Christian Lundgaard enters Sunday’s Big Machine Music City Grand Prix presented by WillScot holding fourth place in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES standings, trailing Scott Dixon of Chip Ganassi Racing by just seven points. The Christian Lundgaard IndyCar third battle has intensified as Lundgaard aims to overtake Dixon and secure the final podium position in the championship behind already crowned champion Alex Palou and second-place Pato O’Ward.
The race at Nashville Superspeedway on Sunday presents a critical opportunity for Lundgaard, who swapped teams this year, joining Arrow McLaren after racing 52 starts with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing between 2021 and 2024. Keeping a close eye on the points gap, Lundgaard emphasized the importance of every race.
Lundgaard and Dixon in a Head-to-Head for Third
With Palou securing his fourth championship on August 10 at Portland, and O’Ward locked comfortably in second place for Arrow McLaren, the focus has shifted strongly to Lundgaard and Dixon’s duel. Lundgaard represents Arrow McLaren, while Dixon drives for Chip Ganassi Racing, adding a team rivalry to the personal battle. Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood remains in the mix but faces a significant deficit of 21 points behind Lundgaard and 28 behind Dixon, signaling that the fight for third is mostly between Lundgaard and Dixon.
Our goal is clear this weekend: race up front and do everything possible to secure third,
Lundgaard said.
My first year with Arrow McLaren has been really enjoyable. Changing teams, working with new people and driving a new car weren’t necessarily expected, so to end the season strong would be a nice bonus.
Race Details and Lundgaard’s Oval Performance
Lundgaard is chasing his first oval race win and second career IndyCar victory during the 225-lap contest, scheduled for 2 p.m. ET on FOX networks and INDYCAR Radio Network. The Dane started the previous race at Milwaukee from 17th but impressively rose to finish sixth, marking his third top-seven finish on oval tracks this season. This marks solid progress on ovals for Lundgaard, whose best oval finish prior to 2024 was ninth place at the Milwaukee Mile.
Lundgaard will start Sunday’s race from the third position. Not far behind, Scott Dixon—who boasts 24 oval wins, the fifth most points on ovals this season, and three consecutive victories at Nashville from 2006 to 2008—will begin fifth in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
Arrow McLaren and Chip Ganassi Racing’s Standings History
Arrow McLaren has yet to place two drivers in the top three of the final standings in the series, whereas Chip Ganassi Racing has accomplished it seven times, most recently in 2023 with Palou and Dixon finishing first and second, respectively. Dixon, a six-time series champion himself, remains determined to extend Chip Ganassi Racing’s achievement.
Any position is meaningful, Dixon acknowledged.
It’s not just for me. For us at CGR, the goal was a one-two. We came up short. Now the goal is two in the top three.
Dixon Dominates Final Practice, Setting the Pace
Dixon set the fastest time in final practice ahead of Sunday’s race, clocking a best lap at 198.759 mph during a combined session that included two groups and a one-hour open period. Josef Newgarden, driving the No. 2 Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet, followed closely in second with 198.466 mph, while Marcus Armstrong in the No. 66 ROOT Insurance Honda sat third at 198.428 mph. Reigning NTT P1 Award winner Pato O’Ward qualified tenth, posting a 196.997 mph lap in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet.
The final practice saw some on-track contact with the SAFER Barrier by Nolan Siegel, Callum Ilott, and Will Power after encountering tire debris in the upper racing groove. Fortunately, none of the drivers sustained injuries during these incidents.
Christian Rasmussen Builds Momentum After Milwaukee Victory
Christian Rasmussen enjoyed his first NTT INDYCAR SERIES win last weekend at Milwaukee Mile, where he claimed the Snap-on Milwaukee Mile 250 in a commanding performance. The youthful racer’s celebration was understated yet meaningful, sharing the moment quietly with his girlfriend, Maria Cofer, a former USAC short-track racer, on their trip back home to Indianapolis.
We listened to some great music in the car,
Rasmussen recalled.
Despite the exhilaration of his victory, Rasmussen has remained grounded.
It’s been great feeling everyone’s support,
he said.
It’s actually been a pretty normal week in a lot of ways, just a few more interviews and a new family member (his trophy) at home.
Now Larsen’s attention has shifted entirely to the final stages of the season, as he targets a top-10 finish in the championship. He currently finds himself in 12th place in the standings, trailing Scott McLaughlin by 12 points for 10th. Rasmussen will start 25th after receiving a nine-position grid penalty for an unscheduled engine change following the Milwaukee race. McLaughlin will line up seventh in the No. 3 DEX Imaging Team Penske Chevrolet.
Despite the setback, Rasmussen expresses confidence, having repeatedly demonstrated his ability to navigate from deep in the field to strong finishes—moving from 18th to sixth at the Indy 500 and achieving other similar gains on ovals and road courses.
Should be exciting, Rasmussen commented.
If enough people start using the top lane like I do, then maybe we can have a really, really good race.
Conor Daly Faces a Challenge but Remains Optimistic
Conor Daly will start Sunday’s race 24th in the No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet, marking his worst oval qualifying position in six attempts this season. Daly was candid about the unusual qualifying performance.
I have no idea, Daly said.
“I’ve never felt that in my life. It felt like the front wing was off.”
We’ve been pretty good at qualifying on ovals all year long, and that was like a complete flip of everything. But we obviously know we can race on these tracks. I’m really not worried about starting at the back on an oval.
Last weekend in Milwaukee, Daly demonstrated his racing skill by jumping from eighth to fourth on the opening lap and is hoping to replicate that surge in Nashville.
Firestone tells me the third lane has the most grip, so I’m going to believe them,
Daly added.
Firestone’s Alternate Tires Return Bring New Strategies to Nashville Oval
This race weekend ushers in the use of Firestone Firehawk alternate tires on an oval for the first time since Nashville’s last race in 2023. These alternate tires, softer and faster but less durable than the primary compounds, introduce additional strategy complexities to the race.
I think it’s interesting, Kyle Kirkwood said.
It adds a different strategic layer. The alternate tire is better for about 10 to 15 laps but wears more quickly. It’s fun, though, because it creates new opportunities.
Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou, who has clinched the championship this year and finished the previous Nashville race contending fiercely for the title, welcomed the tire choices with open arms and a more relaxed approach this season.
We saw last year that nobody knew what was going to happen,
Palou explained.
We started on alternates, and a yellow flag put us a lap down. It was tough. This year, though, I’m not fighting for the championship, so I’m just excited to race.
Each team was allotted six primary (hard) tire sets and four alternate (soft) sets, with rules requiring at least one primary and two alternate sets used during the race. Drivers are expected to complete approximately four pit stops, making tire management and pit strategy crucial to success. Alexander Rossi in the No. 20 ECR Java House Chevrolet and Rinus VeeKay in the No. 18 askROI Honda are the only drivers starting on alternate tires.
Last Year’s Nashville Race Statistics Highlight Intense Passing Action
- 653 on-track passes recorded
- 237 passes for position
- 117 passes within the top 10
- 42 passes inside the top five
Aero Adjustments Designed to Promote Overtaking at Nashville
Paired with the return of alternate tires, a revised aerodynamic package will debut, incrementally increasing drag to enable closer racing and earlier overtaking opportunities, while maintaining downforce to keep cars stable. These changes aim to enhance race excitement.
They did something similar at Iowa,
Kirkwood observed.
But here, they’ve taken it even further because the racing at Nashville is already great. Let’s keep pushing in that direction.
Dixon, a three-time Nashville race winner, remains optimistic about the new package’s effect on the competition.
It’s similar to Iowa, Dixon said.
They’ve increased drag to make the racing more exciting. It won’t be great for speed, but it will make for better racing.
Shifting Dynamics Between Honda and Chevrolet on Oval Tracks
Going into last year’s Nashville season finale, Chevrolet dominated oval tracks, sweeping all six races on circle tracks in 2022, with Team Penske winning five and Arrow McLaren taking the other. However, the tide has shifted in favor of Honda, which won four out of the last six oval events, including three in the current season.
Colton Herta kicked off this turnaround by winning the 2023 season finale at Nashville driving the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda. This year, Honda drivers Alex Palou and Kyle Kirkwood (Herta’s teammate at Andretti Global) both secured victories at premier oval venues like Indianapolis Motor Speedway and World Wide Technology Raceway.
It’s always ever-changing, Herta noted.
There are small things that both engines do better. Right now, it’s obviously working for us with Honda.
Chevrolet maintained a strong presence at Milwaukee, with two drivers on the podium and capturing the top three qualifying spots for Sunday’s race.
FOX Sports Provides Special IndyCar Coverage for Nashville Finale
FOX Sports will premiere a three-part documentary series on FOX Nation ahead of the Nashville season finale, chronicling the personal journeys, career choices, and emotional struggles of the drivers throughout the 2024 IndyCar season. The series offers fans an inside look at the championship fight leading to Nashville.
The broadcast will also feature the popular Driver’s Eye in-helmet camera technology, giving viewers an immersive perspective from inside the car. Honda drivers Colton Herta and Felix Rosenqvist will carry the camera, along with Chevrolet pilots Christian Lundgaard and Will Power.
The cameras, provided by Racing Force Group, debuted at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach and were used again during the Indianapolis 500.
Additional Notes and Race Day Information
- The green flag for Sunday’s season finale is scheduled for 2:45 p.m. ET.
- All three Team Penske cars will carry tribute stickers honoring Karl Kainhofer, the team’s first employee who recently passed away.
- The top four in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES standings start within the top five positions: Palou fourth, O’Ward on pole, Dixon fifth, and Lundgaard third.
- Josef Newgarden will start sixth and has improved his qualifying average significantly over the last seven races compared to prior events.
- Kyffin Simpson earned a career-best oval qualifying position, originally starting 10th, improved to eighth due to penalties for other drivers getting grid penalties for engine changes.
The Christian Lundgaard IndyCar third battle continues to intensify as the season finale unfolds, with every lap and strategic decision shaping the final standings in this closely contested championship race.
