Get this: the INDYCAR race Sunday at Nashville Superspeedway isn’t kicking off when YOU expect. It’s totally beholden to the World Cup championship game, Argentina vs. Spain, meaning those engines won’t fire until roughly 25 minutes after the soccer match wraps up. FOX is literally switching channels from the World Cup to Nashville about 20 minutes after the final whistle. Wild, right? And forget about lightning delays in New York, extra time, or even penalty kicks in the World Cup changing that 25-minute buffer. This race is happening when it happens, soccer schedule permitting. On top of that, the race this year just got a massive upgrade, jumping from 300 miles (that was 225 laps) to a grueling 399 miles (that’s 300 laps).
Forget Your Clocks, This Race Starts When It Starts
So, what time are we actually looking at for the green flag? If the World Cup only goes 90 minutes, expect the start around 5:40 p.m. ET (4:40 p.m. CT in Nashville). But if it hits extra time, that’s pushing it to roughly 6:20 p.m. ET, and if we’re dealing with penalty kicks, we’re talking about 6:40 p.m. ET. Teams will get a 20-minute heads-up before the green flag, just enough time to get drivers strapped in and do final checks. Sundown in Nashville is around 8 p.m. local time, so if the race kicks off around 5:40 p.m., it’s probably wrapping up right around dusk. Full laps under the lights are pretty much out of the question for this one.
Drivers Are Sweating Over Hot Track Temps and World Cup Overtime
How do the drivers feel about this crazy fluid schedule? Pato O’Ward, who was straight up dominating last year’s race before a tire blew, just shrugged it off, telling reporters, “I just flow, man. Whenever it is.” But there are real concerns, especially with the track. It’s a concrete oval, which doesn’t change as drastically with temperature shifts as asphalt, but it will still change. O’Ward pointed out, “The track will change more if there is rain in the middle of it, a massive cool-down in temperature. But if it is just a little bit of delay because we are starting a little later than expected but it hasn’t rained and temperatures are pretty similar, I don’t think it will change much.” Drivers do get high-line practice at 6 p.m. Saturday and a final practice at 7 p.m. Saturday, which should help them figure out how the track will evolve. Marcus Armstrong is definitely hoping the World Cup avoids overtime, saying “You’d be amazed by how much these cars change with a spot of different ambient temps. … I think it’s going to be very hot. So hopefully it’s”
So, buckle up for a wild ride in Nashville. With an extended race and a start time hanging on a World Cup whistle, these drivers are going to earn every single one of those 399 miles. It’s gonna be epic!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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