ST. PETERSBURG, Florida – As Josef Newgarden was unleashing the champagne spray after his impressive victory in Sunday’s Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Kevin Savoree was standing off to the side of the stage watching the celebration. Savoree, who along with business partner and fellow former race team executive Kim Green, promotes this race as part of Green Savoree Racing Promotions, quickly sought safe refuge from the stray champagne that turned into liquid debris for the onlookers.

While Newgarden, along with second-place finisher Scott Dixon and third-place Wil Power, drenched each other in the champagne spray, Savoree also had reason to celebrate.

Once again, the NTT IndyCar Series is off to a flying start after another great Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg served as the launching point for the 2019 season.

“Year 15, another incredible success,” Savoree told the NTT INDYCAR App. “So many great partners, the city of St. Petersburg and Firestone, we couldn’t do it without them. So many great fans came out this weekend got to see a heck of a start to the NTT IndyCar Series.”

Fans jammed the race course area all three days of last weekend’s event with a capacity crowd seeking the best vantage points for the race. The grandstands were full along with the VIP areas, such as the outdoor patio at the Mahaffey Theater, to see the high-speed action on the race course.

Sunny skies, 80-degree weather made the backdrop of Tampa Bay even more spectacular.

The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg has earned its place as one of the biggest, most anticipated races on the schedule. This was also a time for a new beginning as NTT had its first race as the series sponsor and it was the first race of a new television package that has all IndyCar Series events on NBC Sports – either on NBC or NBC Sports Network. This race was shown on the latter.

For the first time, all practices and the Indy Lights Series race were streamed live on INDYCAR Pass, which is part of INDYCAR Pass on NBC Gold. The platform utilizes NBC’s production and talent for all of the track action.

“Any time you can have the stability of a title partner, it’s so important, especially one with the stature of NTT,” Savoree said. “I know they are doing to do great things and we are looking forward to working with them. And the NBC deal is going to be awesome for the series and the promotors.”

Savoree had not looked at the attendance figures yet, but said, “It feels good.”

It was the enthusiasm level of the fans that impressive Savoree.

“It was ten-tenths,” Savoree said. “Full-on, ten-tenths. It was so much fun. The city started a campaign several years ago called ‘Embrace the Race’ and the fans embraced the race.”

Green Savoree Racing Promotions is an INDYCAR partner with the Honda Indy Toronto, the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio in July and the Labor Day Weekend Portland Grand Prix.

With the St. Pete race concluded, Savoree is already focusing on his next project, the annual street race at Toronto (July 12-14).

“That is what this company is all about,” Savoree said. “Perform on Sunday, grade on Monday. We will grade ourselves, work with INDYCAR to make it bigger and better. We have already started on Toronto.”