No. 48 car returns to track in Nashville this weekend

After more than a month-long break in the NTT INDYCAR Series, Jimmie Johnson will return to the track this weekend in Nashville, while a Tennessee Legionnaire will be taken on a very special ride.

Driving the Chip Ganassi Racing No. 48 Honda featuring American Legion branding, Johnson will compete in the inaugural Big Machine Music City Grand Prix. The 80-lap, 173-mile street race travels through the streets of downtown Nashville, including passing by Nissan Stadium and over the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge – making it the first motorsports course of its kind in the world to cross a major body of water.

During a special ceremonial lap on Friday, Aug. 6, 66-year Legionnaire and Korean War veteran James Markham will be a passenger in the race’s pace car driven by four-time INDYCAR Series champ Dario Franchitti, who won the Indianapolis 500 three times – twice driving for Chip Ganassi Racing.

Markham, an Air Force and Air Force Reserve veteran, is a member of American Legion Post 88 in Nashville, and has served as both Tennessee department commander and National Executive Committeeman. He’ll be driven around the race course by Franchitti while current INDYCAR Series drives Scott Dixon and Josef Newgarden will follow behind.

Practice for Big Machine Music City Grand Prix begins at 4:10 p.m. Aug. 6 and can be viewed on Peacock TV, as can the Aug. 7 practice session starting at 1 p.m.

Qualifications are scheduled for Aug. 7 at 4:30 p.m. on Peacock TV, while the race will start at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 8 and can be seen on NBC Sports.

For a complete weekend schedule, click here.