The roaring sounds of gear-shifting, high-speed rocket ships racing through the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla., means the return of the NTT IndyCar Series to the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
The 1.8-mile street course has served as IndyCar’s season opener since 2011 (with the exception of 2020-’21 due to COVID-19), with annual events racing in downtown St. Pete and the runway of Albert Whitted Airport since 2005.
Last year, New Zealander Scott McLaughlin dominated the weekend, surging to his first pole and initial IndyCar victory aboard the No. 3 Chevrolet for Team Penske.
Heading into this season, storylines are aplenty for the series. There’s plenty to watch for on Sunday afternoon.
Quick Facts
Distance: 100 laps / 180 miles
Push-To-Pass: 150 seconds of total time with a maximum single duration of 15 seconds. The push-to-pass is not available on the initial start or any restart unless it occurs during the final two laps or three minutes of a timed race.
Tire Outlook: Six primary sets, five alternate sets (teams must return a set of each before qualifying). One additional set of primary tires is available to rookie drivers for use in the Friday afternoon practice session.
Qualifying Record: Will Power, 59.3466 seconds; 109.189 mph, Feb. 26, 2022 (set in Round 2 of qualifying)
Former Winners Look To Make Noise
In past years, McLaughlin’s Team Penske teammates Will Power and Josef Newgarden have been red-hot out of the gates at the 14-turn course. Both Power (2010, ’14), and Newgarden (2019, ’20), are two-time winners of the event.
Power also boasts an astonishing eight career poles at the 1.8-mile circuit, including four in a row from 2010-2013.
Andretti Autosport’s Colton Herta won in St. Pete two years ago, after a dominant drive that saw the 22-year-old scorch the field, leading all but three laps en route to victory.
Though he hasn’t reached the top step of the podium since 2012, four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves will be looking to add a fourth Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg trophy on Sunday. Piloting the No. 06 for Meyer Shank Racing, Castroneves aims to kickoff the season on a high note. The 47-year-old Brazilian finish 18th in points last year.
Graham Rahal, winner of the 2008 event in St. Pete, heads into the weekend with hopes of resurgence. It’s been five years since his last trip to victory lane (2017 Detroit Race No. 2), and three years since the last time he visited the podium more than once (2020).
In his 17th season of competition, the driver of the No. 15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing entry has an average finish of 10.8 on the 14-turn circuit.
New Ride, New Outlook?
IndyCar silly season is never complete without a major superstar jumping teams. The big chess piece from the offseason was Alexander Rossi’s move from Andretti Autosport to Arrow McLaren to pilot the No. 7 Chevrolet.
Though he managed to score a victory at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course last season, Rossi’s results since his runner-up points position in 2018 have declined dramatically.
However, with a fresh slate and two stellar teammates in Pato O’Ward and Felix Rosenqvist to feed off of, it may be a positive sign for the 2016 Indianapolis 500 winner.
Rossi has a best finish of third at St. Petersburg in 2018.
Does Dixon FINALLY Break Through?
There’s no driver more overdue to win in the Florida Gulf Coast city more than six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon. The Kiwi’s résumé speaks for itself. In 18 career starts in St. Petersburg, Dixon has four runner-up finishes, an average finish of 7.88 and seven consecutive top-10 finishes. But zero victories.
As the second-winningest driver in IndyCar history with 53 triumphs continues to chase the great A.J. Foyt (67 wins), there’s not much left that the 42-year-old hasn’t conquered in the sport.
Aboard the No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, Dixon enters his 23rd year of professional open-wheel competition.
Notes To Remember
• Sunday’s Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will be Simon Pagenaud’s 200th career IndyCar start
• Rookies Marcus Armstrong, Agustin Canapino, Benjamin Pedersen and Sting Ray Robb will make their IndyCar debuts this weekend
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