Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves has added the new Music City Grand Prix to his part-time return to IndyCar with the No. 06 car at Meyer Shank Racing for the 2021 NTT IndyCar Series season, and in the process will be dropping the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park from his schedule.
Castroneves will run six races with Meyer Shank, starting at the 105th running of the Indianapolis 500 in May, followed by the Music City Grand Prix (8 August), the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course event in August (14 Aug.), the Grand Prix of Portland (12 September), WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca (19 Sept.) and the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach (26 Sept.).
Tennessee-based financial technology company Transcard will be joining Meyer Shank Racing as the sponsor for the No. 06 car in what will be the company’s home race on the streets of Nashville. Transcard President Chris Fuller expressed how much that means to the company.
“Transcard is pleased to partner with Meyer Shank Racing and NTT IndyCar Series driver Helio Castroneves during the Music City Grand Prix,” Fuller said.
“As a Chattanooga-based company, it means a lot to be a part of this inaugural event in Nashville. The attributes of a great NTT IndyCar Series driver like Helio – speed, control and strong results – are what Transcard brings to every transaction, whether it’s for a business, consumer, bank or technology provider. By partnering with Meyer Shank Racing and Helio Castroneves, we hope to introduce Transcard to those looking for those attributes in their payments.”
The 3.49 kilometer, 11 corner circuit will be Castroneves’ first street circuit experience in four years, a challenge he is excited to face.
“I’m so excited to be racing in Nashville,” said Castroneves.
“It will be the first street course that I’ve competed on since 2017, but I really love street courses. They bring a certain type of excitement that not many other tracks can do. And I couldn’t be happier to do this with Transcard on the No. 06. The Meyer Shank Racing crew and I will do everything to get the Transcard Honda on the top of the podium at the end of the weekend.”.
Castroneves spent 19 years racing for Team Penske, but most recently filled in for Oliver Askew at Arrow McLaren SP in 2020 for the IndyCar Harvest GP, while Askew was declared unfit to race.
The inaugural Music City Grand Prix will be held on 08 August, capping off a weekend-long festival of food, drinks, and music.
