Music City Grand Prix: Kirkwood Leads, Newgarden Hot

Starting Grid and Pole Position

Kyle Kirkwood grabbed the pole for today’s IndyCar race at Nashville Superspeedway, with defending short‑oval winner Josef Newgarden slotted second. Scott McLaughlin started third, and series points leader Alex Palou filled the fourth row. David Malukas, who crashed in Saturday practice, will line up last, while Christian Lundgaard and Graham Rahal sit near the back after an unapproved engine change and a lack of qualifying speed.

Race Broadcast and Timing

The action kicks off at 5:35 p.m. ET on Fox, with the green flag set for 5:40 p.m. Will Buxton handles the play‑by‑play, joined by analysts James Hinchcliffe and Townsend Bell and pit reporters Georgia Henneberry, Kevin Lee and Jack Harvey. Fans can also stream the event via FoxSports.com, the Fox Sports app or Fubo. SiriusXM carries IndyCar Nation on channel 218.

What to Watch and Predictions

Zion Brown of IndyStar believes Pato O’Ward is best equipped to end Josef Newgarden’s streak of short‑oval victories at Nashville, citing O’Ward’s strong form after a 2024 runner‑up finish. Kyle Kirkwood is also a threat, with Brown picking him to secure his second oval win and tighten the championship battle with Alex Palou. The weather forecast calls for a humid afternoon with sunshine early, but the chance of thunderstorms rises later in the day and temperatures linger in the low 90s.

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Photo Gallery from Nashville