car for the whole lap, which prevented them from getting any unfair advantage.
The lap was not a slow crawl, however, as four-time IndyCar champion Dario Franchitti was piloting the Corvette and was not afraid to open up the throttle on the long trip over the Korean Veterans Bridge.
The sharp turns after the bridge sections become very narrow, and will force drivers to get in single file or face the penalty of concrete walls reaching out.
After the run, both drivers pointed to the dust and dirt as the main concern at the moment. But with a couple support series joining IndyCar this weekend, most of that should be cleared by time qualifying occurs on Saturday afternoon.
The bumps across the bridge and in other areas did not seem to be a concern, but they could be exacerbated when the cars get up to full speed and have the full effect of downforce pushing the cars into the pavement.
Newgarden calls Nashville home and has been an ambassador of sorts for the new venue. He sits fourth in the points standings, while Dixon, the reigning champion, sits just ahead in third.
He will get his first taste of the 2.17-mile course in anger in just a couple hours’ time for a 90-minute practice session.
