The countdown to the start of the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season received a turbo boost Thursday, Feb. 6 with the annual ceremonial start of the track build project for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding on Sunday, March 2.
City of St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch, Florida native and Andretti Global driver Kyle Kirkwood, event organizers and dignitaries were among those who gathered at the annual event to mark the start of construction on the 14-turn, 1.8-mile temporary street circuit that includes St. Petersburg city streets and a runway at Albert Whitted Airport.
Kirkwood, a native and resident of Jupiter on Florida’s east coast, will drive the No. 27 Chili’s Honda for Andretti Global at the race (noon ET, FOX, INDYCAR Radio Network). He will aim to improve upon his best finish on the circuit, 10th last season in his third start on the track. Kirkwood won an INDY NXT by Firestone race in 2021 at St. Petersburg en route to the series title.
“Street courses are quite a bit different from road courses and ovals because they’re temporary circuits. You don’t get time really to do that much testing. You show up here Friday, get one session. We get another one Saturday, and then we’re straight into qualifying. Adapting quickly is very important for us drivers on street circuits. That’s something I feel I do pretty well, but also my team, Andretti Global, has been very, very strong on street courses in the past.”
Kirkwood’s teammate Colton Herta won this race in 2021. James Hinchcliffe also won for the Andretti team here in 2013, and Dan Wheldon captured the checkered flag for Andretti Global in 2005 on this circuit.
The track build is an impressive, speedy project, as just 27 days will elapse from the start of construction today to teardown by March 8, six days after the race. The construction process takes 18 days to complete the track.
About 18,000 feet of steel-reinforced concrete block, with each block 12 feet long, are placed around the circuit. Those nearly 2,000 blocks weigh a total of 20 million pounds.
Fencing consists of 25,000 feet of chain-link spectator fencing lining the track, and 18,000 feet of panel fencing comprising 1,500 total panes securing the steel-reinforced concrete barrier blocks.
More than 12,000 tires – wrapped with 1,500 feet of 40-inch wide, half-inch reinforced rubber belt – are used to build the track’s tire wall safety system.
Tickets for the event weekend are available at gpstpete.com.