What to know concerning the Grand Prix of St. Pete

The roaring engines of IndyCar return to downtown St. Petersburg this weekend for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg — and, for the primary time, they’re bringing alongside some buddies from NASCAR.

It’s the fifth straight 12 months — and sixteenth total — that the NTT IndyCar Series, the “fastest cars in racing,” will open its season on the momentary 1.8-mile road course alongside town’s waterfront.

As all the time, the IndyCars and their high-horsepower, 2.2-liter engines headline the three-day meet, starting their 100-lap journey on Sunday at midday.

But the grand prix gained broader motorsports enchantment with the addition of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series to the lineup.

The makeshift pickups — the third tier of racing within the well-liked stock-car league — will race on a road circuit for the primary time in 32 years. The inexperienced flag waves at midday Saturday for the OnlyBulls Green Flag 150, the third race of the season.

ALSO READ: Gulfport’s Nikita Johnson to race fourth consecutive Grand Prix

It’s a crossover second that ought to draw each conventional IndyCar followers and NASCAR loyalists curious how the vans deal with the observe’s 14 tight turns.

“St. Petersburg seems like it has some high‑speed, high‑risk corners that are really tight,” mentioned Connor Mosack, who’ll steer the No. 7 Chevrolet truck. “I think a lot of guys will probably get into trouble there.

“And one thing that’s distinctive concerning the vans and road programs is how delicate the fenders and our bodies are. Any sort of small mistake the place you kiss the fence a little bit bit, or make contact with different vans, it could possibly actually hurt your day.”

It’s a course that can even drain the best of the best. Two-time winner Will Power, for example, is looking for a better finish this weekend compared to last year. Actually, he’s looking for a better second lap. A crash in Turn 3 seconds after the start ended his day.

ALSO READ: NASCAR’s truck series is added to Grand Prix of St. Petersburg

“St. Pete has always been one of my favorite tracks,” Power said. “It’s a technical road circuit, and it’s a must to be sharp from the beginning of the weekend. After practically 20 years of going to St. Pete, I do know what it takes to be aggressive.”

Beyond the racing, the weekend features as a waterfront competition. Fans can entry the paddock, attend autograph periods, participate in a 5K run, discover sponsor setups and soak in some solar (climate allowing — see Saturday’s forecast).

Ear safety is non-compulsory, however price contemplating.

For severe racing followers, that is an early-season tone-setter. Momentum can form championship runs, and road races usually produce shock podiums and daring technique calls.

For informal attendees, it’s the uncommon probability to really feel the pace and reverberation up shut — automobiles screaming at 170 mph alongside the Bayshore Drive straightaway and drivers threading via corners that usually carry park, pier and museum commuters.

ALSO READ: ‘More than a race:’ St. Pete prepares for Grand Prix

The machines start buzzing on Friday morning with apply laps and qualifying for help collection.

If you’re going, right here’s a visitor information to get you into gear.

Facts and figures

• Event: The twenty second annual Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, that includes the season-opener of the NTT IndyCar 18-race season and first-ever NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series road race.
• When: Racing begins Friday. NASCAR Trucks race at midday Saturday. NTT IndyCar race at midday Sunday.
• Where: downtown St. Petersburg waterfront.
• Course: Temporary 1.8-mile, 14-turn road course. Start/end on Albert Whitted Airport runway, north (round Dali Museum) onto First Avenue South, east on Second Street South, north to Beach Drive, east on Central Avenue (round Pioneer Park), south on the Bayshore Drive straightaway, east onto Dan Wheldon Way.
• Defending champion: Alex Palou, for Chip Ganassi Racing.
• Grand marshal: Jon Gruden.
• Fast seat in sports activities: Actor Rudy Pankow will lead the sphere behind a particular two-seater earlier than the inexperienced flag.
• Support collection races: Indy NXT, USF2000, Mazda MX-5 Cup.
• Other actions: Autograph periods, fan zone actions, 5K run, Party within the Park.
• Forecast: Friday – partly cloudy with a excessive of 78. Saturday – rain with the potential for thunderstorms; excessive of 72 with a 40% probability of rain in the beginning of the truck race. Sunday – sunny with a excessive of 78.
• Tickets: Click here. Available in varied costs, packages and areas. Tickets are nonrefundable; all efforts might be made to compete in rain.

Racing schedule

FRIDAY
8 a.m. – USF2000 apply
8:55 a.m. – Mazda MX-5 Cup apply
10 a.m. – USF2000 qualifying
10:50 a.m. – Mazda MX-5 Cup qualifying
11:30 a.m. – USF2000 Race 1
12:30 p.m. – Indy NXT apply
1:35 p.m. – NTT IndyCar apply
4:00 p.m. – NASCAR truck apply
5:05 p.m. – NASCAR truck qualifying

SATURDAY
7:30 a.m. – Mazda MX-5 Cup Race 1
8:35 a.m. – Indy NXT apply
9:35 a.m. – NTT IndyCar apply
11:35 a.m. – NASCAR truck drivers introductions
12:23 p.m. – NASCAR Craftsman Truck OnlyBulls Green Flag 150 (80 laps) (TV: Fox)
3:45 p.m. – Indy NXY qualifying
4:35 p.m. – NTT IndyCar qualifying

SUNDAY
9:05 a.m. – NTT IndyCar warmup
10:06 a.m. – IndyCar NXT race (45 laps) (TV: Fox)
11:20 a.m. – NTT IndyCar drivers introductions
12:29 p.m. – NTT IndyCar Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (100 Laps) (TV: Fox)
3 p.m. – USF2000 Race 2
4 p.m. – Mazda MX-5 Cup Race 2

Parking

• Tropicana Field: Lots 6 and Lot 7, $30 per day, contains free shuttle to and from race web site.
• City garages: $25 per day. Now contains Central Garage, enter on First Avenue North between thirteenth and fifteenth Street, with SunRunner entry (eastbound stops at 13^th Street and First Avenue South, return routes drops at First Avenue North and thirteenth Street North.
• Motorcycles: $10, alongside the west aspect of First Street South between First Avenue South and Central Avenue.
• Buses: PSTA has particular SunRunner routes established dropping off and selecting up at three areas inside just a few blocks of Gates 1 and 5, beginning at simply $3. Click here for particulars.

Off-road enjoyable

• 5K run: Thursday at 5 p.m. Runners and can “race on track” beginning at 400 Bayshore Drive N.E., adjoining to North Straub Park. $50 on race day; advantages Police Athletic League. Register here.
• Party within the Park: Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. at North Straub Park. Free occasion with alternative to see race automobiles up shut, get driver autographs and extra.
• Autograph periods: Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – NTT IndyCar Series at American Legion in Firestone Fan Experience; Friday, 1 to 1:45 p.m. – NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Mahaffey Theater. Note: Limited wristbands obtainable; Saturday, 11 to 11:45 a.m. – Indy NXT Series at American Legion in Firestone Fan Experience.
• Hot spots: SpeedZone: Near Turns 5-6, with fan actions equivalent to race simulators, meals and drinks; Firestone Fan Experience: Dan Wheldon Way between Turns 10-11; Mahaffey Theater: Festival Plaza stage could have DJ music Friday and Saturday throughout breaks in observe periods. Tables and chairs obtainable.

Things to search for

• NASCAR: The two collection sometimes appeal to completely different followers, however there’s no denying the recognition of NASCAR occasions, particularly within the South. The modified pickups, NASCAR’s third tier, will run on a road circuit for the primary time in 32 years. It’s the third race of the season. Last week’s successful in Georgia, former NASCAR Cup champ Kurt Busch, received be right here, however this 12 months’s winner at Daytona, Chandler Smith, will.
• Frankie Muniz: The “Malcolm in the Middle” actor, who started stock-car racing in 2023, drives the No. 33 Team Reaume Ford full-time within the NASCAR truck collection.
• Crossovers: While nobody is two-timing the NTT IndyCar and NASCAR occasions, James Hinchcliff and Dario Franchitti, drivers very conversant in the St. Petersburg course, will begin Saturday’s truck race. Franchitti, who received right here in 2011, has received the collection title 4 instances. Hinchcliffe, now a part of the IndyCar broadcast workforce, received right here in 2013.
• Chucky: Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden is the grand marshal for Sunday’s race. He’ll take part in pre-race ceremonies, then give the command for the drivers to start out their engines. It would be the Tampa resident’s first time on the St. Petersburg race.
• Blazing passenger: Actor Rudy Pankow (JJ from “Outer Banks”) will journey within the Fastest Seat in Sports earlier than Sunday’s grand prix. He joins an inventory of celebrities to journey forward of the sphere within the again seat of a modified IndyCar. Others embody Tom Brady, Simu Liu, Jon Bon Jovi, Lady Gaga and Channing Tatum.

Local connections

• Nikita Johnson: The Gulfport 17-year-old might be racing within the Indy NXT race. He’s a former two-time winner within the USF2000 collection at St. Petersburg. In 2025, he raced in 4 open-wheel collection throughout three continents.
• Ryan Leach: The St. Petersburg native made his debut within the Whelen Mazda MX‑5 Cup collection in Daytona final week for the Spark Performance workforce after racking up 27 wins the previous two seasons within the inexpensive, high-performance GridLife Rush SR collection.
• Sebastien Bourdais: The French open-wheel veteran is a longtime St. Petersburg resident. A 4‑time Champ Car champion, he’s scored two IndyCar victories (2017 and 2018) at his residence course and returns this week as a visitor entrant within the Mazda MX‑5 Cup collection.