St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman named Grand Marshal

Organizers of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg have named Mayor Rick Kriseman as Grand Marshal for the event’s 10th anniversary, taking place March 28-30. As City Chair in 2004, Mayor Kriseman was an important part of the process in bringing the event to St. Petersburg and increasing the city’s reputation as a major destination in the United States.

In addition to his role as Grand Marshal for the event, Mayor Kriseman will wave the green flag to mark the start of the season-opening IndyCar Series race. This is the fourth consecutive year that St. Petersburg holds the honor of being the event that opens the IndyCar Series calendar.

“Having Mayor Kriseman act as the Grand Marshal for the 10th anniversary of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is very fitting considering his initial leadership and years supporting the race," said Tim Ramsberger, President of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. “Our event and this milestone is a tribute to a bold city leadership that seized an opportunity to secure its place as a destination for high-profile events in North America. Since the beginning, the city has been a tremendous partner and a major contributor in making this event a success. We are very honored and excited to have Mayor Kriseman as our Grand Marshal."

“The importance of this race for our city is undeniable," said Mayor Kriseman. “Its contribution to our economy and to our visibility worldwide is just remarkable. I am thrilled to be waving the green flag for the race, a new season and hopefully another 10 years of racing in our beautiful city."