By Nanette Wiser
Get your tickets NOW for one or all days at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding. The 19th annual event, featuring NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ season-opening race for the 13th time, is set for March 3-5 in downtown St. Petersburg. Traditionally the site of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ season-opening race, all eyes are on why St. Pete is the place to live, work and play. Broadcast on NBC’s Peacock, it’s a PR person’s dream opp.
The temporary circuit is a 1.8-mile, 14-turn configuration using the streets circling Pioneer Park, the Duke Energy Center for the Arts, The Dali Museum and extending onto the runways at Albert Whitted Airport, which overlooks the waterfront of Tampa Bay and picturesque St. Petersburg Harbor and Marina. Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding is owned and operated by Green Savoree St. Petersburg, LLC.
This week-long festival-like atmosphere features the fastest racing series on the planet, celebrity athletes, live entertainment and interactive activities including a Speed Zone, INDYCAR SERIES Fan Village, Beer Gardens, Driver Autograph Sessions and more. The ultimate VIP opp is the spectacular Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Yacht Club during the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding! By anchoring in the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Yacht Club, an exclusive, members-only area located on private floating docks at Turns 10 & 11, you can enjoy the Horse Soldier Bourbon Whiskey Waterside Club connected right next to the Yacht Club slips! Tickets/Event Details gpstpete.com
Eight Floridian drivers are competing in four different series on race weekend, including NTT INDYCAR SERIES up-and-comer Kyle Kirkwood (Jupiter) and locals Dante Tornello (St. Pete) and Glenn McGee (Tampa).
The 2023 season will provide an additional opportunity for a reset and a new mission to emerge, guided by an ethos that aims to inspire and relate to Generation Z and the young talent piloting race cars. Gulfport’s own Nikita Johnson, who will be 15 in May, will race in the St. Pete St. Prix USF2000 division. He and brother Kai, 10, are currently on the European race circuit.