The Championship Battle Takes to the Streets of Nashville with GT America powered by AWS

The Championship Battle Takes to the Streets of Nashville with GT America powered by AWS
  • Summer Break Broken at Big Machine Music City GP
  • Points Battle Resumes with Gidley, Chouest in Respective Class Leads
  • Entry List | Tickets

GT America powered by AWS, joins the INDYCAR series in Nashville for the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix Aug. 4-6. The series packs together two classes of GT cars for a pair of 40-minute races.

In its third year, the Music City Grand Prix is a fan favorite for attendance. As the name suggests, the racing is mixed and matched with music as the street circuit wraps around Nissan Stadium and crosses the Korean Veterans Memorial Bridge, steps away from the entertainment district, Broadway. Up-and-coming country stars croon all day long while the best and brightest stars and cars race along the 2.1-mile, 11-turn course. 

Each Race will have its own draw thanks to the diversity in entertainment. Drivers will take the green flag for Race One at twilight as platinum-selling artist Flo Rida takes to the Zyn Main Stage. Race Two will follow the unpredictable, high-flying Stadium Super Trucks while country artist Tim Dugger takes over the iHeart Radio Stage.

The GT America series joins the fanfare of its second and final street race on the 2023 calendar after a summer break. SRO3 Class Driver Points Leader Memo Gidley and Jason Daskalos are game to continue their fight for a championship in their respective Mercedes-AMG GT3, the No. 101 TKO Mercedes and No. 27 CRP Racing Mercedes-AMG. Todd Treffert joins the duo as a Mercedes-AMG entry while he focuses on successfully completing his first street course with the series.

Alex Vogel in the No. 043 OnlyFans Racing with P1 Groupe by MRS Porsche 911 GT3 R and Andy Wilzoch in the No. 460 Flying Lizard Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R represent the other side of Stuttgart, Germany with Porsche race cars. The duo are separated in the points by Mirco Schultis in the No. 70 MISHUMOTORS Corvette C7 GT3-R.

Johnny O'Connell will run the No. 3 SKI Autosports Audi R8-LMS. O’Connell joins Gidley, Treffert, Vogel and Wilzoch as rookies on the Tennessee course. With the SRO3 Class skewing toward a list of experienced drivers on a new track, the competition will be on equal footing.

George Kurtz in the No. 04 CrowdStrike by Riley Mercedes-AMG has had a shorter summer break as he ran in the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa. He competed at Spa against a few familiar faces in Kyle Washington and James Sofronas. Sofronas runs the No. 14 GMG Racing Audi R8 LMS and Washington the No. 32 EBOOST Porsche 911 GT3 R. 

Adam Adelson in the No. 120 Porsche 911 GT3 R has been a force to be reckoned with as he betters his racecraft each race. Anthony Bartone, entered in the No. 427 RealTime Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3, aims to do the same while chasing a second win for the season.

The Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 has been the car to beat in the GT4 Class. Points leader Ross Chouest in the No. 50 Chouest Povoledo Racing Aston Martin Vantage AMR is followed by Jason Bell in the No. 2 Flying Lizard Motorsports Aston Martin Vantage AMR. Joining the Aston Martin crew is Gray Newell with the Heart of Racing Team.

It’s the No. 099 Rotek Racing Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport of Robb Holland that splits the Newell from the points leaders. Holland swept the weekend in GT4 last year and is eager to continue his Nashville win streak.

Returning for his second-consecutive Nashville appearance is Rusty Bittle in the No. 7 Flatrock Motorsports Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport.

Tony Gaples and Nicholas Shanny stand out each carrying the only banner for their respective manufacturers. Gaples will wheel the No. Blackdog Speed Shop Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R while Shanny runs the nimble No. 21 Carrus Callas Raceteam Toyota Gazoo Racing GR Supra GT4.

Team ACP Tangerine loves a street course. The team returns to the series with Kenneth Goldberg and Steve Weber running a pair of BMW M4 GT4. The duo will try for a podium finish after cracking the top five in their first outing at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

The GT America powered by AWS takes to the streets Friday, Aug. 4 for a day of practice. Saturday, Aug. 5 drivers tackle qualifying at 11:55 a.m. CT followed by Race One at 7:05 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 6 wraps everything up with Race Two taking place at 3:35 p.m. Meet the drivers of the series at the autograph session taking place on the concourse of Nissan Stadium Saturday at 4:15 p.m. For those watching from home subscribe to the GT World YouTube page.