AGR happy its race opens ’09 IndyCar season

The Indy Racing League announced today the schedule for the 2009 IndyCar Series, which will open with the fifth-annual Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, April 2-5, 2009. Andretti Green Promotions has owned and operated the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg since 2004 and ran its first event on the downtown streets of St. Petersburg in April 2005. The following are comments related to today’s Indy Racing League announcement.

Kevin Savoree, co-owner and managing director, Andretti Green Promotions and Andretti Green Toronto; co-owner, president and chief operating officer, Andretti Green Racing:

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to see the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg move up to the season-opening slot on the 2009 IndyCar Series schedule. We’re heading toward our fifth-annual event and this certainly promises to be the most exciting one yet as the kick-off to what will no doubt be another very competitive IndyCar Series season. Each year we try to make the Honda Grand Prix a ‘must’ on the calendar in St. Petersburg and 2009 will be no exception."

Tim Ramsberger, vice president and general manager, Andretti Green Promotions:

“We are very excited about having the ‘world’s fastest spring break party’ kickoff the 2009 IndyCar Series season in St. Petersburg. We have become known for many historic IndyCar Series ‘firsts’ in our relatively short history and this will just add to the list.

"One of the real strengths of our event is the community itself and we’re confident that all of our fans here will give the rest of the venues on the schedule something to shoot for in terms of how to celebrate a big weekend like this."