Race over to downtown St. Pete this weekend as the Honda Grand Prix rolls back into town. It should be a fun Thursday night with the free Rev-Up Party at the new Jannus Live, featuring the Greg Billings Band, Tom Gribbin and the Saltwater Band, and Gale Trippsmith. Along with the concerts Thursday night, there will be a Festival of States parade and fireworks to go along with it. Get out early and stay late for a fun evening.
And don’t expect to sleep in on Friday morning, USF students. The octane starts flowing bright and early, with the first of numerous practice runs slated for 8 a.m. There will be plenty to enjoy on Friday, so make it a point to get out and walk around the compound to check out all the different paddocks. The best bet is to get a 3-day pass for $45.
The engines gear up early again Saturday morning with qualifying sessions and races. Saturday also offers autograph sessions for both the World Challenge and Indy Racing League. Expect to see the big names, possibly including Dan Wheldon, Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon. Oh, and maybe some lady named Danica Patrick.
Sunday is the big race.
This article appears in Mar 17-23, 2010.