IPS: IRL: St. Pete: Pre-race notes, schedule

FAST FACTS

WHAT:
IndyCar® Series: Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, second race in 17-race 2007 season
Indy Pro Series: Indy Pro Series Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, second and third races in 16-race 2007 season

WHERE:
Streets of St. Petersburg, 14-turn, 1.8-mile temporary street course

WHEN:
IndyCar Series: 2:45 p.m. (ET), Sunday, April 1

Indy Pro Series:
Race 1: 2:50 p.m. (ET), Saturday, April 1
Race 2: 11:30 a.m. (ET),Sunday, April 1

DISTANCE:
IndyCar Series: 100 laps/181 miles
Indy Pro Series: 40 laps/72 miles (each race)

POSTED AWARDS:
IndyCar Series: More than $1 million
Indy Pro Series: More than $365,000 (combined races)

CARS:
IndyCar Series: Dallara chassis; Honda Indy V-8; Firestone tires; 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol
Indy Pro Series: Dallara chassis; Firestone tires

PREVIOUS RACE WINNERS:
IndyCar Series: Dan Wheldon (2005), Helio Castroneves (2006)
Indy Pro Series: Marco Andretti (2005), Raphael Matos (2006, both races)

2006 SERIES CHAMPIONS:
IndyCar Series: Sam Hornish Jr.
Indy Pro Series: Jay Howard

TV:
IndyCar Series: Race: ESPN (live), 2:30 p.m. (ET), April 1

Indy Pro Series:
Race: ESPN2 (tape-delay), 4:30 p.m. (ET), April 6

RADIO:
IndyCar Series: Pre-race: IMS Radio Network (live), 2 p.m. (ET), April 1
Race: IMS Radio Network (live), 2:45 p.m. (ET), April 1

SCHEDULE (all times local; subject to change):

Friday, March 30
9:35 a.m. - 10:20 a.m. Indy Pro Series practice (two groups)
10:40 a.m. - 12:40 p.m. IndyCar Series practice (all cars)
3:35 p.m. - 4:05 p.m. Indy Pro Series practice (all cars)
4:25 - 5:30 p.m. IndyCar Series practice (two groups)

Saturday, March 31
9 - 9:30 a.m. Indy Pro Series Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Qualifying Session 1
9:45 - 10:50 a.m. IndyCar Series practice (two groups)
11:05 - 11:35 a.m. Indy Pro Series Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Qualifying Session 2
12:45 - 2:15 p.m. IndyCar Series Pole Qualifying
2:50 p.m. Indy Pro Series Grand Prix of St. Petersburg #1 (40 laps/72 miles), ESPN2 (4:30 p.m., April 6)

Sunday, April 1
11:30 a.m. Indy Pro Series Grand Prix of St. Petersburg #2 (40 laps/72 miles), ESPN2 (4:30 p.m., April 6)
2:45 p.m. Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (100 laps/181 miles), ESPN & IMS Radio Network (live)

THE TRACK:
1.8-mile temporary street course; varying in width from 26-63 feet wide
Mainstraight: 2,413 feet
Backstretch: 1,940 feet
Turns: 14

INDY-STYLE RACING IN ST. PETERSBURG:

Florida's western coast is not a stranger to auto racing competition. Plant Field was located at the site of the old Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa from 1921-1980. IMCA and USAC sanctioned many races at Plant Field before it became part of the Tampa University Athletic Field. The grandstands from the race track were used for the universities' athletic facilities.

From 1985 through 1990 and again from 1995-1996, St. Petersburg played host to SCCA Trans-Am Series racing. Among the winners of those events were: Indianapolis 500 starters Willy T. Ribbs, Pete Halsmer and Scott Pruett.

In 2003, the streets of downtown St. Petersburg hosted open-wheel racing for the first time when CART raced on a temporary street course, which incorporated the downtown area's waterfront.

In September 2004, the Indy Racing League announced its intentions to race the same course at the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on April 3, 2005. It was the first IndyCar Series event not to take place on an oval.

The 2007 IndyCar Series season continues with the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg at 2:30 p.m. (ET) on April 1. The race will be telecast live by ESPN and broadcast by the IMS Radio Network. A Spanish-language telecast of the race will be carried by ESPN Deportes. The IMS Radio Network broadcast also is carried on XM Satellite Radio and www.indycar.com. The sixth season of Indy Pro Series competition continues with the Indy Pro Series Grand Prix of St. Petersburg doubleheaders on March 31 and April 1 on the at Streets of St. Petersburg. The race will be telecast at 4:30 p.m. (EDT) on April 6 by ESPN2.

-credit: irl