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Grand Prix is Ready to Roll

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By TB Reporter

Three days of auto racing is about to start in downtown St. Petersburg. 

ST. PETERSBURG — Downtown St. Petersburg is open for all
race fans, visitors and residents as the city welcomes three days of
fast cars, world-class drivers and family fun on the waterfront during the
2016 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Friday through Sunday (March 11 -13). As the
season-opening event on this year’s 15-race Verizon IndyCar Series calendar,
downtown St. Petersburg transforms into what is believed to be one of racing’s most beautiful road
courses. It offers spectacular trackside waterfront views, and the race will be broadcast on ABC beginning at 12:30 p.m. Sunday.

Mayor Rick Kriseman will host a flag raising ceremony Thursday (March 10) at 10
a.m., with special guest Sebastien Bourdais, Verizon IndyCar Series driver and
local St. Pete resident. Kim Green and Kevin Savoree, owners of the Firestone
Grand Prix, will also participate in the ceremony, held on the northwest lawn
of City Hall, 175 Fifth St. N.

To get the Grand Prix weekend off to a speedy start, everyone is invited to
embrace the race with live music, a kids’ build-a-racecar arts-and-crafts
tent, food trucks and family fun at the free Fast Friday festivities in North
Straub Park on Friday.

The party kicks off at 6:30 p.m. with the  Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg 5K in North Straub Park. Athletes of
all ages and abilities will run along a waterfront course that, this year,  will take place completely on the iconic racetrack. Advance registration is $30. Proceeds will benefit All Children’s Hospital Johns’ Hopkins Medicine.
Following the race and awards ceremony, a free Movies on the Lawn event will
begin at 7:30 p.m., with family favorite Cars (G). Join us again on Saturday
night for cult classic The Cannonball Run (PG). The movies will be shown on
the north wall of the Museum of Fine Arts in North Straub Park.

Everyone is welcome to visit St. Petersburg’s dining and retail district
before, during and after the race. Both the Tropicana shuttle and Looper
Trolley feature extended hours all three days to encourage relaxation and
exploration downtown after a day on the race circuit.

Through social media, you can stay on top of the action at the track, follow your favorite team
or driver and learn what’s going on in downtown St. Petersburg using the
official Grand Prix hashtag #FirestoneGP. Follow @StPeteFL for the latest
updates and standings and show support by using #EmbraceTheRace while sharing
photos and comments on Facebook.

For other events in St. Petersburg during race weekend, visit
www.stpete.org/events.

For more information on the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg 5K, visit
www.gpstpete.com.

St. Petersburg | Events | Firestone Grand Prix | TB Reporter

#St.Petersburg #Events #FirestoneGrandPrix #TBReporter