NEWS: INDYCAR Party in the Park set for Saturday, Feb. 26 in downtown St. Petersburg

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Feb. 17, 2022) - INDYCAR Party in the Park will offer a unique, new fan experience during the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding weekend on Saturday, Feb. 26. This free activity is part of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season-opening event held annually in downtown St. Petersburg and will happen in North Straub Park, positioned between Bayshore Dr. NE and Beach Dr. NE along the waterfront.

Open to the public, INDYCAR Party in the Park will feature special guests, including NTT INDYCAR SERIES athletes, plus prizes and fireworks. Race cars from six racing series running on the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding weekend schedule will be on display, including at least one NTT INDYCAR SERIES car representing each team. The event runs 4 to 6 p.m. EST, with fireworks to follow at 8 p.m.

Among the athletes scheduled to attend are reigning NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Alex Palou and Marcus Ericsson from Chip Ganassi Racing. Pato O’Ward and Felix Rosenqvist will also join from Arrow McLaren SP. More drivers will be announced leading up to next Saturday’s free public event. Open-wheel racing’s rising stars from Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship will join for an autograph session at 5 p.m.

Fans are encouraged to stay in beautiful downtown afterwards and enjoy the many wonderful restaurants and shops along Beach Dr. and on The St. Pete Pier with its spectacular waterside views. An emcee will host the activities along with music and giveaways, plus special prizes such as the INDYCAR two-seater experience for a ride at speed around the track on Sunday morning. Additional giveaways include pace car rides, premium tickets for Sunday’s final day such as Champions Club Grid Walk and Pit Passes with race mode access, and an array of racing gear.

The 18th Annual Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding returns as the opening race for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES for the 12th time. The event also features five support racing series on track with ten total races set to take the green flag over the three-day weekend.

Sunday, Feb. 27th’s NTT INDYCAR SERIES race caps off an exciting race weekend with an approximate 12:30 p.m. EST start and will be broadcast nationally on NBC. Doubleheader features will be held for two of the Road to Indy development series: Indy Pro 2000 Championship presented by Cooper Tires and Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship, along with a Sunday morning feature for INDYCAR’s Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires series. Sports car racing is also part of the weekend schedule with doubleheader races from SRO’s GT America and IMSA’s Mazda MX-5 Cup series.

INDYCAR PARTY IN THE PARK
When: Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022
Time: 4-6 p.m. EST
Location: North Straub Park, 400 Bayshore Drive NE, St. Petersburg

Visit indycar.com for more information about the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding and the latest news on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Tickets for the race start as low as $25. For complete pricing, schedule and festival information, visit gpstpete.com. Follow the event on social media using @gpstpete and #FirestoneGP for the latest updates. Joining the E-Club also provides insider access to the latest news and offers.

About NTT INDYCAR SERIES:

INDYCAR is the Indianapolis-based governing body for North America's premier open-wheel auto racing series, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, and its developmental series, Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES features an international field of the world's most versatile drivers – including reigning series champion Alex Palou, six-time series champion Scott Dixon, two-time series champion Josef Newgarden and four-time and defending Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves - who compete on superspeedways, short ovals, street circuits and permanent road courses. The 2022 season consists of 17 races in the United States and Canada and is highlighted by the historic Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Indy Lights, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IMS Productions are owned by Penske Corporation, a global transportation, automotive and motorsports leader. For more information on INDYCAR and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, please visit www.indycar.com. For more information on Indy Lights, please visit www.indylights.com.

About Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding:

The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is a race event held during Florida’s spring break season. Traditionally the site of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ season-opening race, St. Pete is a destination city hosting this annual motorsports tradition and offering a festival atmosphere with its downtown location. 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 is owned and operated by Green Savoree St. Petersburg, LLC. Green Savoree St. Petersburg, LLC is owned by Green Savoree Racing Promotions 2, LLC whose other subsidiaries also promote three additional INDYCAR SERIES races, The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio (July 1-3, 2022), Honda Indy Toronto (July 15-17, 2022), and Grand Prix of Portland (Sept. 2-4, 2022). 

For more information, visit gpstpete.com, ‘like’ its Facebook page at @GPSTPETE or follow the event on Twitter @GPSTPETE and Instagram @GPSTPETE using #FirestoneGP.