The Brief
Former Tampa Bay Bucs head coach and member of the Bucs Ring of Honor, Jon Gruden, has been named Grand Marshal for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
Gruden will be in charge of giving the iconic command for drivers to start their engines when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season kicks off on Sunday.
The iconic coach brought Tampa Bay its first-ever Lombardi Trophy in 2003.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Former Tampa Bay Bucs head coach and member of the Bucs Ring of Honor, Jon Gruden, has been named Grand Marshal for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
The man who brought Tampa Bay its first-ever Lombardi Trophy in 2003 will give the iconic command for drivers to start their engines when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season kicks off on Sunday.
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Gruden will also lead a pack of 25 cars around the 1.8-mile downtown street circuit in a parade car just before the race begins.
With Gruden spending most of his career on the gridiron before recently taking a job with Barstool Sports, he said he’s ready for his first St. Pete Grand Prix.
What they’re saying
“This will be my first ever Grand Prix in St. Petersburg on Sunday,” Gruden said. “Can’t wait to see these great drivers in action and make some new friends. Looking forward to an amazing event!”
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What’s next
The weekend kicks off on Thursday with the Party in the Park at North Straub Park and the annual 5K on the track.
For the first time, the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series will hold a street race, the “OnlyBulls Green Flag 150,” on Saturday.
READ: Organizers ready for 2026 Valspar Championship
What you can do
Tickets are still available and at last check they are going for $30. For the full schedule and race day info, click here.
If you aren’t heading to the race, you can watch it live on FOX 13.
The Source
Information for this story was provided by the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.