2025 Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix

Newgarden Captures Elusive 2025 Win in Thrilling Hometown Triumph at Nashville Superspeedway

Josef Newgarden claimed his first victory of 2025 in the Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix presented by WillScot, leading the final 21 laps to edge out Alex Palou by 0.5021 seconds in a dramatic 225-lap showdown on the 1.33-mile Nashville Superspeedway oval. The race, the NTT IndyCar Series season finale, featured 20 lead changes among 12 drivers and intense battles under high heat, capping a dominant day for Team Penske with Scott McLaughlin third.

Newgarden, driving the No. 2 Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet, started sixth but methodically worked forward, taking the lead on Lap 147 and fending off challenges in the closing stages to secure his 32nd career win, tying Al Unser Jr. for ninth all-time. The Hendersonville, Tennessee, native led 60 laps in total, navigating four cautions for 46 laps and executing flawless pit stops. "I think the team really performed like you expect from Team Penske," Newgarden said in the post-race press conference. "We've had the same core that Team Penske's always had throughout this whole year."

Palou, in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, finished second after leading 11 laps, falling short of a ninth win to tie Mario Andretti's single-season record but celebrating his fourth overall title (2021, 2023-2025). "It's been incredible," Palou said. "I'm just lucky enough to drive that No. 10 car." McLaughlin (No. 3 DEX Imaging Team Penske Chevrolet) battled hard for third, leading seven laps but surviving light contact in Turn 2 on Lap 204. "I had an absolute blast," McLaughlin said. "That was so much fun."

The race, completed in 1:54:50.6727 at an average speed of 156.342 mph, opened with chaos as Christian Rasmussen (No. 21 ECR Splenda Stevia Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet) contacted the Turn 2 SAFER Barrier on Lap 1, triggering the first caution. Rasmussen was seen and released. Polesitter Pato O'Ward (No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet), who led 116 laps, dominated early but crashed in Turn 2 on Lap 126 due to a mechanical failure, ending his bid for a first win from pole. "I dropped the right rear," O'Ward said post-qualifying, though the race incident sealed his 24th-place finish.

A pivotal caution came on Lap 83 when David Malukas (No. 4 Clarience Technologies AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet) and Louis Foster (No. 45 Desnuda Tequila Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda) made contact in Turn 2, spinning Malukas into the SAFER Barrier. Malukas, starting second, climbed out unaided but was airlifted to the hospital for further evaluation; he was later released. Foster received a drive-through penalty for blocking, finishing 20th. "I held my line," Foster said post-race. "He turned down into me."

Strategic pit stops under caution shuffled the field, with Alexander Rossi (No. 20 ECR Java House Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet) briefly leading 16 laps before Newgarden surged ahead. Tire strategy played a key role, with teams using Firestone Firehawk tires amid 88-degree ambient and 119-degree track temperatures, leading to degradation and marbling issues. "The degradation of our tires was quite low relative to everybody else," Penske president Jonathan Diuguid said.

Passing was prolific, with 502 total passes and 284 for position (130 in the top 10, 74 in the top five). Fastest lap went to Palou at 198.368 mph on Lap 184, while his 197.480 mph on Lap 192 marked the fastest leader lap. Penalties included unsafe releases for Colton Herta (No. 26 Gainbridge Andretti Global Honda) and blocking for Marcus Armstrong (No. 66 Root Insurance Meyer Shank Racing Honda) and Robert Shwartzman (No. 83 Prema Racing Chevrolet).

Kyffin Simpson (No. 8 Journie Rewards Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) impressed in fourth, battling McLaughlin in a side-by-side duel. "Probably my best battle ever on an oval," McLaughlin said. Conor Daly (No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet) charged from 24th to fifth, gaining 19 positions for most improved.

Foster clinched Rookie of the Year with 213 points over Shwartzman's 211, despite the early incident. "One of the main goals we had this year was to win this title," Foster said. "The RLL team have been absolutely incredible all year."

Chip Ganassi Racing celebrated Palou's title, with owner Chip Ganassi praising the team: "You have no idea the amount of hard work and late nights...that go on in the race shop." DHL CEO Mike Parra added, "It's been an honor for us to be a part of Chip Ganassi Racing."

As the 2025 season closes at Nashville Superspeedway, Newgarden's hometown victory and Palou's championship dominance promise an exciting off-season reset.

Dixon Tops Final Practice as Incidents Shape Nashville Superspeedway Preparations

Scott Dixon led the final practice session for the Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix presented by WillScot, posting a top lap speed of 198.759 mph on the 1.33-mile Nashville Superspeedway oval. The 60-minute session, following a high-line group session, saw three yellow flags and strategic adjustments under warm conditions as teams prepared for Sunday's 225-lap season finale.

Dixon, in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, set his fastest lap of 24.0895 seconds on Lap 52 of his 61-lap run, edging out Josef Newgarden (No. 2 Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet) at 198.466 mph by 0.0355 seconds. Marcus Armstrong (No. 66 Root Insurance Meyer Shank Racing Honda) followed closely at 198.428 mph, with David Malukas (No. 4 Clarience Technologies AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet) and Kyle Kirkwood (No. 27 Sam's Club Andretti Global Honda) rounding out the top five at 198.234 mph and 197.716 mph, respectively.

The session, which included a 30-minute high-line group session split into two 15-minute segments for Groups A and B, was interrupted by three incidents. At 5:07 p.m., Nolan Siegel (No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet) made contact in Turn 2, damaging the right rear corner but continuing to pit lane, triggering a yellow flag and a five-minute penalty for causing the caution. Four minutes later, Callum Ilott (No. 90 Prema Racing Chevrolet) ran wide in Turn 2, lightly contacting the SAFER Barrier and spinning across the track before stopping on the warm-up lane. Ilott climbed out unaided, earning a five-minute penalty. At 5:27 p.m., Will Power (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet) slowed after possible contact with the Turn 4 SAFER Barrier, prompting a brief yellow.

"We're focused on Nashville," Chip Ganassi Racing owner Chip Ganassi said earlier this week. "We want to go win that race." Dixon, with seven Nashville Superspeedway starts and a 2003 one-lap qualifying record of 206.211 mph, showed race-ready pace, while teammate Alex Palou (No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda), the 2025 champion, finished eighth at 197.443 mph after a Practice 1 spin. Palou, chasing a ninth win to tie Mario Andretti's single-season record, qualified fourth for Sunday's race. "Palou is going to be there to win the race," Ganassi said.

Pato O'Ward (No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet), fresh off the NTT P1 Award at 202.621 mph, ranked 10th at 196.997 mph but led combined practice results at 202.357 mph from Practice 1. "I've never won from pole," O'Ward said post-qualifying. "I'm determined to make it happen this weekend." Malukas, starting second, continued his strong weekend, while Newgarden, the local favorite from Hendersonville, Tennessee, bolstered his race prospects from sixth.

The Rookie of the Year battle saw Louis Foster (No. 45 Desnuda Tequila Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda) and Robert Shwartzman (No. 83 Prema Racing Chevrolet) finish 23rd (194.621 mph) and 15th (196.021 mph), respectively. Foster, holding an eight-point lead, aims to secure the title from the 24th qualifying position, while Shwartzman qualified 19th.

Colton Herta (No. 26 Gainbridge Andretti Global Honda), the 2024 race winner, struggled to 18th at 195.655 mph, qualified 15th, while Kirkwood, the 2024 pole winner, qualified 13th. The field remained tight, with combined practice showing the top 12 within 0.1690 seconds.

Sunday's race airs live at 2 p.m. EDT on FOX. As Nashville Superspeedway hosts the 2025 finale, Dixon's pace and O'Ward's pole position set up a thrilling battle.

O'Ward Claims First Oval Pole in Thrilling Nashville Superspeedway Qualifying

Pato O'Ward captured the NTT P1 Award for the Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix presented by WillScot with a two-lap average speed of 202.621 mph, securing his first career oval pole and edging out a tight field in single-car qualifying on the 1.33-mile Nashville Superspeedway oval. The session, featuring 27 drivers posting two timed laps each, sets the stage for Sunday's 225-lap season finale.

O'Ward, driving the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, laid down laps of 23.5968 seconds (202.909 mph) and 23.6639 seconds (202.334 mph) for a total time of 47.2607 seconds, surpassing David Malukas (No. 4 Clarience Technologies AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet) at 201.922 mph by 0.1636 seconds. Christian Lundgaard (No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet) rounded out the top three at 201.713 mph, followed by Alex Palou (No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) at 201.603 mph and Scott Dixon (No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) at 201.437 mph. The top seven were within 0.2388 seconds, highlighting the razor-thin margins.

"I've got a big one on the list this weekend," O'Ward said in the post-qualifying press conference. "I've never won from pole. Ever. And I'm determined to make it happen this weekend."

Malukas, starting on the front row for the second straight week, expressed disappointment despite his strong run. "I wanted a sticker, man," Malukas said, referring to the pole award. "The guys just did a fantastic job. That was like a perfect car."

Local favorite Josef Newgarden (No. 2 Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet) qualified sixth at 201.390 mph, briefly holding the session's fastest average before later runners capitalized on improving track conditions. Callum Ilott (No. 90 Prema Racing Chevrolet) impressed in ninth at 200.822 mph, while Kyffin Simpson (No. 8 Journie Rewards Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) cracked the top 10 at 200.703 mph.

The qualification order saw early runners like Jacob Abel (No. 51 Abel Construction Dale Coyne Racing Honda) post 195.779 mph, with speeds climbing as the session progressed. Robert Shwartzman (No. 83 Prema Racing Chevrolet) set an early benchmark at 199.546 mph before being eclipsed.

Palou, the 2025 champion pursuing his ninth win to tie Mario Andretti's single-season record, starts fourth. "We're focused on Nashville," Chip Ganassi Racing owner Chip Ganassi said earlier this week. "We want to go win that race." Dixon, with seven Nashville Superspeedway starts, lines up fifth as he chases his 356th consecutive start Sunday.

The Rookie of the Year battle intensifies, with Louis Foster (No. 45 Desnuda Tequila Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda) qualifying 24th at 198.592 mph and Shwartzman 19th at 199.546 mph. Foster holds an eight-point lead entering the finale.

Colton Herta (No. 26 Gainbridge Andretti Global Honda), the 2024 race winner, starts 15th at 200.287 mph, while Kyle Kirkwood (No. 27 Sam's Club Andretti Global Honda), the 2024 pole winner at 201.520 mph, qualified 13th at 200.492 mph. O'Ward's pole marks Arrow McLaren's strength, with all three cars in the top seven. "We want to maximize the race for all three cars," O'Ward said of potential team strategies with Lundgaard.

Final practice, including a high-line session at 3:45 p.m., airs on FS2, offering teams a chance to refine setups for tire degradation and hybrid deployment (155 kilojoules per lap, unlimited activation) under similar heat. Sunday's 299.25-mile race airs live at 2 p.m. on FOX.

As Nashville Superspeedway delivers another close qualifying, O'Ward's pace and Palou's pursuit promise a dramatic close to 2025.

O'Ward Sets Pace in Practice 1 at Nashville Superspeedway

Pato O'Ward led the opening practice session for the Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix presented by WillScot, posting a top lap speed of 202.357 mph to edge out a competitive field on the 1.33-mile Nashville Superspeedway oval. The 60-minute session, kicking off the 2025 NTT IndyCar Series season finale, saw tight battles, two yellow flags and strategic tire evaluations under warm conditions.

O'Ward, in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, set his fastest lap of 23.6612 seconds on Lap 32 of his 33-lap run, narrowly outpacing Kyle Kirkwood (No. 27 Sam's Club Andretti Global Honda) at 201.975 mph by 0.0447 seconds. Christian Lundgaard (No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet) followed closely at 201.645 mph, with Colton Herta (No. 26 Gainbridge Andretti Global Honda) and Scott Dixon (No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) rounding out the top five at 201.623 mph and 201.619 mph, respectively. The top 12 drivers were within 0.1690 seconds, signaling a tight field for Saturday's qualifying.

"We're focused on Nashville," Chip Ganassi Racing owner Chip Ganassi said earlier this week. "We want to go win that race." Dixon, with seven starts at Nashville Superspeedway and a 2003 one-lap qualifying record of 206.211 mph, showed strong pace despite running 49 laps, the most among the top five. His teammate Alex Palou (No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda), already crowned the 2025 champion, faced a setback with a spin exiting the pit lane at 10:18 a.m., triggering a yellow flag. Palou's spin between Turns 1 and 2 caused no contact, but he received a five-minute time penalty for causing the caution, finishing 16th at 200.497 mph. "Palou is going to be there to win the race," Ganassi said, emphasizing the team's drive despite the championship being secured.

The session saw an earlier yellow at 10:09 a.m. when Devlin DeFrancesco (No. 30 Dogecoin Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda) made light contact with the Turn 4 wall, earning a five-minute penalty for causing the caution. DeFrancesco, who completed only 29 laps, ranked 22nd at 198.703 mph. Both yellows briefly disrupted the session, which resumed with 10 minutes remaining after Palou's incident.

Track conditions, with an ambient temperature of 86 degrees and a track surface at 88 degrees under fair skies, tested early tire strategies. Teams worked with Firestone Firehawk tires, with six primary and four alternate sets available for the weekend, plus an additional set for Saturday's group session. The close competition suggests tire management and hybrid energy deployment (155 kilojoules per lap, unlimited activation) will be critical for the 299.25-mile race.

Local favorite Josef Newgarden (No. 2 Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet) ran 26 laps, posting the eighth-fastest speed of 201.433 mph. "Racing at home is always special," Newgarden said, aiming to leverage his 10 oval wins in the last 22 races. Rookie of the Year contenders Louis Foster (No. 45 Desnuda Tequila Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda) and Robert Shwartzman (No. 83 Prema Racing Chevrolet) finished 14th (200.684 mph) and 23rd (198.447 mph), respectively, as Foster holds an eight-point lead in the standings.

Herta, the 2024 race winner, and Kirkwood, the 2024 NTT P1 Award winner at 201.520 mph, showed Andretti Global's strength, while Lundgaard and Nolan Siegel (No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, seventh at 201.491 mph) bolstered Arrow McLaren's presence. David Malukas (No. 4 Clarience Technologies AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet) impressed in sixth at 201.585 mph despite running only 36 laps.

With qualifying set for 1:05 p.m. Saturday to determine the NTT P1 Award via a single-car, two-lap format, the tight Practice 1 times suggest a fierce battle for pole. The session, along with the 3:45 p.m. group session and 4:30 p.m. Final Practice, will air on FS2, setting the stage for Sunday's race at 2 p.m. on FOX.

As teams refine setups under Nashville's warm conditions, O'Ward's early pace and Palou's recovery from his spin will shape expectations for a thrilling season finale.