St Petersburg Friday Afternoon Report from St Petersburg, Florida

Good afternoon from sunny St Pete. This weekend’s weather for the NTT INDYCAR Series opener could not be any better. Temperatures will only reach the low 70s, and no rain forecast.

Yesterday, Bridgestone Americas announced a three-year extension for its Firestone Brand as the entitlement sponsor of the NTT INDYCAR Series opening race until 2028.

“St. Pete is always an exciting event as we reconnect with fans and wave the green flag for a new season of racing,” said Lisa Boggs, Director, Bridgestone Americas Motorsports. “We take great pride in Firestone’s rich history in the sport, and starting each season at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg has become a big part of that. We’re excited to extend this tradition as part of our ongoing commitment to driving excitement and innovation in racing for years to come.”

Chip Ganassi Racing 35th Anniversary

Alex Palou was honored for his third NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship in the past four years during the Victory Lap Celebration on Sept. 30, the headline of an incomparable 2024 season for Chip Ganassi Racing. — Alex Palou’s third championship in the past four years (2024)

Chip Ganassi and the teams three drivers had the first press conference of the 2025 season to reflect on their 35 years of racing and their future goals. CGR will celebrate many aspects of the team’s 23 motorsports championships, the more than 260 race victories, including five Indianapolis 500 wins, eight wins in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, two in the 12 Hours of Sebring and wins in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400.

Here is the schedule for today. All times in Eastern Time

Indy Nxt Practice 1 2 – 2:45 pm

IndyCar Practice 1 3:05 – 4:25 pm

Lucille Dust reporting live from St. Pete