Having completed 16 races in 11 states and 2 countries, the 2025 IndyCar concludes this weekend in Nashville, Tennessee. The Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix closes the season at the Nashville Superspeedway. The championship was wrapped up in Portland, but the final showdown of the year still offers plenty to race for.
A 3rd Title for Palou in 2024
Coming into the final race in 2024, there was a 3-way battle for the championship title. Just 50 points separated Alex Palou, Will Power, and Scott McLaughlin. However, Palou started the race, which eliminated McLaughlin. Power was also eliminated from the fight when his seatbelt came loose, forcing him to take an extra pit stop and finishing 24th. Despite only finishing 11th, Palou secured the 2024 championship, as neither challenger gained enough points.
Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood started from pole and was able to keep the lead for the opening stint. Josef Newgarden, Pato O’Ward, and David Malukas all led laps throughout the race, but it was Colton Herta who was victorious in Nashville – his first oval race win. Herta remained calm throughout the 3 caution periods and seized the lead from Pato O’Ward during a round of pitstops. The pair battled for victory until the chequered flag. Taking 51 points, Herta leapfrogged both Power and McLaughlin to take 2nd in the championship.
The top ten of the race were:
- Colton Herta (Andretti Global).
- Pato O’Ward (Arrow McLaren).
- Josef Newgarden (Team Penske).
- Kyle Kirkwood (Andretti Global).
- Scott McLaughlin (Team Penske).
- Santino Ferrucci (A.J. Foyt Enterprises).
- Marcus Armstrong (Chip Ganassi Racing).
- Linus Lundqvist (Chip Ganassi Racing).
- David Malukas (Meyer Shank Racing).
- Conor Daly (Juncos Hollinger Racing).
Palou took his 3rd title at the race, albeit a less dominant one than his 2023 title. His teammate Linus Lundqvist also received the Rookie of the Year championship win. Whilst they both raced with a Honda engine, it was Chevrolet who won the manufacturers’ championship.
Nashville in 2025
Palou might have won the championship, but there’s still plenty to play for in the final race of the season. Expect no one to take it easy. Alongside Palou taking the title in Portland, O’Ward secured his best finish of 2nd last time out in Milwaukee. That leaves 3 drivers with a chance of taking P3 in the championship. 28 points separate Scott Dixon, Christian Lundgaard, and Kyle Kirkwood – who will come out on top?
Honda has all but sealed the manufacturers’ championship with a 216-point lead over Chevrolet. However, the Rookie Championship is still up for grabs with only 8 points separating Louis Foster and Robert Shwartzman. Foster may have the advantage going into Nashville, but a good result for Shwartzman could see him take the win. With positions 6th to 12th close in points, Nashville could see a shakeup in the top 10 of the standings.
The Nashville Superspeedway Track
The Nashville Superspeedway is a 1.333-mile tri-oval in Lebanon, Tennessee. Featuring a range of banking between 6 degrees and 14 degrees throughout the straights and turns, it’s a challenging track to adjust to.
The track first appeared on the IndyCar (formerly IRL) calendar at its inauguration in 2001. It left the line-up after 2008 and only returned in 2024. However, Nashville featured on the calendar between 2021 and 2023 at a street circuit. Scott Dixon holds the most wins in Nashville – 3 at the superspeedway and 1 at the street circuit. Marcus Ericsson, Kyle Kirkwood, and Colton Herta are the other 3 drivers on the grid who have won races held in Nashville.
Schedule
The schedule for the weekend is as follows. Please note that the times are in CEST.
With one race left, plenty is still on the line in IndyCar. It’s been a season that’s seen ups and downs and plenty of surprises, but it’s not over just yet. Expect tight battles, non-stop action, and a last push this weekend. Who will reign victorious in Nashville and go into the winter break on top? Tune in to catch an undeniably epic finale.