SPL SPOTLIGHT
16th Annual Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg
26 StPeteLifeMag.com January/February 2020
PHOTOS/FIRESTONE GRAND PRIX OF ST. PETERSBURG
World-class IndyCar racing will be roaring through the streets of
downtown St. Petersburg March 13-15 in the 16th Annual Firestone
Grand Prix. While preparations are fully underway, there will be
time St. Pete winner Sebastien Bourdais will not be racing. Recent
motorsports news reports say he has left Dale Coyne Racing with
Vasser-Sullivan and will be driving in IMSA sports car races in 2020.
The St. Pete race is the 2020 season opener, the 10th year in a row
for the spring break racing tradition, for the NTT IndyCar series,
which always lends a sense of anticipation and excitement to the
event. Last year’s winner, Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden will be
back and has his sights on the Winner’s Circle once again. Odds are
he just might do it, too. Three drivers have won back-to-back St.
Pete races: Helio Castroneves (2006-07), Juan Pablo Montoya (2015-
16) and Sebastien Bourdais (2017-18).
The race is often called
“the IndyCar version
of Monaco,” with its
spectacular waterfront
track winding through
downtown, past yachts
and the eye-catching Dali
Museum. The race annually
attracts legions of hardcore IndyCar fans from across the country,
including a global audience thanks to the magic of TV broadcasting.
Nearly 500 sports writers and photographers converge here,
posting stories and images on web sites, social media, and to
newspapers around the world.
The collaboration of the City of St. Petersburg with race producer
Green Savoree Racing Promotions to build and tear down the track
Taking It To The Streets
BY MARCIA BIGGS
/StPeteLifeMag.com