Josef Newgarden to make Music City Grand Prix homecoming

Driving the news: The 2.17-mile Music City Grand Prix track passes by Nissan Stadium, taking racers over the Cumberland River on the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge into downtown.

Flashback: Newgarden, who grew up in the Hendersonville area, said "no one really understood" his career aspirations when he was growing up. ("It's a unique career path for Nashville, Tennessee," he says.)

• He hopes the Music City Grand Prix becoming an annual tradition will generate more opportunities for young people who want to learn about open-wheel racing in Middle Tennessee.

"Part of the difficulty is that there's not a lot of access to foundational ways to get involved in the sport," Newgarden says.

• "I would love to be a part of, you know, providing that for families or young kids."

State of play: After spending time in Europe and living in Charlotte, North Carolina, and other parts of the U.S., Newgarden moved back home with his wife a few years ago.

• "We really wanted to move to Nashville because I liked growing up there. I thought it was a great city to live in."

• "It's obviously very popular right now and growing fast for a reason."

The intrigue: If you want to party like an Indy 500 winner in Nashville, Newgarden says he prefers "low-key spots. ... Broadway is for the brave nowadays."

• He singles out the city's growing culinary scene, including restaurants Henrietta Red, Locust and Catbird Seat.

What to know: The Music City Grand Prix events run Aug. 4-6, with the main race on the final day.

• Single-day tickets went on sale last week.