IndyCar: There’s a party planned in St. Pete!

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 Drive NE and Beach Drive 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 4-6 p.m. ET, 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 afterward and enjoy the many wonderful restaurants and shops along Beach Drive 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. The SiriusXM INDYCAR Nation channel will tape a special fan-facing edition of Brick by Brick (4-6 pm ET) from the park. 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 10 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 a noon ET 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