Latest news with #FirestoneGrandPrixofSt.Petersburg
Fox Sports
01-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
2026 St. Petersburg Event Date Set for Feb. 27-March 1
INDYCAR Next year's Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding is scheduled for Feb. 27-March 1, 2026, as the dates were approved unanimously via a resolution at the City of St. Petersburg (Florida) City Council meeting held May 1. 'The 2025 event was another tremendous success with record crowds across the three days,' said Kim Green, co-owner, chairman and CEO of event organizers Green Savoree Racing Promotions. 'After consulting with the City of St. Petersburg staff and multiple stakeholders, INDYCAR and our Green Savoree Racing Promotions teams agree continuing this great downtown tradition on similar dates is optimal. We look forward to planning for and hosting the Grand Prix on the same weekend in 2026.' Three-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Alex Palou won for the first time in his career on the streets of St. Petersburg at this year's race March 2. Tickets for the 2026 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding will go on sale in the fall. recommended
USA Today
28-02-2025
- Automotive
- USA Today
IndyCar Grand Prix of St. Petersburg odds, predictions for opening race of 2025 schedule
IndyCar Grand Prix of St. Petersburg odds, predictions for opening race of 2025 schedule Show Caption Hide Caption IndyCar drivers share their 'GOAT' driver ahead of the 2024 Indy 500 IndyCar drivers share who their favorite driver of all time is ahead of the 2024 Indy 500. Sports Seriously Last season, Josef Newgarden became the first back-to-back winner of the Indianapolis 500 since Helio Castroneves in 2001-02, but his IndyCar campaign began with a blemish that he can officially move past this weekend. Newgarden is considered the favorite to win the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in St. Petersburg, Florida, which will open the 2025 season of the NTT IndyCar Series on Sunday, and there's an odd quirk attached to that distinction. Newgarden crossed the finish line first and thought he had won the 2024 edition of this 1.8-mile street race for several weeks. But the Nashville, Tennessee native was stripped of the victory when an IndyCar review determined that Newgarden's Team Penske 'manipulated the overtake system' to let its drivers illegally use the push-to-pass system on starts and restarts. Mexican driver Pato O'Ward is instead considered the defending champion this week. TEAM PENSKE: Drivers need to 'minimize bad days' in pursuit of IndyCar title Newgarden, 34, will get his chance at redemption on a course that will again feature The Dali Museum and Duke Energy Center for the Arts as backdrops, and extend onto the Albert Whitted Airport runway. It's the first event as part of IndyCar's new multi-year broadcasting agreement with FOX that will allow all 17 of its races to be televised live in the United States for the first time. This is also the first time an IndyCar race will be held in St. Petersburg since hybrid power units were introduced midway through last season. Here's a look at the updated odds ahead of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, as well as predictions for the first race on the 2025 IndyCar schedule: INDYCAR: Five rules changes fans should know for 2025 season Grand Prix of St. Petersburg 2025 predictions Indianapolis Star: McLaughlin conquers St. Pete again Nathan Brown writes, "Scott McLaughlin won this race in 2022, crashed late while battling for the lead in '23 and finished runner-up on-track in '24 before being disqualified in the push-to-pass saga. After finishing 3rd in the championship the last two years, the Team Penske driver makes his presence felt early." Action Network: Bet on Christian Lundgaard "Arrow McLaren made an offseason move to pick up the talented Christian Lundgaard, who already has a win to his name with the mid-tier Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team at Toronto, another street course. McLaren is a team capable of putting together a championship effort." Kyle Kirkwood or Will Power Of the favorites, Kirkwood looks like the best choice. He's a proven winner on street courses and could establish himself as a contender in his third season this week. For a better payout, it's hard to argue with Power. He's won there before and is still a strong driver at street courses overall." Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg 2025 odds to win Josef Newgarden of Team Penske is considered the betting favorite heading into the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Team Penske teammate Scott McLaughlin, American Colton Herta, Mexican driver Pato O'Ward and two-time defending IndyCar series winner Alex Palou are considered his top challengers based on BetMGM odds. Odds as of Thursday, Feb. 27, courtesy BetMGM Josef Newgarden (+400) Scott McLaughlin (+550) Colton Herta (+600) Pato O'Ward (+625) Alex Palou (+800) Will Power (+900) Christian Lundgaard (+900) Kyle Kirkwood (+1300) Scott Dixon (+1400) Alexander Rossi (+2000) Marcus Ericsson (+2200) Felix Rosenqvist (+2200) David Malukas (+2500) Rinus Veekay (+5000) Marcus Armstrong (+5000) Conor Daly (+6000) Graham Rahal (+6000) Callum Ilott (+8000) Santino Ferrucci (+8000) Nolan Siegel (+10,000) Louis Foster (+10,000) Devlin Defrancesco (+10,000) Robert Schwartzman (+15,000) Christian Rasmussen (+15,000) Jacob Abel (+20,000) Kyffin Simpson (+20,000) Sting Ray Robb (+20,000) How to watch, stream 2025 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg FOX's broadcast from the 2025 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburgh is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 2. The green flag for the main IndyCar race slated to drop at approximately 12:29 p.m. ET. Date: Sunday, March 2 Sunday, March 2 Time: 12 p.m. ET (Race start scheduled for 12:29 p.m.) 12 p.m. ET (Race start scheduled for 12:29 p.m.) TV: FOX FOX Stream: Fubo, Fox Sports app Fubo, Fox Sports app Where: St. Petersburg, Florida Watch the 2025 IndyCar season with Fubo We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn't influence our coverage.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is back. Here's what you need to know
Earplug alert: The area's turbocharged rite of spring has returned, bringing horsepower and high drama to the streets of downtown St. Pete. The 21st annual Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg — the first race of the NTT IndyCar Series season — is set for Sunday, but the roar of 2.2-liter, twin-turbo V6 engines will resonate most of the week. A slew of ancillary events (qualifying, testing, a 5K, fan events) will precede the actual racing, making our waterside the open-wheel epicenter for the next several days. Here's the lowdown on what has evolved into our own Super Bowl with skid marks. Amid practices and qualifying runs, eight races in five different series will be held Friday-Sunday, highlighted by the 100-lap Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, starting Sunday at 12:29 p.m. The other races are part of IndyCar's various developmental series, including Indy NXT (the open-wheel equivalent of Triple-A baseball) and USF Pro 2000 (a rung below Indy NXT). The entire race, qualifying and practice schedule can be found at The 1.8-mile, 14-turn temporary street course again will feature The Dali Museum and Duke Energy Center for the Arts (Mahaffey Theater) as backdrops, and extend onto the Albert Whitted Airport runway. Minimum track width is 26 feet, maximum is 63. The front straight is 2,350 feet or four-tenths of a mile long. Track construction involves 20 million pounds of concrete and 25,000 feet of chain-link spectator fencing, according to IndyCar. The broadcast partner, for one. Late last year, IndyCar announced a multiyear media rights agreement with Fox, which will broadcast all 17 series races live. Sunday's telecast starts at noon. Practice and qualifying sessions will air live on FS1 or FS2. Drivers, start your hybrids For the first time in St. Pete, the cars will be equipped with Honda- and Chevrolet-designed hybrid power units, which were introduced midway through the 2024 season. Rather than relying on heavy batteries to store energy, IndyCar uses ultracapacitors. While not holding quite as much power, they're lighter and provide quick, powerful boosts, which can be deployed by drivers similar to the existing push-to-pass button. The units fit snugly inside the existing chassis from Dallara and offer plus-120 horsepower, according to IndyCar. 'I think it's interesting,' 2021 Grand Prix of St. Petersburg winner Colton Herta said. 'It kind of adds a little bit more for us to play with. It makes it a little bit more of a handful inside the cockpit, so I think it's going to be interesting to see how they take it to the streets of St. Pete. It's definitely not an easy thing to work with, so it will take a little bit of time to kind of affect that track. I think this will be one of the tougher tracks to use it at.' Au revoir, Andretti For the first time this event's history, iconic owner Michael Andretti won't have a conspicuous race-day presence. Last fall, the 62-year-old stepped down as CEO of Andretti Global, which has three Grand Prix entrants (Herta, Marcus Ericcson, Kyle Kirkwood). His departure seems a natural part of Andretti Global's evolution from racing team to sprawling business (now owned by an investment firm), with teams in several series (IndyCar, IMSA, Formula E and soon-to-be Formula 1). Andretti Global now has a restructured ownership dynamic that reportedly has secured increased funding and resources, allowing it to concentrate even more on the three IndyCar entrants. Herta hits century mark Though still a few weeks shy of his 25th birthday, Herta — who once resided in Belleair — will be making his 100th IndyCar start. Herta enters the weekend with some momentum, earning two victories and three poles in 2024 after totaling one win the previous two seasons. 'It does seem a little crazy,' he said. 'I did not think at that age I'd have that many starts, so it's super cool to kind of think of that stat. I feel very fortunate, a lot of guys don't even get to that stat in their whole career. So to hit that mark is super special for me, and I can't wait for the next 100.' A run for redemption? Weeks after apparently winning the 2024 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Josef Newgarden had the title stripped, with the championship awarded to runnerup Pato O'Ward. After an intense review, IndyCar determined that Team Penske (to which Newgarden belongs) 'manipulated the overtake system' to let its trio illegally use the push-to-pass system on starts and restarts. IndyCar doesn't allow cars to use that feature until they reach the alternate start-finish line on restarts. Newgarden, who went on to win the Indy 500 less than three months later, appears poised to redeem himself this weekend. He and teammate Will Power were the top two performers earlier this month at the NTT IndyCar Group Test at Sebring International Raceway. Power had the fastest overall lap (52.2549 seconds) in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, followed by Newgarden (52.3191) in the No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet. Friday through Sunday, downtown Main race: 12:29 Sunday TV: Fox More info: Tickets, parking, event schedule and more at
Fox Sports
24-02-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
2025 IndyCar odds: Josef Newgarden favorite to win Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg
The 2025 IndyCar season begins this weekend on March 2, when drivers start their engines for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on FOX. Pato O'Ward was declared the winner last year after Josef Newgarden was disqualified. Which driver will win the weekend in the season opener this year? Let's check out the latest odds from DraftKings Sportsbook as of Feb. 24. Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg 2025 Josef Newgarden: +370 (bet $10 to win $47 total) Scott McLaughlin: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total) Pato O'Ward: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total) Colton Herta: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total) Alex Palou: +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total) Will Power: +1100 (bet $10 to win $120 total) Scott Dixon: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total) Kyle Kirkwood: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total) Christian Lundgaard: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total) Marcus Ericsson: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total) Felix Rosenqvist: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total) Alexander Rossi: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total) David Malukas: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total) Rinus Veekay: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total) Marcus Armstrong: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total) Santino Ferrucci: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total) Graham Rahal: +6000 (bet $10 to win $610 total) Conor Daly: +6000 (bet $10 to win $610 total) Callum Ilott: +6000 (bet $10 to win $610 total) Nolan Siegel: +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total) Louis Foster: +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total) Devlin DeFrancesco: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total) Sting Ray Robb: +20000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total) Robert Shwartzman: +20000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total) Kyffin Simpson: +20000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total) Jacob Abel: +20000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total) Christian Rasmussen: +20000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total) Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from NTT IndyCar Series Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more in this topic
