Relive the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season opener from the Streets of St Blackout and territorial restrictions may apply 9 rights) circuit incorporates streets of downtown St Petersburg and a section of runway of Albert Whitted Airport there's a tight right-hander into Turn 1 and then a quick left-hand turn Plenty of drivers have gotten into trouble in these two turns over the years There are two other long straights with heavy braking zones that afford opportunities to overtake Stay up to speed on the latest INDYCAR news exclusive offers and more — delivered straight to your inbox 2025 INDYCAR® is a registered trademark of Brickyard Trademarks The Sunshine City lived up to its moniker Sunday as over 100,000 Firestone Grand Prix of St Petersburg attendees enjoyed blue skies and temperatures in the low 70s Two-time defending NTT IndyCar Series champion Alex Palou started the season with a victory after completing the 100-lap, 1.8-mile street course in 1 hour, 51 minutes and 8.51 seconds. An expected global audience of more than one million viewers also saw that St. Petersburg, while still recovering from back-to-back hurricanes The Grand Prix attracted an estimated 165,000 fans to the downtown waterfront Sunday Stakeholders believe their economic impact topped $60 million and the influx of cash and positive exposure couldn’t have come at a more opportune time Joy Hamilton said the Grand Prix provided an “amazing” opportunity to work after the storms decimated her beach bar She typically attends the Grand Prix as a spectator and thought the crowds were “better than any other year.” “It’s nice to see people coming out and supporting St Pete and the surrounding area,” Hamilton said Alex Palou (first) and Josef Newgarden (third) Local fan Carson Smith also thought the 2025 crowd was larger than in previous years He said drivers seemed more willing to meet and take pictures with attendees “This community needs things that are fun and encouraging,” Smith added “We need more things like this.” The Grand Prix also provided a thrilling race 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda to a 2.8669-second victory over teammate and six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon Dixon said he lacked radio communication throughout the last 90 laps “What an amazing job by everybody,” Palou said “They gave me everything we needed this weekend to win.” Dixon passed Josef Newgarden on the final lap to place second despite not having an in-car radio to discuss race strategy and plan pit stops Team Ganassi still secured its first 1-2 finish since July 2023 Pete – not one of our favorite tracks,” said Ganassi “We’ve been challenged here the last number of years I think our cars were better than they were a year ago An estimated 165,000 people attended the race Sunday Newgarden finished third in his DEX-Imaging-branded Team Penske Chevrolet who secured pole position during qualifying Saturday Kyle Kirkwood continued improving at his “home” race 10th last season and fifth Sunday for Andretti Global At a Feb. 6 ceremony celebrating track construction Kirkwood said he could make the trip to St I got a lot of family and friends who come out to this event Kirkwood said Sunday that he is happy with the top-five finish but is “eager to win it’s not the best feeling in the world but it’s a better feeling than I’ve come out of this event with.” Petersburg’s downtown waterfront featured prominently in the Fox broadcast Kim Green, co-owner of race promoter Green Savoree Racing 6 event that the Grand Pix has become “more than just a race.” Mayor Ken Welch said it would show that “St Pete is up and running” and was not devastated by Hurricanes Helene and Milton “So that’s great and satisfying to be able to put an event back on of this magnitude with the help of the city All the departments and the race fans have shown up.” Fox has yet to release viewership numbers for its first IndyCar broadcast the Indianapolis Star believes anywhere from 1.1 million to 1.6 million people tuned in for what Welch previously called a “postcard for what St 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda heads to the Winner’s Circle Add your idea below. Review Catalyst posting guidelines here. By posting a comment, I have read, understand and agree to the Posting Guidelines Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value" Students rocket toward STEM careers at community hub 2025 Florida legislative session extended through June 6 Multiple affordable senior housing projects advance  The Catalyst honors its name by aggregating & curating the sparks that propel the St Pete engine.  It is a modern news platform, powered by community sourced content and augmented with directed coverage your perspective and your spark to the St Pete Catalyst and take your seat at the table Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_4" ).setAttribute( "value" Privacy Policy | Copyright © 2020 The St Petersburg Group Enter the details of the person you want to share this article with A new era in the INDYCAR SERIES is here and we've got you covered with all the action from the streets of St Pato O'Ward won last year's edition, but hardly in traditional circumstances. Josef Newgarden celebrated following the conclusion of the race, but more than a month later, IndyCar announced that the Team Penske driver had been disqualified for violating the push-to-pass rules O'Ward was elevated to race winner as a result with Will Power and Colton Herta behind him The 31st IndyCar season sees Spanish driver Álex Palou aiming to claim a third straight season championship and that path begins with a street circuit on Florida's gulf coast Petersburg has never been Palou's best event with the three-time IndyCar champion only managing two top-five finishes in five attempts Here's what to know to watch the start of the 2025 IndyCar Series at the Grand Prix of St Here is the complete 2025 NTT IndyCar Series schedule We occasionally recommend interesting products and services If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More Racing fans from all over will be heading to the Bay area for the start of the next IndyCar season The 2025 Firestone Grand Prix will be speeding through the streets of St The winner of the 2024 Firestone Grand Prix was Josef Newgarden. But, he was later disqualified because Team Penske manipulated its push-to-pass system during the race. This allowed Pato O’Ward to be named the official winner Tickets for the Firestone Grand Prix start at just $25 and three-day tickets start at $75. * What is a paddock pass? the streets along the waterfront near Straub Park will be converted into a 1.8 mile race track Just follow the noise from the loud engines According to the Firestone Grand Prix website, parking will be available at Tropicana Field Shuttle information will be available closer to race weekend See below for a map of the city's parking garages 25Earplug alert: The area’s turbocharged rite of spring has returned bringing horsepower and high drama to the streets of downtown St The 21st annual Firestone Grand Prix of St Petersburg — the first race of the NTT IndyCar Series season — is set for Sunday twin-turbo V6 engines will resonate most of the week 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 Petersburg skyline again will serve as backdrop for the 2025 Firestone Grand Prix of St 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 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 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 Practice and qualifying sessions will air live on FS1 or FS2 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 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 “I think it’s interesting,” 2021 Grand Prix of St “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 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.” stepped down as CEO of Andretti Global last fall and isn't expected to have a conspicuous race-day presence Sunday in St [ LUIS SANTANA | Times ]For the first time this event’s history iconic owner Michael Andretti won’t have a conspicuous race-day presence the 62-year-old stepped down as CEO of Andretti Global which has three Grand Prix entrants (Herta His departure seems a natural part of Andretti Global’s evolution from racing team to sprawling business (now owned by an investment firm) 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 winner of the 2021 Firestone Grand Prix of St makes his 100th career IndyCar start in the 2025 race [ LUIS SANTANA | Times ]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 “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 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 with the championship awarded to runnerup Pato O’Ward 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 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 More info: Tickets, parking, event schedule and more at gpstpete.com Joey Knight is a sports reporter who helps cover all sports teams in Tampa Bay, from high school athletes to professionals. Reach him at jknight@tampabay.com. sunshine aplenty and the roar of race cars on the streets of St Petersburg – quite the start to the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES on Sunday And then there was Alex Palou dousing the field with a bucket of water The winner of the past two series championships and three of the past four masterfully drove to a season-opening victory in the Firestone Grand Prix of St 16 races remain to settle this year’s title but history has shown it’s not beneficial to spot Palou much of anything When the Spaniard won his first series championship in 2021 he won the season-opening race at Barber Motorsports Park While he didn’t win another race until June his consistency helped him stay in the top three of the standings Palou opened with an eighth-place finish in St Petersburg and was in the top five in each of the next three races netting five wins in the final 13 races to win the title with a race to spare Petersburg race handed Palou a fourth-place finish he was off and running in a back-to-back championship season It’s important perspective that Palou has won races at seven of the remaining 15 venues on this year’s schedule including two wins each on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and Portland International Raceway Petersburg had been one of the circuits that hadn’t been kind to him Palou and his crew have put the other championship hopefuls on alert who sits on Scott Dixon’s pit stand during races there’s nobody better than (Palou’s group),” Ganassi said “Us on (Dixon’s) car and the 8 car (of Kyffin Simpson) we’ve got work to do to catch up to those guys.” Even Palou understands this might be a difference-making moment in the season and he compared it to how 2021 started in his debut with Chip Ganassi Racing “(That) was my first time with the team or leading the championship what are we doing here?’” he said “Now I think we’re a bit more used to it “It’s about knowing the positives of starting off the year strong and now heading to some tracks that we know we’ve been really quick at in the past.” Other observations from a 100-lap race that ran 94 laps caution-free after the first-lap incident: March 23 with The Thermal Club INDYCAR Grand Prix at 3 p.m the FOX Sports app and the INDYCAR Radio Network Gearing Up: Indy Roars to Life This Week with Sonsio Grand Prix Instant Recall: Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix Paddock Buzz: Lundgaard Continues Breakout Year with Second Peerless Alex Palou Marches into May with Cruise to Barber Victory Pole Winner Alex Palou Stays on Top in Warmup; Race at 1:30 p.m Dubai Honour wins the Magnolia Stakes at Kempton Park The Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (G1) has enjoyed something of a renaissance in recent years a trend not unconnected to the revival of a previously endangered species an older horse or mare winning the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) Those looking for clues to this year's Arc will find the presence of no fewer than four geldings among the field of seven but the 1 1/2-mile race carries enough cachet to be seen not solely through the prism of the road to Longchamp in October Iresine  holds by far the best claims on form in a seven-runner field although it is hard to judge how much ability he retains at the age of 7 after beating vastly inferior opposition on his only start of the year Jean-Pierre Gauvin has campaigned him sparingly over the years and he could easily have more top-class days in him.  "I think he still has the same appetite We gave him a lot of time to freshen up after Japan and then he ticked off his comeback win after we decided to give him an easy task," Gauvin said "The goal was to give him confidence and to avoid a long trip by road I think he's come forward a lot for the run and Marie Velon who rode each of his two racecourse gallops Sign up for BloodHorse Daily "I haven't worked him too hard since that race but he's worked regularly You have to work more on his morale than really turning the screws in the mornings." Dubai Honour wouldn't mind some of the thundery rain swirling around Paris to finally drop—although Saint-Cloud has so far remained dry as the forecast ebbs and flows he is winless in seven starts at the group 1 level Neither of those stout stayers would be suited by the race turning into a sprint He could appreciate Saint-Cloud's 2 1/2-furlong straight.  For more European racing, sales, and bloodstock news, visit RacingPost.com Local leaders believe the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will set new attendance The influx of cash and positive exposure couldn’t come at a more opportune time The race-turned-four-day festival begins Feb as many area residents and businesses are still recovering from an unprecedented 2024 hurricane season expects the marquee motorsports event to generate over $60 million Lowack joined Mayor Ken Welch, event organizers, drivers and several other area stakeholders Thursday morning along the downtown waterfront to celebrate the 21st annual running of the St. Petersburg Grand Prix. Fox will prominently feature the idyllic backdrop when broadcasting the NTT IndyCar series opener to a national and global audience “It’s the perfect time for our community to come together and celebrate even as we rebuild from the storms of 2024,” Welch said we haven’t been devastated and the debris is gone standing between an IndyCar and Mazda MX5 Series racecar That postcard will reach over 200 countries and the Grand Prix is the new partnership’s inaugural event Kevin Savoree, co-owner of event promoter Green Savoree Racing Promotions said the coverage would reach millions of households He noted Fox has already “done so much” to promote the series and Grand Prix during NFL games “I think we’re going to set a record on Fox as a first event,” Savoree said Lowack said the race would attract over 200,000 people to St Petersburg and “keep registers ringing” at area shops Attendees will also account for more than 15,000 overnight stays “Last year’s numbers were record-breaking,” Lowack said “There’s a chance we beat that this year.” said the Grand Prix is part of the city’s DNA Steinocher noted the promoters have attracted prominent companies and other entrepreneurs to St He called the Grand Prix a celebration of the city’s culture “For those watching around the world but look at our streets,” Steinocher added “You will see cars riding around our streets at 200 mph You can get around in our community.” Crews have already installed grandstands along storm-damaged Albert Whitted Airport’s runways. The city began repairing the municipal facility in mid-January and Welch told the Catalyst that initial work should conclude before the race temporary dock will house hundreds of yachts A temporary yacht club is under construction and over 300 workers will begin establishing the 1.8-mile street course Monday Savoree said they will build the track in 15 days He called that “pretty remarkable,” considering the original city agreement gave the promoters 75 days to complete the course Green said he and Savoree increased their construction funding and worked with the city to minimize disruptions The Jupiter native finished 12th at the previous Grand Prix and eagerly anticipates another shot at the winner’s circle in his home state three-and-a-half-hour drive – if I’m going a little slower – from Jupiter,” Kirkwood said It’s just a wonderful environment here.” Green noted the Grand Prix has become “more than just a race”: The fourth annual Party in the Park is Thursday special guests and a parade of IndyCars around North Straub Park The Party in the Park coincides with a 5K charity run on the Grand Prix track Green expects the 5K to attract over 1,200 participants Petersburg Police Athletic League; the event has raised more than $300,000 Burgeoning professional drivers will compete in several preliminary races throughout the weekend The festivities culminate with the Grand Prix at noon Sunday Green said Fox’s secondary networks will also broadcast practice and qualify events we’re expecting to see as much as seven hours of live TV coverage.” For tickets to the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, visit the website here Nearly every speaker at Thursday’s event noted the Grand Prix would bolster the area’s storm recovery efforts one small correction here: The driver is named Kyle Kirkwood thanks to free entertainment for the little ones Like the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud is reserved for horses aged 4 and over take advantage of these hectares of greenery to work on your artistic soul at a painting competition where you can recreate the atmosphere of horse racing on your easel on one of the capital's most beautiful racecourses Refer your establishment, click herePromote your event, click here One of the big questions for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES field entering the 2025 season was how to halt the title march of three-time and two-time defending series champion Alex Palou They’re still searching for that answer even after the first race of the season Sunday on the sunny streets of St SEE: Race Results Palou opened his quest for a third consecutive Astor Challenge Cup as series champion in the best way possible Petersburg presented by RP Funding in a master class of strategy 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda to a 2.8669-second victory over teammate and six-time series champion Scott Dixon who said afterward he contested the last 90 laps of the 100-lap race without radio communication in the No “What an amazing job by everybody,” Palou said “They gave me everything we needed this weekend to win “Our strategy changed a lot during that first yellow It’s been 138 days since Nashville (2024 season finale) and I’ve been dreaming about this every single night.” earned his 12th career victory in the series The Ganassi team secured its first 1-2 finish since July 2023 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Two-time series champion Josef Newgarden rounded out the podium finishers in the No 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet after Dixon passed him for second on the final lap NTT P1 Award winner Scott McLaughlin finished fourth in the No as Team Penske joined Chip Ganassi Racing with two drivers in the top four McLaughlin was one of seven drivers out front today Florida native and resident Kyle Kirkwood rounded out the top five finishers at his home race in the No 27 Chili’s Honda fielded by Andretti Global Palou took the lead for good on Lap 75 when Felix Rosenqvist made his final pit stop in the No It was the culmination of a race of split strategies less durable Firestone Firehawk alternate tires – including Palou Dixon and Newgarden – jumped into the pits on Lap 3 during the only caution period to shed the alternates for Firestone primary tires yet Palou didn’t just inherit the lead at the race’s three-quarter mark and cruise to Victory Lane He produced blazing in and out laps surrounding his final pit stop at the end of Lap 72 who couldn’t discuss strategy with his team and reacted to Palou’s pit move by stopping one lap later after being slowed by thick traffic Dixon exited the pits behind a charging Palou “We were just kind of flying blind out there,” Dixon said of his radio problems I think they were trying to call me in because on that last lap we had before we pitted That’s where the 10 car got us.” Said Palou: “I think he (Dixon) got trapped in traffic a little bit That’s why the 10 stand decided to pit a little bit early could run fast and just opened a gap from there.” Palou was 4.502 seconds ahead of Newgarden on Lap 75 Newgarden sliced that margin to 2.4 seconds by Lap 88 as Palou coped with turbulent air from the car ahead of him 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet of Sting Ray Robb Newgarden took advantage and continued to stalk Palou pulling to within .8186 of a second after Lap 95 But a potential logjam of three cars battling for the checkered flag was scattered when Palou finally lapped Robb in Turn 1 on Lap 96 Newgarden and Dixon squirted past Robb on the same lap but the traffic-free clean air allowed Palou to pull away immediately Palou expanded his gap to 1.1959 seconds after Lap 97 and 1.6938 seconds at the white flag at the end of Lap 99 His lead grew even more during the final trip around the 14-turn 1.8-mile street circuit as Dixon and Newgarden dueled for second Dixon got past fellow Indianapolis 500 winner and series champion Newgarden in Turn 10 on the final lap “I felt like our car today certainly was capable of winning,” Newgarden said “Just didn’t quite get there for a couple of reasons and we had a shift at the end that we didn’t realize so we kind of had to give up that second place.” Petersburg winner Pato O’Ward used a mix of strategy and speed to climb from the 23rd starting spot to finish 11th in the No That was the biggest climb from start to finish by any of the 27 drivers in the field The next NTT INDYCAR SERIES race is The Thermal Club INDYCAR Grand Prix on Sunday Full Race: 2025 Children's of Alabama Indy Grand Prix from Barber Lundgaard and McLaughlin Celebrate on Barber Podium Extended Race Highlights: 2025 Children's of Alabama Indy Grand Prix has won the prestigious 2024 Prix Versailles World Title in the sports category Louis CITY SC’s mission is to see ourselves on the global stage Louis and the transformational role sporting venues can play in the community,” said Lee Broughton Louis CITY SC’s chief brand architect and ownership group member “It is with a great sense of pride that we thank the Prix Versailles World Jury for this incredible honor and our talented partners for their exceptional work in designing CITYPARK to be a reflection of our city’s most beloved attributes.” Designed by HOK and Snow Kreilich Architects CITYPARK supports the CITY SC ownership group’s strategic pillars of connection The 22,500-seat stadium (soon to be called Energizer Park under a new naming rights deal) anchors the largest urban professional sports campus in the U.S and serves as a new model for Major League Soccer project development Louis to share in the soccer experience and offers a best-in-class fan experience elegant canopy and slender columns maximize engagement with the city CITY is scaled and is porous to the street creating a more vibrant city and a match that feels like it is embedded in St Founding Principal of Snow Kreilich Architects “While the design was very much about the intensity of the sport it was equally about the ability to build on the creative energy rising in the city to come together and generate a new civic spirit shaping its future buildings “From the earliest stages of design and development Louis CITY SC had a vision for a project that would be more than a stadium This impressive recognition is a testament to the client’s unwavering commitment to bringing that vision to life,” said Chris DeVolder director of Sports + Recreation + Entertainment at HOK “CITYPARK seamlessly balances district connectivity and the fan experience contributing positively to downtown beyond game days and setting a new precedent for what a stadium can be.” HOK and Snow Kreilich Architects accepted the award in person Additional World Titles in the sports category went to təməsew̓txʷ (New Westminster Canada) for the Special Prize for an Interior and the Olympic Aquatic Centre (Saint-Denis France) for the Special Prize for an Exterior For the full list of 2024 winners and honorees in all categories, as well as World Jury members, please click here. Snow Kreilich Architects is a nationally recognized and award-winning architectural studio-based practice in Minneapolis With each project led by design principals Julie Snow and Matt Kreilich the studio focuses on producing architecture that performs against multiple measures of design success This focus has resulted in consistent design recognition for projects that rely on a fresh and intensive design investigation of every project They have developed shared working methodologies that result in consistently intelligent buildings that are well-conceived and carefully detailed — The 2025 IndyCar season kicks off this weekend with the 21st running of the Grand Prix of St It'll be special for a pair of drivers who want to make history on one of the most scenic courses in motor sports 22-year-old Michigan-native Nolan Allaer moved to the Tampa Bay area with his family when he was three He remembers going to the Grand Prix of St He had no idea he'd become a full-time race car driver "I remember looking into the cockpit," Allaer said Friday morning and I just remember thinking when I was younger 'Wow Allaer's family lived in FishHawk Ranch for 13 years before moving back to Michigan His father was a TV producer for the Tampa Bay Lightning so Allaer became a Bolts fan and a youth hockey player "I had no dreams or aspirations of racing at this event So it’s pretty surreal [to be racing here]." Allaer stopped by the Lightning locker room this week where he had a chat with Bolts goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy about his helmet design for this weekend's INDY NXT race (the series just below NTT IndyCar Series) He doesn’t look as crazy when he’s got the mask off," Nolan joked It was just very cool to get back and be welcomed by the organization again." Allaer's helmet and fire suit are inspired by the Lightning's black The green flag for the NXT race drops Sunday at 10:10 a.m The green flag for the Grand Prix is scheduled for Sunday the reigning champion will be driving for a rare form of repeat Josef Newgarden crossed the finish line first in last year's race but rules officials decided he violated the series' regulations regarding "push to pass," which allow drivers to boost the power of their cars for a limited amount of time during the race who crossed the finish line in second place was awarded the victory after Newgarden was disqualified "We got awarded the points and obviously the win But we want to be winning these races on track We want to be able to cross the finish line as the lead car," O'Ward explained during Friday's media availability O'Ward and Newgarden share plenty of mutual respect and Pato said it's always fun to race against a rival "[Josef Newgarden] and I have had so many duels in so many markets "I told him 'I can’t wait to kick your a— because you’ve beaten me way too much already.'" O'Ward wants to become the first back-to-back winner since Newgarden pulled off the feat in 2019 and 2020 If you're planning on heading to the Grand Prix this weekend we have all the information you need to know on traffic and I feel like that's part of where the system failed" Henry Betsey Jr. is facing charges for marrying three Florida women in three different counties at the same time. Now saying the system that handles marriage licenses kept them in the dark Report a typo as the action begins with the 2025 Firestone Grand Prix of St Petersburg after some late engine issues led to a runner-up finish two years ago allowing Marcus Ericsson to win that edition O'Ward is listed at +2200 (risk $100 to win $2,200) in the 2025 Firestone Grand Prix of St while Josef Newgarden is +900 for the street circuit race who is favored to win the IndyCar Championship in 2025 is +900 for the season opener this weekend on the IndyCar odds board Sunday's race is set to get underway at noon ET Bobbitt and Greco built a predictive engine that consistently beats the books They find huge value and aren't afraid of volume their followers are up more than $28,000 on $100 plays they nailed seven outright winners in the NASCAR Cup Series returning nearly seven units for a 25.7% ROI Now, Bobbitt and Greco have analyzed the field and odds for Sunday's 2025 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. They're sharing their best bets only at SportsLine One of Bobbitt and Greco's top Firestone Grand Prix of St Petersburg bets: They are backing Ericsson to finish ahead of Alexander Rossi in a head-to-head matchup that pays -115 Ericsson joins Colton Herta and Kyle Kirkwood in an impressive Andretti team He has the second-best average running position at St and he ranks second in average running position on all eight street circuits since 2023 See full Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg picks at SportsLine Here are some of the sportsbooks to bet on IndyCar races along with the various IndrCar sportsbook promos they currently offer The “world’s fastest spring break party” returns to St bringing hundreds of thousands of spectators – and their wallets – to the downtown waterfront Official Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg events begin Thursday and conclude Sunday with the IndyCar Series’ season opener Here is what to expect from the 20th consecutive annual race: The Grand Prix generated a $61 million economic impact in 2023, including $31 million in direct spending. Mayor Ken Welch said the city collected $3.3 million in taxes Brian Lowack, CEO of Visit St. Pete/Clearwater said the event supports 640 jobs and garnered over 20,000 overnight hotel stays throughout Pinellas County last year He expects to see the race’s economic impact increase in 2024 “What we’ve seen recently at events throughout the destination is they’re experiencing the largest crowds they’ve ever seen before,” Lowack told the Catalyst “This weekend should be no exception as the weather looks like it’s going to be great.” Stakeholders expect the 2024 Grand Prix to surpass last year’s record-breaking attendance numbers City officials have called the Grand Prix a “two-hour commercial for the City of St issued press credentials to over 180 media outlets representing 200 countries in 2022 NBC’s broadcast averaged 1.2 million viewers in 2023 Lowack said the race provides an invaluable opportunity to “reach folks in their living rooms around the entire globe.” Viewers will routinely catch glimpses of the St. Pete Pier, the skyline, the Mahaffey Theater, the Dali Museum and yacht-filled harbors. In a previous interview 2022 Grand Prix winner Scott McLaughlin called it “the Monaco of IndyCar.” “You can’t just go and take out a commercial for two hours and show images of your destination,” Lowack said and there’s no better way than doing it at 200 miles an hour through the streets of downtown St IndyCar racers will warm up Sunday morning from 9:10-9:40 before a noon green flag. They will then take 100 laps around the 1.8-mile street course, routinely topping 200 mph. Five wrecks knocked out nine drivers in 2023 recently said the narrow track is “bumpy and you have no margin for error.” He called that a unique combination and “very cool to drive.” The weekend will also feature seven other races with five featuring up-and-coming drivers in the equivalent of IndyCar’s minor leagues The new IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge will make its Grand Prix debut with two competitions Marcus Ericcson (center) dodged several wrecks to win the 2023 Grand Prix Multi-platinum rock musician Bret Michaels will perform after racing ends Saturday evening in the plaza between the Mahaffey Theater and the Dali Museum The former Poison frontman is known for hits like “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” and “Nothin’ but a Good Time.” Race organizers expect the show – free to all race attendees – to end around 10 p.m will attend Sunday’s race and ride around the track with four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves The two will lead the starting field to the green flag St. Pete native and racing phenom Nikita Johnson will host a Grand Prix Kickoff Party from 5 p.m. until 11 p.m. Wednesday at O’Maddy’s Bar and Grille in Gulfport and he and fellow drivers will mingle with fans which allows participants to run and walk around the track has raised $271,265 for the Police Athletic League of St Fans can view cars from the various competitions and seek drivers’ autographs at IndyCar’s Party in the Park The free community event runs from 5 to 7:30 p.m Mayor Ken Welch and several former mayors will commemorate two decades of racing success Friday night at the Mahaffey Theater The private fundraising event will benefit four local youth-based nonprofits and programs “It’s just great – not only for the hardcore race fans but also for families and people looking for a fun weekend,” Lowack said “Everybody is going to enjoy this weekend.” To view a complete schedule, visit the website here Race fans pack the grandstands surrounding Albert Whitted Airport This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page and there's an odd quirk attached to that distinction TEAM PENSKE: Drivers need to 'minimize bad days' in pursuit of IndyCar title 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 predictionsIndianapolis Star: McLaughlin conquers St 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." "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 McLaren is a team capable of putting together a championship effort." He’s a proven winner on street courses and could establish himself as a contender in his third season this week He’s won there before and is still a strong driver at street courses overall." Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg 2025 odds to winJosef 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 PetersburgFOX's broadcast from the 2025 Firestone Grand Prix of St Petersburgh is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m The green flag for the main IndyCar race slated to drop at approximately 12:29 p.m Watch the 2025 IndyCar season with Fubo Mayor Ken Welch, 2023 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Peterburg winner Marcus Ericsson and event organizers gathered along the waterfront Thursday to celebrate racing returning to the city The 20th annual Grand Prix does not begin until March 8 Thursday morning’s event commemorated crews placing the first concrete track block along the 1.8-mile street course The race and four-day festival, dubbed the “world’s fastest spring break party,” will again kick off the NTT IndyCar Series Petersburg the “perfect place” to start a season “It’s a fun race to drive,” Ericsson told the Catalyst it’s cool to walk around and enjoy the city On top of watching some good racing.” Marcus Ericsson (center) dodged several wrecks to win the 2023 Grand Prix He said his family annually attends two events – the Indy 500 and the St The race showcases the city to a national and global audience Petersburg’s downtown waterfront serves as the temporary street course’s backdrop and over 1.2 million people watched NBC’s live broadcast in 2023 The Grand Prix annually attracts well over 100,000 international attendees. Several outlets estimated the 2022 race topped 200,000 not counting the thousands more watching from locations outside the track’s fences “Ticket sales are trending well ahead of last year.” Welch noted that the Grand Prix is now ingrained in St and its community benefits “stretch far beyond the track.” The Grand Prix generated a $61 million economic impact in 2023 “We expect that this year, we will surpass those figures,” Welch said. “And this year, the Grand Prix also gave back in a new way by donating to four nonprofits in our community.” Presenters at Thursday morning’s event pose in front of Grand Prix-branded IndyCar The race’s festivities now begin on Thursday, March 7, with a 5K run or walk along the track. Heather Robb, director of the Police Athletic League of St. Petersburg said the fundraising event has contributed over $270,000 to her organization since 2017 “These funds have been extremely critical to our organization and … to children living right here in St. Pete,” Robb said “While we’re here to talk about building a track we’re also here to talk about building a better St Green Savoree will lay 18,000 feet of steel-reinforced concrete blocks weighing 20 million pounds around downtown streets circling Pioneer Park the Dali Museum and onto the Albert Whitted Airport runway Nearly 300 workers will complete the installation in 26 days – a new record Savoree said city agreements allow a 75-day window he expressed pride in mitigating disruptions to the now-bustling city Pete is a lot different than it was in 2005 when Kim (Green) and I started this event,” Savoree said it was important to focus on how to stay out of the way and get out of the way.” The track will also feature 25,000 feet of chain-link spectator fencing and 18,000 feet of panel fencing that secures the concrete barriers Over 12,000 reinforced rubber tires will comprise the course’s wall safety system Those received significant use in 2023, as five wrecks knocked out nine drivers in a chaotic race Ericsson said the narrow track’s difficulty is also part of its allure and you have no margin for error,” he added that combination makes the track very unique and … also very cool to drive.” Ericsson explained that the IndyCar drivers are anxious and aggressive during the season opener He said they want to show off their new cars and skills Ericsson noted the importance of qualifying events that determine car positioning He credited last year’s victory to starting upfront and remaining calm amid the action “This race is more than just a race – the whole city is sort of coming alive,” Ericsson said “It’s such a highlight to come here and start our season.” For event and ticket information, visit the website here There is one section of downtown that is blocked off and it is on the outer boundary This is one time each year when I make sure to get out of town The incessant droning of the cars is beyond disruptive and annoying as is the concrete blocking of a good part of downtown — The sounds of race car engines and tens of thousands of IndyCar fans have taken over downtown St The 21st annual Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg formally kicked off when gates opened at 8:30 a.m. Friday morning. The three-day race is the start of the six-month IndyCar season once again this year The 1.8 mile track has 14 turns and brings drivers down the runway of Albert Whitted Airport around Pioneer Park and the Mahaffey Theater and parallels the water in the center of downtown St says so many drivers are itching to get back out there after the offseason “There’s a lot of built up energy coming into this event and it's because we have such a long offseason Petersburg has become such a historic place for IndyCar being our 21st year coming back here,” he said The event brings in roughly 200,000 race fans each year filling up downtown hotels and restaurants Hundreds of volunteers also help to execute the race volunteers were trained in CPR and first aid skills through Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital With the grounds so tight and packed with people in some places it can be hard to navigate through parts of the grounds volunteers know where to start and what to do while they wait for first responders to arrive “People don’t expect to have a heart attack or they’d drive to the hospital right they’re doing strenuous activity that can put people at a higher risk for something like this to happen,” explained Lorraine Parker with Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital “So kudos to the Grand Prix for sending them here to learn this skill because it’s really making the event safer.” he was there when a vendor collapsed from heat stroke and he wanted to make sure he had all the skills needed to help others headed into this year’s race It really gave me something… if you can help someone stay alive that’s a good thing,” he said Scott McLaughlin is on the pole for Sunday's Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg McLaughlin's time of 59.4624 bested Colton Herta's time of 59.6393 Behind McLaughlin and Herta on the second row will be Felix Rosenqvist and Marcus Armstrong Here's the full starting lineup for the IndyCar Series race in St Mailbag Part 2: Answering readers questions about IndyCar's new TV deal with Fox Sports More coverage: Josef Newgarden hires Klutch Sports Group, becoming agency's first racing client (All times ET; all IndyCar sessions are on IndyCar Live 1. Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske 2. Colton Herta, Andretti Global 3. Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank 4. Marcus Armstrong, Meyer Shank 5. Christian Lundgaard, Arrow McLaren 6. Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi 7. Marcus Ericsson, Andretti Global 8. Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi 9. Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global 10. Josef Newgarden, Team Penske 11. Nolan Siegel, Arrow McLaren 12. Rinus VeeKay, Dale Coyne 13. Will Power, Team Penske 14. Devlin DeFrancesco, Rahal Letterman Lanigan 15. Kyffin Simpson, Chip Ganassi 16. Louis Foster, Rahal Letterman Lanigan 17. David Malukas, A.J. Foyt 18. Robert Shwartzman, Prema 19. Santino Ferrucci, A.J. Foyt 20. Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter 21. Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan 22. Conor Daly, Juncos Hollinger 23. Pato O'Ward, Arrow McLaren 24. Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter 25. Jacob Abel, Dale Coyne 26. Sting Ray Robb, Juncos Hollinger 27. Callum Ilott, Prema Here are some scenes from the event Friday-Sunday on the streets of downtown St. Petersburg. Luis Santana is a staff photographer. Reach him at lsantana@tamapbay.com. The 2024 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg likely set a new attendance record for a third consecutive year over the weekend with multiple drivers expressing amazement over the crowd size IndyCar officials announced Saturday that three-day attendance numbers were up 10% – and 16% Friday – over a record-breaking 2023 event Vendors also saw a 30% spike in IndyCar merchandise sales Green-Savoree Racing, the event’s organizers, do not release attendance numbers. However, several media outlets estimated over 200,000 people descended upon the Sunshine City for the 2022 Grand Prix “I’ve seen more people here than I’ve ever seen at an IndyCar race,” said Josef Newgarden after a dominant win “The crowd was amazing … everything I experienced this weekend was pretty incredible.” A view of the Grand Prix’s festival area between the Mahaffey Theater and the Dali Museum IndyCar veteran Alexander Rossi also gave a “huge shoutout to the fans” on social media “That’s the busiest I’ve ever seen (a race) at St Newgarden led 92 of 100 laps on his way to a 30th career victory He finished a comfortable 7.912 seconds ahead of runner-up Pato O’Ward in a race that lacked last year’s chaos – when five wrecks knocked out nine drivers “Just look at the amount of people that up today (Sunday) I really don’t know what more we can ask for from the fans.” Pete native and Gulfport resident Nikita Johnson captured another checkered flag on his home turf He finished first in Sunday morning’s USF Pro 2000 race The IMSA SportsCar Championship Series made its Grand Prix debut Johnson became the youngest winner in Grand Prix history in 2023 with a victory in the USF2000 Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy also attended the event Singer Bret Michaels waved the green flag to start Sunday’s race and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jon Bon Jovi took a trip around the street course Bon Jovi told NBC that “the vibe here is incredible.” Newgarden later echoed that sentiment Petersburg’s crowds “gave the weekend a major race day vibe.” Newgarden is no stranger to first-place finishes in the Sunshine City He also won the 2019 and 2020 events and is now tied with Helio Castroneves for the most victories in Grand Prix history blue) exits the Victory Circle after a dominating win started the Grand Prix in first place after securing pole position in Saturday’s qualifying races The Nashville native and Team Penske driver also posted the fastest lap (60.6795) in the 14-turn “I had a lot of fun today,” Newgarden said “We didn’t have the speed we needed on road and street courses last year Newgarden pulled away from the pack throughout the first quarter of the 100-lap race as a minor wreck triggered the first of three caution periods Newgarden would quickly reclaim the lead and faced little competition throughout the day Newgarden took the lead for good in Lap 67 and then it kind of calmed down those last 10 laps,” he said Josef Newgarden clocked the fastest lap in Grand Prix history in his No His team claimed three of the top four finishing spots. Scott McLaughlin Marcus Ericsson, the 2023 Grand Prix winner, was knocked out of the race early due to car issues O’Ward called his second-place finish in the season-opener a “very solid foundation to what is going to be a very tight “I think the Penskes were just too strong for us today,” he added IndyCar officials and drivers believe the Grand Prix set a new attendance record Congratulations to all and thank you for a wonderful weekend I wish Indy had a DRS style aero to improve passing It was good seeing all the previous Mayors together at the kick off event 60 million dollar boost to our local economy takes place through Sunday on a 14-turn waterfront circuit that includes a combination of adjacent downtown streets circling Pioneer Park and extending onto the runways at Albert Whitted Airport Tickets to view the races range from $30 to $165 Those attending the races or driving downtown for any reason should plan ahead for road closures Petersburg police wrote in a Facebook post Attendees are also encouraged to report suspicious activity to police by calling 727-893-7780 or texting “SPPD” and the tip to Tip411 Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. PetersburgThe two-time defending IndyCar champ takes his first step toward a possible three-peat in the 2025 Series opener celebrate with champagne bottles after finishing on the podium Sunday at the Firestone Grand Prix of St [ LUIS SANTANA | Times ]By Times staff and wiresPublished March 2|Updated March 3Alex Palou had to figure out a way to pass the car in front of him while holding off the two pursuers behind him Palou saw his near-five-second lead over Josef Newgarden on Lap 75 trimmed to less than a second as Sting Ray Robb then pulling away from Newgarden and Scott Dixon to win the 2025 IndyCar season opener It was the first step toward a possible three-peat for the two-time defending IndyCar champion who has won three of the past four Series championships (2021 IndyCar driver Alex Palou celebrates from atop his car after winning the Firestone Grand Prix of St [ LUIS SANTANA | Times ]“What an amazing job by everybody,” said Palou who started eighth after Saturday’s qualifying “They gave me everything we needed this weekend to win “Our strategy changed a lot during that first yellow It’s been 138 days since (the 2024 finale in) Nashville and I’ve been dreaming about this every single night.” Marcus Ericsson was the last driver to win for Ganassi in St. Pete in 2023. Prior to that win, it was Dario Franchitti in 2011. “Really good here for us in St. Pete — not one of our favorite tracks. We’ve been challenged here the last number of years,” Ganassi said. “We’re certainly the season favorite until next week or until the next race. “I think our cars are better than they were a year ago, at least here in St. Pete. If you saw how we ran here the last, like I said, number of years, it wasn’t great. It was OK, we hung on, but we were clearly being beat by some of the other teams, and that wasn’t the case this weekend. So, it was nice.” IndyCar driver Álex Palou, in red cap, celebrates with his Chip Ganassi Racing crew members after winning the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. [ JEFFEREE WOO | Times ]Stay updated on Tampa Bay’s sports sceneSubscribe to our free Sports Today newsletter You’re all signed up!Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started. “he would have won — it was simple.” Instead the New Zealander finished as runnerup for the fifth time in 21 starts in St Palou now takes a 10-point lead over Dixon into the next IndyCar event the Grand Prix of Thermal March 23 in California Scott McLaughlin, who won the pole during qualifying Saturday, finished fourth. Pato O’Ward, who won last season in St. Petersburg, overcame a disastrous 23rd-place start to finish 11th, the biggest jump in the 27-car field. Two-time IndyCar champion and 2018 Indianapolis 500 winner Will Power didn’t make it past the first lap, one of three drivers taken out during a crash in Turn 3 after Power tapped Nolan Siegel from behind. The crash concluded a nightmarish 44th birthday weekend for Power, who started 13th after losing power in his car, brushing the wall during practice and having his hybrid engine changed before qualifying. Former Major League Baseball star Alex Rodriguez rode in the pace car during a pre-race warmup lap. Information from the Associated Press, IndyCar.com was used in this report. Most recently, Saint Mleux appeared alongside the Monégasque racer at last week’s China Grand Prix in Shanghai. For the occasion, she wore multiple modern interpretations of Cheongsam by Hong Kong-based brand Sau Lee: a black high-neck dress with red frog fasteners, and a black velvet midi with a thigh-high slit and exaggerated keyhole with black faster. Perhaps the most endearing part of Saint Mleux’s WAG style is its relative accessibility; Take the fluttery ruffled olive green Reformaiton maxi dress with a matching scarf that she wore to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last year, or the red With Jéan vest festooned with a rose that she donned in Miami. Sure, maybe not everyone can spring for the navy Alessandra Rich dress with white polka-dots and a Pierrot-esque collar from her Spanish Grand Prix outing, but it’s easily replicable. After all, you may not be able to have Charles Leclerc, but you can have Alexandra Saint Mleux’s style. Below, see her Grand Prix-worthy fashion. Kym Illman/Getty Images1/20Grand Prix of China, 2025 Kym Illman/Getty Images2/20Grand Prix of China, 2025 NurPhoto/Getty Images3/20Grand Prix of China, 2025 Kym Illman/Getty Images4/20Grand Prix of Monaco, 2024 Arnold Jerocki5/20Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, 2024 Join our VIP Club for exclusive giveaways and members only events the world witnessed the most highly anticipated motorsport event of the year so far: the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Formula 1 race And while surely all eyes were on the race track regional and international It-girls shone just as brightly serving race-day glamour From WAGS to the A-listers and influencers of the Arab world a slew of stylish women brought their fashion A-game to Jeddah GRAZIA brings you the best-dressed celebrities spotted at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2025 Menna Samaha graced the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in her usual streetwear flair featuring a dark-washed denim-on-denim look The ensemble included a figure-hugging top with balloon sleeves and pants accented with statement laces and silver hoops The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix race event is where It-girls get to truly show off their fashionable outfits–and Ayah Samaha which she layered underneath a Formula 1-approved red-coloured tank top with low-rise pants that featured cross-side details and Alexandra is the perfect example of that statement her natural elegance shone through with a beige ‘fit She wore a short-sleeved blazer that complemented her silhouette paired with elevated wide-leg trousers that featured front pleat detailing her choice of accessories were equally stunning; she wore Dubai-based brand Karen Wazen’s Bella gold sunglasses and a pop of gold with the Bottega Veneta Andiamo clutch For Miss Saudi Arabia she served a mixture of elegance with modern chic Rahaf wore a flattering denim crop top with artisanal gold buttons She completed the look with a GRAZIA-approved Bottega Veneta Andiamo clutch and Roberto Coin bracelets and rings Zozo has always makes sure she’s dressed to the nines wherever she goes And it seems her number one choice for the race event was a white complete with a crisp white blazer and cotton pants she added contrast with a brown raffia shoulder bag from Valentino and sleek grey-tinted shades she wore a white flowy abaya with a halter top tucked in some high-waisted wide-leg trousers She accessorised the look with a statement Hermès mini Kelly handbag in brown Business with a side of casual was Lama’s energy at the Jeddah Circuit the Saudi entrepreneur and influencer opted for a white blazer with black stripes (of course light-washed denim trousers that were ankle-high a pair of leather boots and a crocodile leather Hermés Birkin bag Broome wins the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud at Saint-Cloud Racecourse Broome  may be one of those horses who seems to have been around forever but after stamping his authority on a high-class field in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (G1) it is probably time to conclude that he is a much-improved horse at the age of 5 who was not only landing a first group 1 in France but a first top-level success in tandem with Aidan O'Brien "It's my first time being here (at Saint-Cloud) and it's a lovely track," said Keane "Speaking to Aidan beforehand he said to keep it pretty simple "If no one was happy to go he said to make you're the one running I was happy to let my lad roll along—I had a willing partner "He pricked his ears and was taking me the whole way and galloped right to the line He's been very deserving of it as he's been very consistent this year so it was nice to get the group 1 beside his name." Betfair Sportsbook cut Broome to 10-1 (from 14) for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes (G1) July 24 while his odds for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) were trimmed to 25-1 (from 50) Given that both Broome and stablemate Japan  are part-owned by Masaaki Matsushima a tilt at the Arc for one or both would be no surprise David Menuisier and Chris Wright must have been delighted at the sight of Broome repelling his rivals given the way Wonderful Tonight readily dealt with him in the June 19 Hardwicke Stakes (G2) But the 5-year-old Broome has maintained a progressive profile throughout the first half of the year And the assumption that he must be just below the very best older horses at Ballydoyle might need re-examination Both his 3- and 4-year-old seasons were interrupted and O'Brien is making the most of having a clear run Photo: Zuzanna Lupa PhotographyThe connections of Broome after the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud at Saint-Cloud Racecourse "He's been very consistent and every race he's run this season has been brilliant," said O'Brien "We'll see how he comes out of the race before making our minds up about where he goes next or whether he'll have a break He has plenty of options and is taking his racing very well." "She ran well and was only beaten at the last," said Alain de Royer-Dupre "She ran like the filly we know she is and she perhaps just used up a little too much gas during the race as she had a horse on her outside the whole way." Ebaiyra proved last year she stays further than a mile and a half against her own sex but showed a fine turn of foot over a mile and a quarter here in the Prix Corrida (G2) and could be set for a return to that trip at Deauville next month Royer-Dupre said: "She was brave and honest and I don't think she had too hard a race The Jean Romanet at Deauville could be an option." Gold Trip finished best of those to race from further off the pace and failed by only a nose to catch Ebaiyra "We've already beaten In Swoop once going left-handed," said owner Jean-Louis Bouchard "He's entered in the King George in three weeks' time and we'll see how he comes out of this before making a decision he will have a break and then run in the Prix Foy before having another crack at the Arc." In Swoop was sent off the well-backed favorite and might have been better served if more of the forecast rain had arrived while his only two finishes outside the first two have coincided with running the other way round to ParisLongchamp and Ascot It's racing season and IndyCar is just around the corner as 27 teams and drivers will take the green flag on the season on the streets of St. Petersburg on March 2. So, while that's still a month and a half away, I couldn't wait to get my first bet in on a driver with massive value. With a new season comes new team and driver combinations, and that's exactly where I'm looking at with my early best bet for this race. IndyCar at St. Petersburg Best BetArrow 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 team capable of putting together a championship effort. Phenom Pato O'Ward grabbing a top-five finish in the championship in four of his five seasons with the Papaya outfit. That includes a win at last year's race at St. Petersburg, and a runner-up finish two years ago after his engine burped on the final two laps while leading, which allowed Marcus Ericsson to pass him for the win. That means in Lundgaard we're getting the following. I also bet him to finish in the top three at +700. There's also likely value on any prop that would include Lundgaard, such as odd car number to win, winning car number under 11.5, and related bets. This site .css-115lfch{color:var(--tan-text-link);}contains commercial content. We may be compensated for the links provided on this page. The content on this page is for informational purposes only. Action Network makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event. Copyright 2025 © Action Network Inc, All Rights Reserved.Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | AdChoices DISCLAIMER: This site is 100% for entertainment purposes only and does not involve real money betting This site contains commercial content. Disclosure Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler Reigning IndyCar champion Alex Palou took victory at the 2025 IndyCar season opener he’s setting up a strong challenge for his fourth IndyCar title Chip Ganassi Racing driver Alex Palou qualified down in eighth place 10 Honda had pace considering his top-three position in both of IndyCar’s pre-race qualifying sessions It would take a strong strategy and clean driving to bring the car home with a win A quiet player in the early stages of the race Palou’s decisive move came in an undercut pit stop around Lap 73 giving him track position over his teammate Scott Dixon — who revealed after the race that he was competing without a functioning radio Palou maintained his lead despite lapped traffic and Josef Newgarden hot on his tail No one had anything for the reigning champion Petersburg — one that cements his position in the lead of the championship once again 👉 Explained: The chaotic history of the IndyCar split and reunification 👉 Leaders Circle: The IndyCar championship you may not know about Read next: Alex Palou dominates Grand Prix of St. Pete, sets up fourth title run © Planet Sport Limited 2025 • All Rights Reserved The 2025 IndyCar season kicks off on Sunday with the Firestone Grand Prix of St A 100-lap IndyCar race held on the streets of St this event annually serves as the official launching point of the IndyCar Series season With 27 cars on the entry list for this 14-turn the track has hosted the season-opener for 13 of the last 16 seasons The track runs through the streets adjacent to Pioneer Park The Dalí Museum and Albert Whitted Airport Interested in watching this yearly staple of the racing world Here's everything you need to know about the 2025 Grand Prix of St For a limited time, you can get your first month of Fubo for as low as $59.99 NBC and 200-plus top channels of live TV and sports without cable Sunday's race has a noon ET listed start time pre-race activities are expected to push the waving of the green flag to shortly after noon You can listen to every IndyCar Series race on SiriusXM Coverage will be available on channel 218 (SiriusXM IndyCar Nation) Get SiriusXM for free for your first month Stay updated with all the news and get all the analysis on multiple sport-specific channels If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Learn more > Sloan Piva is a content producer for The Sporting News Sloan earned his BA and MA in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts and now lives in coastal Rhode Island with his wife and two kids PETERSBURG — The City Council took issue with the rapid racing rise of Nikita Johnson It had a Florida flag on top, but that’s not local enough for a kid in Gulfport. So at a 2019 meeting acknowledging that year’s Grand Prix the Council presented the 10-year-old a St Petersburg helmet (complete with pelicans and 727s) and a message: One day “We didn’t think it’d be now,” said Johnson’s dad is set to make his Firestone Grand Prix of St Petersburg debut this weekend as the youngest driver across the event’s six series Petersburg City Council gave Nikita Johnson this helmet [ LUIS SANTANA | Times ]Though Johnson is far from the first driver to call St lives a short drive from the street course and attended Admiral Farragut Academy in St Petersburg until pivoting to an online school the Lightning’s 2000 first-round pick who spent three seasons with Tampa Bay and defenseman Mikhail Sergachev is a family friend When Johnson wasn’t among the thousands of fans attending the Grand Prix Driver Nikita Johnson is named after Nikita Alexeev who totaled 35 points in 144 games with the Lightning [ DIRK SHADD | Times (2006) ]“Now I can finally race in my hometown Grand Prix,” Johnson said His path to the 1.8-mile street course spans thousands of miles but started by chance 15 minutes away at Bert Smith BMW Johnson was 4 or 5 when an employee there noticed his NASCAR car seat and told his family about Andersen Racepark in Palmetto Laps in Palmetto led to bigger races in Ocala then international trips to Italy and Germany — all before he turned 10 “It’s just been a progression,” his dad said The progression continued with an eventful 2022. Johnson finished third in the USF Juniors series (the first rung on the four-step ladder to IndyCar) Nikita Johnson finished second in the USF2000 series' race at Portland in 2022 [ Courtesy of Gavin Baker Photography ]Things sped up this winter when Johnson tested at Formula One tracks all over Europe — Austria When a handful of teams contacted him afterward the idea of becoming a professional race car driver started to feel less like a dream and more like a possibility This season will mark his biggest tests yet with a double-duty schedule. In the U.S., he’ll drive for VRD Racing and try to win the USF2000 championship to keep moving toward a future in IndyCar. Once he turns the minimum age of 15, he plans to start his path up the Formula One ladder by driving in the Formula4 Italian Championship He expects to make his debut at Belgium’s Spa-Francorchamps three days after his 15th birthday It’s a tough schedule for anyone — March features two races in St two tests in Italy plus another in Belgium — but his family believes it’s his best route If he can’t accomplish his goal of becoming the next American driver in Formula One experience will help him latch on in IndyCar “You’ve got to keep the options open at this point,” his father said seen here driving at Portland International Raceway made eight starts in the USF2000 series in 2022 [ GAVIN BAKER | Courtesy of Gavin Baker Photography ]If the idea of mapping out a career path for a high school freshman who is still in braces sounds intense it’s merely a reflection on the cut-throat nature of motorsports Obie Johnson said this season will cost half a million dollars (minus whatever can be negated by sponsors) and a years-long road to F1 is roughly $15 million Every edge matters with on-track results and off-track partnerships But the first order of business is for Johnson to handle things Saturday and Sunday in his first races at his home track just down the road from where it all began “Of course you always have those butterflies before you go race but I think this time will have a bit more butterflies,” Johnson said “I’ve just got to make it through Turn 1 and see the checkered (flag) first.” St. Petersburg resident Sebastien Bourdais won the Grand Prix in 2017 and 2018. [ Times (2018) ]Sebastien Bourdais: A native of France, the former IndyCar Series driver moved to St. Petersburg and won the Grand Prix in 2017-18. RC Enerson: An alumnus of New Port Richey’s Gulf High Enerson hasn’t raced in an IndyCar event here but won in 2014 in the USF2000 series at age 16 Colton Herta: The California native, Belleair resident and IndyCar championship contender led 97 of 100 laps to win the 2021 Grand Prix Glenn McGee: The Town ‘N’ Country resident won the pole last year in the Mazda MX-5 Cup race Tristan Vautier: Another Frenchman who moved to St Vautier led every lap of his debut in what is now called the Indy NXT series (IndyCar’s version of Triple-A baseball) in 2012 and raced in his first IndyCar race here the next year Petersburg resident won the Grand Prix in 2005 on his way to an IndyCar championship 13-turn track uses the streets circling Pioneer Park the Duke Energy Center for the Arts and The Dalí Museum and extends onto the runways at Albert Whitted Airport More info: Details on tickets, parking, event schedule and more here.