NASHVILLE – Honda hit the right tune in Music City as the six fastest times in Friday’s Big Machine Music City Grand Prix practice session were drivers powered by Honda.
The fastest driver was Andretti/Curb-Agajanian’s Colton Herta, who ran a fast time of 1:16.5875 around the 11-turn, 2.17-mile temporary street circuit for a best speed of 96.711 mph.
RESULTS: Big Machine Music City Grand Prix Practice No. 1
“The bumps going over the bridge, I’d say it’s bumpier here than in Detroit,” Herta said. “We came here with a really good package and were able to get up to speed. To put this race on is amazing. It’s so close to everything that IndyCar is all about.
“It is a little nerve-racking with the bumps, but the simulations we came here with allowed us to get a car that was set up for these conditions.”
Six-time NTT IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon was second at 1:16.9653 (98.226 mph). Romain Grosjean was third at 1:17.1305 (98.016 mph) in the No. 51 Dale Coyne Racing with RWR Honda.
Alexander Rossi was fourth at 1:17.1742 (97.960 mph) followed by Chip Ganassi Racing’s Marcus Ericsson’s 1:17.1742 (97.960 mph).
NTT IndyCar Series points leader Alex Palou rounded out the top-six Honda drivers at 1:17.2264 (97.894 mph).
Felix Rosenqvist was the fastest Chevrolet driver as the Arrow McLaren SP racer was seventh overall at 1:17.2264 (97.894 mph).
The first practice session on the temporary street course was interrupted briefly by Pato O’Ward’s wall banger in turn three that ended his session early. O’Ward’s car suffered corner damage and went back to the paddock on the hook.
His Arrow McLaren SP team took the car back to the team’s transporter for repairs. They should be back on course for Saturday morning’s practice session.
O’Ward was not injured. He enters the race 39 points behind the leader, Alex Palou, in the NTT IndyCar Series championship with six races to go.
This temporary street circuit is known for racing over the Korean War Veterans Memorial bridge, a 1,660-foot clear span bridge that crosses over the Cumberland River in downtown Nashville. It’s the only track on the schedule that features a bridge over a large body of water.
Because the surface of the bridge is paved with concrete, it is bumpy at the seams in sections of the surface. Concrete paving is poured in sections, which creates a seam, unlike asphalt, which is laid down and smoothed without creating sections.
The concrete bridge creates a high-speed, bumpy ride for the drivers. Teams have adjusted the ride height on the Indy cars to keep from bottoming out.
“The biggest issue is the bridge,” Grosjean said after his run. “Going down both sides is hectic and hopefully we can find a solution overnight.”
With four minutes to go, Conor Daly stuffed his car in the tire barrier in turn nine, bringing an early end to the first practice session of the new race.