Round 1: Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, March 3 -5.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Round 1: Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, March 3 -5.

The off season is almost over, as the 2023 season finally gets underway this Friday at 3:00 PM ET with Practice 1.

Last year St. Petersburg returned to the calendar as the season opener, after both the 2020 and 2021 seasons were disrupted due to the covid pandemic. In 2021 St. Petersburg was initially canceled but eventually reinstated as the season finale and in 2022, St. Petersburg swaped places with Barber Motosports Park which became the season opener.

This year will be the 20th running of the event on the current course and the 18th as an IndyCar race and there will be 27 entries for this year's opener.

The event 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. The race 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.

Firestone debuted its green-banded race tires, with sidewalls made from sustainable guayule rubber, at last year's Big Machine Music City Grand Prix in Nashville. This year the tyres will be used at all 5 street races starting at St. Petersburg.

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Some trivia:
The driver with most wins: 3, Hélio Castroneves, 2006, 2007, 2012.
The team with most wins: 12, Team Penske, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2022.

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Track layout:


Length: 1.8 Miles (2.9 Km)
Turns: 14

Lap record:
Will Power 59.30, 109.104 Mph (175.586 Km/h).
Team Penske,
Dallara IR18-Chevrolet Indy V6.
ITT IndyCar Series.

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Last year's race:
https://www.indycar.com/news/2022/02/02-27-stpete-race

Pole:
Scott McLaughlin,
Team Penske,
Dallara IR18-Chevrolet Indy V6

Winner:
Scott McLaughlin,
Team Penske,
Dallara IR18-Chevrolet Indy V6

Laps 100
Distance 180 Miles (289.681 Km)
Race Time 1:51:27.3466
Average Speed 96.899 Mph, (155.944 Km/h)
Fastest lap: Conor Daly - Ed Carpenter Racing. Lap 53, 60.987 sec. 106.253 Mph (170.997 Km/h)

Caution periods: 1
Laps: 8 - 25 to 32

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Practice and Qualifications
Friday, Mar 3. 3:00 PM - 4:15 PM ET, Practice 1

Saturday, Mar 4 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM ET, Practice 2

Saturday, Mar 4
2:15 PM - 2:25 PM ET. Qualifications - Round 1 Group 1

Saturday, Mar 4
2:35 PM - 2:45 PM ET. Qualifications - Round 1 Group 2

Saturday, Mar 4
2:55 PM - 3:05 PM ET. Qualifications - Round 2

Saturday, Mar 4
3:15 PM - 3:30 PM ET. Qualifications - Firestone Fast 6

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Race Broadcast:
Sunday, March 5.
NBC: 12:00pm ET, 5:00pm UTC.
Sky sports action: 5:00pm GMT.