Grand Prix Will Return to Its Traditional March Date in 2022
ST PETERSBURG, Fla. (June 9, 2021) – The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will remain a cornerstone event on the downtown streets and waterfront through at least 2026. St. Petersburg City Council unanimously approved a two-year extension to the existing agreement with Green Savoree St. Petersburg, LLC (GSSP) on June 3rd.
This spring break racing tradition has been a marquee event on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ annual calendar for the past 17 years. The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg brings worldwide exposure and spectators from across the globe to the City of St. Petersburg.
“I am thrilled that the Grand Prix will be in the Sunshine City through 2026. I want to thank City Council for recognizing the importance of this race in St. Pete,” said St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman. “I also want to thank Kim (Green) and Kevin (Savoree), and everyone at the Grand Prix for not only organizing and promoting one of our city’s best events year after year, but for their dedication to our community.”
Set to return to its traditional position on the calendar during the second weekend of March in 2022, the dates for the next five Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg races are:
March 10-13, 2022
March 9-12, 2023
March 7-10, 2024
March 6-9, 2025
March 12-15, 2026
“There is no better backdrop than downtown St. Petersburg and its picturesque waterfront for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg to showcase the NTT INDYCAR SERIES,” said Kim Green, co-owner, chairman and CEO of GSSP. “The success and continued growth of the event has only been possible with the overwhelming support and collaboration with the City of St. Petersburg’s Councillors, Mayor Kriseman and his fantastic team.”
The City of St. Petersburg’s “Embrace the Race” campaign has worked alongside local businesses to create a great experience for visitors. The efforts multiply the economic impact which the race has on St. Petersburg and local surrounding communities each year.
The event has also had an ongoing impact on the local community through fundraising efforts for the Police Athletic League of St. Petersburg. Over a four-year span via the MBA 5K Run on the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Track, over $216,000 has been raised for the Police Athletic League and American Stage Theatre. The 5K run and walk event is planned to return in 2022 after being put on pause for 2021.
The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is run on a 1.8-mile, 14-turn temporary waterfront circuit that includes a combination of adjacent downtown streets circling Pioneer Park, The Mahaffey Theater, the Salvador Dali Museum and extending onto the runways of Albert Whitted Airport. The set up and tear down process has become more efficient each year. Most recently it took 25 days to construct the circuit and the removal was done within six days thanks to the support of local vendors like Stepp’s Towing and the development of a collaborated plan with the City of St. Petersburg’s administration and events team.
