More than 30,000 Nashville television households tuned in for the IndyCar Music City Grand Prix

The Nashville market delivered a 3.0 television rating for the 2022 IndyCar Big Machine Music City Grand Prix Sunday, according to NewsChannel 5 senior programming director Mark Binda.

That means 33,633 Nashville households turned in to see six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon hold off pole winner Scott McLaughlin in the fourth-closest margin of victory (.1067 seconds) in IndyCar road course series history.

Due to a two-hour weather delay, the race began on NBC (Channel 4 locally) before moving to CNBC at 5 p.m.

The television rating was down from the 5.6 (62,782 households) the inaugural race earned in 2021.

Nashville music mogul Scott Borchetta adds Marco Andretti to NASCAR team

Nashville music mogul and NASCAR Xfinity team owner Scott Borchetta announced that Marco Andretti will join his Big Machine Spiked Coolers team.

Andretti, 35, the grandson of motorsports legend Mario Andretti, will make his NASCAR debut driving the No. 48 car for Borchetta’s team Oct. 8 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Andretti retired from IndyCar racing after the 2020 season. He has raced in the Superstar Racing Series the last two years.

He won the championship this season after finishing second in the Nashville race in July.

Vanderbilt's Robert Couch joins Centre football staff

Former Vanderbilt offensive lineman Robert Couch is the new offensive line coach at Centre.

Couch, a native of Plainview, Texas, started in 41 games for the Commodores from 1992-95.

Couch was coach at Windermere High School in Florida the last two seasons and before that was offensive quality control coach and offensive line coach for the Cincinnati Bengals from 2016-19.

George Plaster inducted into radio hall of fame

Veteran Nashville sports radio broadcaster George Plaster was inducted Saturday into the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame.

Plaster started his own sports talk radio show in 1989.

He has served as the play-by-play announcer for Vanderbilt, Memphis State and Georgia Tech and was named by Talkers Magazine as one of the 250 most influential talk radio hosts in America.

Plaster’s show is currently streamed on Main Street Media of Tennessee.

Pieces of the original McGavock gym floor being sold

Squares of the McGavock gym floor are being sold as a fundraiser for the school’s athletics department.

Installation of a new floor is nearly complete.

The original parquet floor was put down when the school opened in 1971. Unpainted 3x3-inch squares are being sold for $5. Painted baseline or sideline squares are $8.

The squares will be sold until none are left or until the end of November.

To purchase a square contact athletics director David Burr at david.burr@mnps.org.

Father Ryan's Petrone joins Austin Peay communications staff

Father Ryan graduate Nicholas Petrone is the new director of athletics communication at Austin Peay.

After graduating from Hanover in 2007, Petrone interned at Vanderbilt.

He was named assistant communications director at Mars Hill the following year and had stints at Stephens College, Thomas University, Pacific, Husson and Central Methodist.

He spent the last two years as director of athletics communications at Hendrix College.

Phil Fulmer will be guest speaker at the Wilson County FCA banquet

Former Tennessee football coach and athletics director Phil Fulmer will be guest speaker at the Wilson County Fellowship of Christian Athletes annual fundraiser banquet.

The banquet is Oct. 25 at the Wilson County Expo Center in Lebanon.

Reservations are available by emailing Tim Bryant at tbryant@fca.org or Kallie Mathews at kmathews@fca.org. For more information visit fcawilson.org.

Brentwood Academy football field set for 50th anniversary

On Sept. 1, Brentwood Academy will celebrate the 50-year anniversary of its first home football field.

The program started in 1970 but did not have a home field until 1972. The first two seasons all games were played on the opponent's field or at neutral sites.

In 1972, the Eagles played nine home games and won seven. They posted a 9-2 record.

The first home game was against Hume Fogg, which the Eagles won 39-14.

The field was named in legendary coach Carlton Flatt’s honor in 1997.

West High and Vanderbilt hoops great Billy Joe Adcock dies at 94

West High and Vanderbilt basketball great Billy Joe Adcock died on July 29. He was 94.

Adcock helped lead West to two state basketball championships while also lettering in football and baseball.

He became Vanderbilt's first scholarship basketball player after turning down offers from Kentucky and Tennessee. He was a four-year starter, and in 1950 became the Commodores' first All-American (Sporting News).

Adcock also was a two-time All-SEC performer and left Vanderbilt as the all-time leading scorer with 1,190 points.

He was inducted into the Tennessee Sports and Vanderbilt halls of fame.

Rick Byrd joins NIT committee

Retired Belmont basketball coach Rick Byrd was named to the National Invitation Tournament committee, the NCAA announced Friday.

Bob McKillop and Gary Waters joined Byrd as NIT additions for the 2022-23 season.

Byrd served as the NCAA men's basketball rules committee chairman from 2013-15. Some of the changes Byrd oversaw included the reduction of the shot clock, expansion of the restricted arc for block/charge calls, freedom of movement and pace of play.

Guerriero promoted to TSU assistant AD

Just eight months after being hired as Tennessee State’s director of athletics communications, Nick Guerriero has been promoted to assistant athletics director for communications and creative content.

Guerriero has also been placed in charge of athletics department marketing, ticketing and external affairs.

Guerriero is a New York native who previously served as director of communications at George Washington.

New turf put down in TSU's indoor facility

New artificial turf has been installed in TSU’s indoor football practice facility.

It’s the first time the turf has been replaced since the 60,750-square foot facility opened in 2011.

The football offices, currently located in the Hemple Building on campus, will be moved into the indoor facility in the future.

Sounds offering batting practice for fans

The Nashville Sounds will offer batting practice at First Horizon Park Aug. 17, 19, 20, 24 and 25. The sessions will be from 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

Pricing ranges from $50-$65 per person depending on the day and time. Groups are required to have a minimum of 10 participants.

The experience includes 60 minutes of on-field time, access to the Sounds dugout, Sounds staff members to operate the pitching machine and supply baseballs, a batting practice playlist choice and live guitar scoreboard feed featuring names of participants.

For more information on group booking call 615-690-4487 or visit milb.com/nashville.

Penner is Tennessee Tech's new softball coach

Dannielle Penner, who spent the last five years as associate head coach at Coastal Carolina, was hired Friday as Tennessee Tech’s new softball coach.

She spent 12 seasons as the coach at Barry University from 2004-16.

Penner was an outstanding pitcher at California PennWest (1995-98). She was inducted into the schools sports hall of fame in 2004.

Lipscomb Academy coach Kevin Starks going into Harding hall of fame

Lipscomb Academy boys basketball coach Kevin Starks is in the inaugural Harding Academy Athletics Hall of Fame class.

Starks will be inducted as a player and coach. He played at Harding Academy from 1990-93 and served as boys basketball coach and athletics director from 2004-19.

He led the Lions to three state championships (2008, 2009 and 2015) and one other appearance.

In 2019, Starks spent four months as assistant boys basketball coach at Brentwood Academy before accepting a similar position a Grace Christian Academy.

He became the boys coach and assistant athletics director at Lipscomb in 2020.

Kok, Breen and Personett finish in top four in Professional Championship

Local golfers Johan Kok finished second, Bill Breen was third and Loren Personett was fourth in the 54th annual Tennessee PGA Professional Championship at Tennessee National Golf Club in Loudon.

Casey Flenniken from Knoxville was the winner after posting a 14-under 202.

He held off Kok, who led until the 14th hole, then bogeyed 15 and 17.

Breen was three strokes back at 10-under, and Personett, the defending champion, was 9-under.

Flenniken, Kok, Breen and Peronett qualified for the 2023 PGA Professional Championship at Twin Warriors Golf Club & Santa Ana Golf Club in New Mexico.

Belmont's Egekeze signs pro hoops deal in Finland

Amanze Egekeze, who played at Belmont from 2014-18, signed a pro contract with Joensuun Kataja in Finland.

The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 8.9 points and 3.9 rebounds for Donar Groningen in Holland last season. He and former Belmont point guard Austin Luke teamed up to lead Donar to the league championship.

Egekeze averaged 10.8 points and 4.1 rebounds for Gries Oberhoffen in France during the 2020-21 season.

The Lake in the Hills, Illinois, native is also a member of the Nigeria national men's basketball team.

MTSU fan day is Aug. 21

Middle Tennessee Football Fan Day is Aug. 21 at Floyd Stadium. The free event is from 3-5 p.m.

Activities include inflatables, giveaways, free concessions and autograph sessions with the Blue Raiders, coach Rick Stockstill and his staff.

The band Everyday People will perform and season tickets will be on sale.

The season kicks off Sept. 3 at James Madison.

TSU pitching standout Lauren Powell joins Cumberland staff

Lauren Powell, a four-year starter on the Tennessee State softball team, has been hired as an assistant at Cumberland.

Powell was a pitcher who finished in the top five at TSU in all-time strikeouts with 260.

She was the Tigers' offensive MVP in 2018 and co-MVP in 2020.

In her senior season, the Huntsville, Alabama, native posted five complete games. She struck out 50 batters in 53 innings.

Since graduating Powell spent time giving private pitching lessons.

Tech offering women's football clinic

Tennessee Tech will offer a women’s football clinic before the Golden Eagles' scrimmage on Aug. 20.

The clinic begins at 4:30 p.m. Registration is available at bit.ly/3djR9su or by calling Katie Pleasant at 931-372-3709.

After the clinic there will be an autograph session with the Golden Eagles, coach Dewayne Alexander and his staff, free hotdogs and soft drinks, music, bounce houses and cornhole tournaments.

The scrimmage kicks off at 7 p.m.

Ex-TSU coach Cy Alexander hired at Alcorn State

Former TSU men’s basketball coach Cy Alexander has joined the Alcorn State staff as an assistant.

Along with being the coach at TSU (2003-09), Alexander, 68, had head coaching stints at South Carolina State (1987-2003) and North Carolina A&T (2012-16).

He compiled 392 wins in his head coaching career.

Belmont's Van Horne finishes second in Korn Ferry Tour event

Former Belmont golfer Ashton Van Horne was runner-up at the Korn Ferry Tour's Utah Championship.

Van Horne shot a final-round 64 to finish tied for second with two others at 20-under 264, one shot behind the champion, Andrew Kozan.

Van Horne, who played at Belmont from 2013-16, moved up to 58th in the tour's points standings.

Herron wins 11th consecutive club title

Tom Herron, 70, won his 11th consecutive Senior Club Championship at Brentwood County Club.

Herron shot 79-75 154 in windy and rainy conditions.

In May Herron made the fifth hole-in-one of his career.

Duke administrator named Austin Peay deputy AD

Niesha Campbell is Austin Peay’s new deputy athletics director and senior women's administrator.

Campbell spent the last eight years as an administrator at Duke.

She began her career with the Blue Devils as associate director of compliance before moving into roles as director of human resources, director of athletics’ annual fund and ultimately as director of major gifts.

Hillwood fundraiser tennis tournament is Sept. 10

Registration is open for the second annual Combo Doubles Hillwood High School Fundraiser Tennis Tournament.

It will be played Sept. 10 at Hillwood, with proceeds benefiting Tennis Nashville and the Hillwood High tennis program. The cost is $30 per player.

Register at bit.ly/3p2vqI7 or contact tournament director Stuart Littleton at stuartal@comcast.net for more information.

If you have an item for Midstate Chatter contract Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on Twitter @MikeOrganWriter.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Music City Grand Prix: More than 30,000 Nashville households tune in