Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg

The Firestone Grand Prix of Saint Petersburg is an annual racing event sanctioned by the IndyCar Series and held as the season opener every spring since 1993 on an urban circuit in Saint Petersburg, Florida. The race runs in a clockwise orientation that starts/ends on the runway of Albert Whitted Airport, on the southern side of town. The subtropical climate of the Tampa Bay area is ideal for outdoor adventures year-round, and motorsports are no exception to that. There is not much rain during springtime in the city, so the Grand Prix runs on pleasant temperature/humidity levels for high-performance racing.

There are 14 turns in the 1.8-mile (2.89-km) trajectory of the Saint Petersburg Grand Prix. Turns one and two head out of the Albert Whitted Airport to the north, taking the Dali Boulevard until its intersection with 1st Street. The circuit continues north until reaching the Al Lang Stadium, snaking for five turns inside its parking lot area. A 90-degree turn number nine takes racers south through Bayshore Drive SE. Now comes the fastest segment of the circuit until the road intercepts Dan Wheldon's way, where spectacular views on the marina lead drivers back into the airport to complete the course.