Round 1: Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, 25 - 27 February.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Round 1: Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, 25 - 27 February.

The waiting is almost over, as the 2022 season gets underway this weekend, though it hasn't been quite as long as some off seasons, with the race being held at the end of February rather than the second week in March. After two years this weekend also sees the return of St. Petersburg as the season opener, where it belongs on the calendar.

For the last two years, the IndyCar season has been badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2020, the season opener, traditionally held at St. Petersburg since 2005, was initially canceled but was eventually reinstated as the season finale on October 25th, after successful negotions between Mayor Rick Kriseman, the race promoters Green Savoree St. Petersburg LLC and title sponsores Firestone.

Last year was no exception and it was decided that the season opener scheduled for March 7 at St. Petersburg, would once again not go ahead. However, instead of initially cancelling the race as in 2020, it would be put back, swapping places with Barber Motosports Park, which would then host the 2021 season opener on the weekend of April 16-18.

This year will be the 19th running of the event on the current course and the 18th as an IndyCar race. The race was first held as part of the SCCA Trans-Am Series, on the downtown waterfront circuit, from 1985-1990 but when local residents and businesses complained about the noise it was cancelled. It returned briefly from 1996-1997 on a new course around Tropicana Field. After a second hiatus, the event returned in 2003 but as a Champ Car race, using a modified layout of the original 1985–1990 waterfront circuit. In 2004, the event was cancelled due to a dispute between the promoters but returned in 2005, this time as part of the IRL IndyCar Series, making it the first non-oval event for the Indy Racing League.

Some trivia:
The driver with most wins: 3, Hélio Castroneves, 2006, 2007, 2012.
The team with most wins: 11, Team Penske, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020.



Track layout:


Length: 1.8 Miles (2.9 Km)
Turns: 14

Lap record:
Jordan King 1:00.0476, 107.914 Mph (173.670 km/h).
Ed Carpenter Racing,
Dallara IR18-Chevy IndyCar V6.
Verizon IndyCar Series.

Last year's race:
https://www.motorsport.com/indycar/n...paign=widget-6

Pole:
Colton Herta, 1:00.3210, 107.425 mph, (172.884 Km/h)
Andretti Autosport w/ Curb-Agajanian,
Dallara IR18-Honda HI21R Indy-V-6.

Winner:
Colton Herta,
Andretti Autosport w/ Curb-Agajanian,
Dallara IR18-Honda HI21R Indy-V-6.

Laps 100
Distance 180 Miles (289.681 Km)
Race Time 1:51:51.4115
Average Speed 96.552 Mph, (155.385 Km/h)
Fastest lap: Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing. Lap 67, 61.7350 sec. 105.440 mph (169.689 km/h)

Caution periods: 3
Laps: 18 - 20, 73 - 75, 80 - 82

Race Broadcast:
Sunday, Feb 27.
NBC: 12:00pm ET, 5:00pm UTC.
Sky Sports F1: 5:00pm GMT.