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7 Mar 2024, 12:16 (Ref:4200340) | #1 | ||
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Round 1: Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, FL. March 8 - 10.
Round 1: Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, FL March 8 - 10
The off season is almost over, with Practice 1 for the 2024 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg getting underway this Friday, at 2:45 PM ET. This year will be the 21st running of the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on the current course and the 20th as an IndyCar race. St. Petersburg has traditionally been the season opener, with the exception of 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Last year's race had 27 entries. - History 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, it 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 race for the Indy Racing League and becoming a perennial event on the race calendar. In 2020 and 2021, both seasons were disrupted by the Covid pandemic with the 2020 race initially cancelled, though it was eventually reinstated as the season finale. In 2021, St. Petersburg swapped places with Barber Motorsports Park, which then became the season opener. However in 2022, St. Petersburg returned as the season opener. In 2022, Firestone debuted its green-banded race tires, with sidewalls made from sustainable Guayule rubber, at the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix in Nashville. Last year they were used at all 5 street races starting at St. Petersburg. This season the green tyres will again be used on all street races. 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. - Track layout: Length: 1.8 Miles (2.9 Km) Turns: 14 Lap record: Will Power, Feb 26 2022. 59.30, 109.104 Mph (175.586 Km/h). Team Penske, Dallara IR18-Chevrolet Indy V6. ITT IndyCar Series. - Last year's race: https://www.indycar.com/news/2023/03...cs-stpete-race Pole: Romain Grosjean, Andretti Autosport, Dallara IR18-Honda HI23TT V-6 Winner: Marcus Ericsson, Chip Ganassi Racing, Dallara IR18-Honda HI23TT V-6 Laps 100 Distance 180 Miles (289.681 Km) Race Time 2:05:30.7907 Average Speed 96.899 Mph, (155.944 Km/h) Fastest lap: Alex Palou - Chip Ganassi Racing. Lap 10, 60.987 sec. 105.348 Mph (169.541 Km/h) Caution periods: 5 Laps: 26 - Practice and Qualifications Practice 1 Friday, Mar 8. 2:45 PM - 4:00 PM ET Practice 2 Saturday, Mar 9. 9:35 AM - 10:35 AM ET Qualifications Round 1, Group 1 Saturday, Mar 9. 2:00 PM - 2:10 PM ET Round 1, Group 2 Saturday, Mar 9 2:25 PM - 2:35 PM ET Round 2 Saturday, Mar 9 2:50 PM - 3:00 PM ET Firestone Fast 6 Saturday, Mar 9 3:15 PM - 3:30 PM ET - Race Broadcast Sunday, March 10. NBC: 12:00 PM ET, 4:00 PM UTC. Sky Sports F1: 4:00 PM GMT. |
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"If you're not winning you're not trying." Colin Chapman. |
7 Mar 2024, 19:51 (Ref:4200410) | #2 | ||
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Let the long off season be OVER!
Always look forward to this one. Have a friend in the Tampa area. Might try to go visit him next year. |
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7 Mar 2024, 19:58 (Ref:4200412) | #3 | |
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My boss used to fly down with a bunch of college friends for it, tickets from a St Pete doc. Had to make the tough choice a couple years with Nascar at AMS and Indy at St Pete
Said it was a great time and decent getting around the track |
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7 Mar 2024, 21:02 (Ref:4200416) | #4 | |
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I'm going to the race on Sunday before heading to Sebring later in the week. Having the two events on consecutive weekends is something I've been wanting to happen for a long time.
It's also bizarre to have the IndyCar season starting after F1. |
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7 Mar 2024, 21:59 (Ref:4200419) | #5 | ||
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Wow. Have a top time.
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Brum brum |
8 Mar 2024, 12:02 (Ref:4200471) | #6 | |||
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Quote:
If you can, post some pics of the race. |
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9 Mar 2024, 03:28 (Ref:4200555) | #7 | ||
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Stingy steady climbing after fp1 24/27. Unfortunately Colin is 27.
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9 Mar 2024, 20:35 (Ref:4200644) | #8 | ||
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Josef takes pole!
Andretti only team in Fast 6 with 2 cars and a surprising JHR appearance for Grosjean |
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9 Mar 2024, 22:09 (Ref:4200649) | #9 | ||
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Qualification Results
Congrats to Josef Newgarden on getting pole. Last year's pole sitter Romain Grosjean is 5th and last year's race winner Marcus Ericsson 6th. Reigning driver's champion Alex Palou is 13th. Felix Rosenqvist broke Will Power's 2022 lap record in Round 2 of qualifications, with a speed of 109.329 mph (175.948 km/h) and a lap time of 00:59.2706. |
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10 Mar 2024, 01:32 (Ref:4200661) | #10 | ||
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How much do you think Callum enjoyed qualifying ahead of Augustin?
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10 Mar 2024, 16:26 (Ref:4200713) | #11 | ||
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It is race time, I am just hoping for a carnage free start.
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10 Mar 2024, 16:31 (Ref:4200714) | #12 | ||
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10 Mar 2024, 16:59 (Ref:4200717) | #13 | ||
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and first caution as Armstrong overcooks it and gets in the wall
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10 Mar 2024, 17:06 (Ref:4200718) | #14 | ||
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Slow stop for Braun, lost 4 places but Stingy picked up a few places.
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10 Mar 2024, 17:07 (Ref:4200719) | #15 | ||
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A clean restart.
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10 Mar 2024, 17:10 (Ref:4200720) | #16 | ||
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Stingy out with a brake issue. No contact or other damage, but his day is done.
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10 Mar 2024, 17:11 (Ref:4200721) | #17 | ||
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Stingy out.
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"If you're not winning you're not trying." Colin Chapman. |
10 Mar 2024, 17:18 (Ref:4200722) | #18 | ||
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Is it me or is Lee Diffy getting a bit one eyed about Scott McGloughlin ?
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10 Mar 2024, 17:33 (Ref:4200724) | #19 | ||
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Ericsson with some type of engine issue and he pits
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10 Mar 2024, 17:33 (Ref:4200725) | #20 | ||
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Looks terminal for Ericsson.
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10 Mar 2024, 17:49 (Ref:4200727) | #21 | ||
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Yellow again as Grosjean spins Lundqvist. Feel really bad for him, he had been top rookie all day.
Now that means nobody will have to save fuel and the last 1/4 of the race is going to be tough. |
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10 Mar 2024, 17:52 (Ref:4200728) | #22 | ||
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Lundqvist gets going again and gets a new rear wing.
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10 Mar 2024, 18:14 (Ref:4200733) | #23 | ||
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I'm glad Grosjean's out. That was an unnecessary move that caused Lundqvist to go into the tyres. He used to do a lot of that in F1 and is still doing it.
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"If you're not winning you're not trying." Colin Chapman. |
10 Mar 2024, 18:17 (Ref:4200734) | #24 | ||
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10 Mar 2024, 18:23 (Ref:4200735) | #25 | ||
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Wow, all the Penske cars in top 4, only O'Ward prevented a podium sweep.
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