INDYCARNATION

ST. PETRESBURG, Fla. -- ABC gets the ball rolling early this year by broadcasting the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg -- the first of its five IZOD IndyCar Series races.

ABC’s schedule also includes the Indianapolis 500 on May 30, marking the 46th consecutive year that “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" will air on ABC, as well as events at Kansas Speedway, Watkins Glen International and Toronto.

Marty Reid will again handle the chief announcing duties, with former IZOD IndyCar Series driver Scott Goodyear the analyst. Reporting from the pits will be Rick DeBruhl (making his IZOD IndyCar Series debut), Jamie Little and Vince Welch. For the Indianapolis 500, former race winner Eddie Cheever will be an analyst with Reid and Cheever in the booth for the third year. Jerry Punch returns to Indy as a fourth pit reporter. Brent Musburger will host the Indy 500 telecast.

Goodyear, watching the Pace Car Team loosen up the brakes of the Honda Accords on March 25, predicts that the diverse series schedule – which includes nine street/road events -- will again produce a tight championship race.

“The addition of road courses has put a lot more interest back into who's driving the car," Goodyear said. "Drivers can make up the difference and the deficiency sometimes in a car that's not very good on a road course, whereas on an oval, if you don't have a good car, you're generally not going to find yourself up towards the front.

"I look for some surprising teams to show some new strength this year in the IZOD IndyCar Series, and although they might not be fighting for wins each and every weekend, I think they're going to surprise some people by stealing some podium spots and maybe even stealing some race victories throughout the season."

Goodyear looks forward to the St. Petersburg street circuit, which has hosted the series the past five seasons.

"At the end of the high-speed straightaway there, the runway, you have a great opportunity for passing," he said. "But it's also an opportunity for people to get themselves into trouble because they get over-anxious and over-drive the car. It's one of the best places to watch."

First-year mayor to wave green flag

St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster will wave the green flag to start the sixth Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

Foster, 46, a longtime local attorney, was elected in 2009 to lead Florida's fourth-largest city. His term expires Jan. 2, 2014. He succeeded Rick Baker, a former Indianapolis resident who was instrumental in bringing the IZOD IndyCar Series race to the city streets.

Wheldon to sign copies of book

Dan Wheldon will launch his “Lionheart” photo book this weekend. At noon March 27, Wheldon will make a 30-minute appearance at the IZOD IndyCar Series merchandise tent on Bayshore Drive to autograph copies of his limited-edition book.

“This Lionheart book has been three years in the making, so to launch it in my hometown at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is really exciting for me,” Wheldon said. “Lionheart documents my IndyCar Series career starting with my rookie year in 2003 through my Indy 500 win, to this season with Panther Racing. It gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at my life both on and off the racetrack.

“I think people who buy this book are really going to enjoy the candid moments captured by photographer Michael Voorhees and I can’t thank him enough for his hard work and support on this project.”

Following this weekend’s launch, the book also will be available at http://shop.indycar.com

Wheldon, a St. Petersburg resident, will be driving a new chassis this weekend for Panther Racing. He finished fifth -- tying his 2009 season high on a street/road course -- in Brazil and was the winner of the inaugural Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

"There is a lot of positive energy in this team right now and hopefully we can carry this momentum through this weekend and the rest of the season," he said at the annual kickoff luncheon.

Same tire spec as Brazil

The primary (black sidewall) Firestone tires supplied for the race weekend are the same as the durable primary spec used two weeks ago in Brazil.

Per IZOD IndyCar Series regulations, all cars must use at least one primary set of tires and one new alternate (red sidewall) set during the race, each for a minimum of two green flag laps, unless rain tires are used. The alternate tires are identical to the 2009 alternates from Long Beach and Toronto. The Firehawk alternates are identical in body construction to the primaries but contain a softer tread compound, which provides more grip and faster lap times, yet trades off compound durability in exchange for those shorter-term advantages.

“Reliable tires with the right amount of grip are pivotal on a challenging street circuit like we'll see this weekend,” said Al Speyer, executive director of Firestone Racing. “The Firehawk specifications for St. Pete have already proven their worth in race conditions from Canada to Brazil, so we’re confident that they will once again answer that call.”

Firestone Racing honored by the EPA

Bridgestone Retail Operations and Firestone Racing received recognition from the Environmental Protection Agency for its "Get The Lead Out" program, a joint initiative designed to reduce the amount lead in the environment.

Pilots fly in for the race weekend

Ryan Briscoe and Team Penske will play host to several pilots from MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa over the race weekend. Briscoe met the pilots earlier this month when he visited the base and had the opportunity to tour a KC-135 refueling plane during an advance media visit to promote the race.

“Man, what a ride”

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running backs Carnell “Cadillac” Williams and Clifton Smith were among the riders in the Indy Racing Experience two-seater on the 1.8-mile, 14-turn St. Petersburg street circuit.

Smith, a 2009 Pro Bowl selection, said he hadn’t experienced anything like it. Said Williams: “I’ve watched Indy races on TV, but I had no idea what it was like to be in one of those cars. That was great.”

Karting event raises funds for Best Friends Animal Society

A total of $2,200 was raised for the not-for-profit Best Friends Animal Society in a charity endurance kart race at Andersen RacePark in Palmetto, Fla.
Members of the public were paired with professional racers. A team including Firestone Indy Lights driver Jonathan Summerton won the race.

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