ST. PETERSBURG, Fla — On Sunday, 27 of the best IndyCar drivers in the world will be racing through the streets of St. Pete for the 21st annual Firestone Grand Prix of St. Pete presented by RP Funding. This race traditionally kicks off the IndyCar season.
“It wouldn’t feel right to race anywhere else for our first race, its built into our IndyCar system, and we love coming here,” said driver Colton Herta.
An estimated 200,000 fans are expected throughout the weekend. Many of them were rooting for their favorite drivers during Saturday’s qualifier.
“We’re fans of Scott McLaughlin, we got to meet him at the autograph session, he is super cool, and he just got the pole position, so we are super excited,” said Emily Giese.
“Every time you see the stands packed on a Saturday you know it’s going to be a massive Sunday, and I appreciate everyone coming out and enjoying the vibes that IndyCar brings, and I think St. Pete is doing an amazing job as a city putting this on, so it’s one of my favorite events, at least my top three,” said McLaughlin.
These drivers say they especially enjoy taking the time to interact with fans.
“So we tried to get as many autographs as we can, we’ve got quite a few, I know we got Colton Herta, we got a ton,” said Ashley Cline.
“It’s the only sport you can go and talk to the competitors right before the sessions, after the race, the access is incredible,” said Peter Grigo.
The fans say the biggest difference between watching on TV and being there in person is the speed, which can reach 180 mph.
“It’s cool to see drivers pushing the limits so close to these concrete barriers,” said Patrick Grigo.
“We don’t think twice about it but if somebody were to hope in a car that hasn’t done it before it would be eye opening for sure,” said Herta.
The course couldn’t be more picturesque. The 1.8 mile track wraps around some of the city’s most iconic spots, like The Dali Museum and the harbor.
“You know here is the racetrack, a few blocks away are all these great restaurants, you can walk up and down Beach or up and down Central and there is something for everyone,” said Co-Owner and President Kevin Savoree.
No matter who claims the checkered flag, it’s the city of St. Pete that’s the real winner, as they predict about $60 million in economic impact.
“It’s been super cool seeing the series grow, people taking a lot more interest in the sport that we love to support,” said Patrick Grigo.
“I just think the passion behind it is really cool it’s just such an engaging sport,” said Cline.
ABC Action News reporter Michael Paluska heads to Weedon Island, which has a rich history that dates back more than 12,000 years. During that time, it was home to Indigenous populations, a movie studio, an airport, a safe haven for bootleggers during prohibition, and so much more. Today, the preserve protects this wide diversity of natural and cultural resources for current and future generations.
