Downtown St. Petersburg has been transformed into an Indy Car racetrack and drivers will take to the course starting Friday.
- BN9 coverage of the Grand Prix:
- Ticket info | Schedule | Road Closures | Fan Guide
- Track Map | Firestone Grand Prix official web site
- RELATED: Sara and Felix Go-Karting with the pros!
The 13th annual Firestone Grand Prix officially begins today and runs through Sunday's signature race.
There will be 13 races through the weekend, in addition to a 5k race, live music, exhibits and activities for the whole family.
"There's racing on the race track from 8 in the morning through 6 at night," said Kim Green, Owner & CEO of Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
But, Green said, the main attraction will be racing and it will be exciting.
"Being a street course, you can't sit in one place and see the whole race track," he said. "So we do have big screens in several locations, in front of the grand stands, and over off the water in front of the Dali and the Mahaffey. I would encourage them to wander the race track a little bit."
The raceway, under construction for weeks, is set, turning downtown into a 1.8-mile, 14-turn waterfront track.
The track includes downtown streets circling Pioneer Park, the Duke Energy Center for the Arts, The Dali Museum and extending onto the runways at Albert Whitted Airport, which overlook Tampa Bay and the picturesque St. Petersburg Harbor and Marina.
Qualifying races start today and run through Saturday.
The main race is Sunday, beginning at 12:30 p.m. Race weekend also includes a fan village, live music, autograph sessions, a beer garden and interactive games and exhibits.