Winning a championship has its privileges, even when it rains.
2024 INDY NXT by Firestone champion Louis Foster will start first in the Music City Grand Prix on Sunday, as entrant points set the starting grid for the final race of the season for the INDYCAR development series when qualifying was interrupted and eventually rained out Saturday at Nashville Superspeedway.
SEE: Starting Lineup
“Interesting session; I’m sure everyone would have preferred to qualify,” Foster said. “But it’s not what we got today. Hopefully the rain stays away tomorrow for the race. Should be an interesting race – not a lot of practice here today. We’ll see what happens.”
Andretti Global driver Foster will start at the front of the field for the seventh time in 14 races this season. He led both practice sessions today on the 1.33-mile concrete oval before qualifying.
Foster clinched the series championship in his No. 26 Copart/Novara Technologies car at the last event, Aug. 31 at the Milwaukee Mile.
Nine of the 18 drivers in the field made qualifying attempts today before rain washed out the session. Rain already had interrupted qualifying for a brief period after the first four drivers made attempts before the session resumed, only to be halted again.
The nine drivers who made attempts will receive a set of new Firestone tires so all cars will start the 65-lap race Sunday on sticker tires. Live coverage starts at 11:50 a.m. ET on Peacock and the INDYCAR Radio Network.
Jacob Abel will join Foster on the front row, starting second in the No. 51 Abel Construction entry.
Row 2 will be comprised of rookie HMD Motorsports teammates Caio Collet in the No. 18 car starting third and Christian Brooks in the No. 39 machine starting fourth.
Rookie Callum Hedge will start inside Row 2 in fifth in the No. 17 HMD Motorsports car, with fellow rookie Salvador de Alba Jr. starting sixth in the No. 2 Grupo Indi entry of Andretti Cape INDY NXT.