SATURDAY, SEPT. 14 – SUNDAY, SEPT. 15, 2024

RACE: Big Machine Music City Grand Prix
TRACK: Nashville Superspeedway
LOCATION: Lebanon, Tennessee, USA
TRACK LAYOUT: 1.33-mile D-shaped oval
RACE LENGTH: 206 laps | 267.8 Miles

PRACTICE: Saturday – 10-11:30 a.m. CT, 4:15-6 p.m. CT (Peacock)
QUALIFYING: Saturday – 1:15-2:15 p.m. CT (Peacock)
RACE: Sunday – 2 p.m. CT (NBC, Peacock)

CHRISTIAN RASMUSSEN, NO. 20 GUYCARE CHEVROLET

CHRISTIAN RASMUSSEN, No. 20 GuyCare Chevrolet: “I am looking forward to racing at Nashville Superspeedway! It will be an interesting weekend with the majority of the grid having never been there. We’re going in with a tight points battle for Leaders Circle positions, so we’re fully focused on finishing the season off strong.”

OF NOTE: 

• Christian Rasmussen joined Ed Carpenter Racing after winning the 2023 INDY NXT championship. He was only nine when he claimed his first karting championship in his home country of Denmark. Rasmussen arrived in the United States in 2018 and began his road to INDYCAR the following year. He is only the second driver in history earn a championship in each open-wheel junior category that currently feeds the NTT INDYCAR SERIES – USF2000 (2020), USF Pro 2000 (2021) and INDY NXT (2023). 

• The 24-year-old has continually impressed in his debut NTT INDYCAR SERIES season. In his first Indianapolis 500, he drove from 24th to 12th and was the highest finishing rookie in the field. After a strong race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, he had a breakout performance at the next road course of Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Rasmussen advanced to the second round of qualifying for the first time and earned his first Top 10 starting position. He took the checkered flag in 9th, his first career Top 10 finish in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. In the streets of Toronto, he continued to show his versatility behind the wheel by advancing in qualifying for the second event in a row.

• While Ed Carpenter was scheduled to drive the No. 20 GuyCare Chevrolet in the oval races this season, Rasmussen’s performance throughout his rookie year led his team owner to provide him the opportunity to drive the No. 20 in the final three races of the year. Though he had never turned a lap at the Milwaukee Mile prior to the race weekend, he was the 16th-fastest qualifier for Race 1 of the doubleheader. He had to start 23rd following a grid penalty but gained 12 positions over the course of the race, narrowly missing out on a Top 10. Nashville Superspeedway will also be a brand new track for Rasmussen as the NTT INDYCAR SERIES last raced on the 1.5-mile oval in 2008.

RINUS VEEKAY, NO. 21 CHEVROLET

RINUS VEEKAY, No. 21 Chevrolet:“I am very excited for one more NTT INDYCAR SERIES race this year! It has been a crazy season and will end with a crazy last race with neither Christian (Rasmussen) or I ever having turned a lap at Nashville Superspeedway. It will be interesting, we have a bit of practice but we’ll be figuring it out on the fly! We’ve progressed so much through the season and earned a lot of Top 10s in the second half. I am looking forward to adding to that, getting some good points and hopefully moving up a few positions in the standings!”

OF NOTE: 

• Born in Hoofddorp, Netherlands, Rinus van Kalmthout began karting in 2009 at the age of 8. With sights set firmly on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, he transitioned to the Road to Indy in 2017 and launched his U.S. career driving as Rinus VeeKay. In his fifth season as an NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver, VeeKay stepped into a veteran role as ECR’s senior full-time driver. He will reach 80 career starts this weekend, each of which have been behind the wheel of the No. 21 Chevrolet. VeeKay celebrates his 24th birthday today. 

• VeeKay began 2024 with a Top 10 finish in the season-opening street course race in St. Petersburg, Florida. At the Indianapolis 500, VeeKay and his No. 21 crew rebounded from a crash during his first qualification attempt and not being in the 33-car field to advancing the to the second day of qualifying and earning the 7th starting position. The following week, VeeKay raced his way through the entire field to finish 9th after a penalty dropped him to the back. Throughout the summer, VeeKay finished no worse than 11th for five consecutive races. 

• Like his teammate, VeeKay had not raced at the Milwaukee Mile prior to the doubleheader event two weeks ago. In the second race of the weekend, VeeKay finished 7th. With that result, he has earned a Top 10 finish on each oval the NTT INDYCAR SERIES has raced at this season. The final race of the 2024 season will take place at the Nashville Superspeedway oval, which will also be a new track for VeeKay.