As crews mount 1,100 tires for the 22nd annual downtown race, some fans leave with more than memories.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Day two of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Pete wrapped up Saturday evening, marking the 22nd consecutive running of the downtown tradition and the opening race weekend of the IndyCar season.

The main event is set for Sunday at 12:30 p.m. along the nearly two-mile waterfront course that winds around Albert Whitted St. Petersburg Municipal Airport. The race is expected to run two and a half to three hours.

Behind the scenes, preparation is measured in grams.

Crews will mount and balance about 1,100 Firestone tires over the course of the weekend for the 25 cars competing, most running 10 sets per car. Each tire is carefully fitted, inflated and balanced before it ever touches the track.

“Today we are going to mount and then balance a tire. Are you ready to work?” Mark Williamson, service crew manager for Firestone asked 10 Tampa Bay News reporter Annie Krall.

“I am ready Mark,” Krall replied.

After mounting the tire, filling it with air and putting a cap on it, the subsequent pops that come from the tire getting set into place mean it’s ready to be balanced.

“So we balance within three grams,” Williamson said.

“What does that actually mean when you say balance?” Krall asked.

“When you go to the grocery store and you’ve got a shopping cart that’s got the little bump on the wheel and it goes thump, thump, well imagine that at 150 or 160 mph,” Williamson said.

For some young fans, the weekend’s takeaways extend beyond autographs and photos.

“We asked, can we have these tires? He was like: ‘Do whatever you want.’ So we just grabbed two tires and we got them,” Alexander Macko, 10, said.

“It was nice of him to do. I like them a lot,” Alexander added.

“I would just keep them in my room or somewhere in my house,” Deegan Gollnitz, 14, said.

“I just love seeing all the cars and watching them go around the track. Just having a great time,” Daniel Macko, 14, said.

Tens of thousands of fans are expected to attend the qualifier and finale festivities. 

Organizers recommend arriving early, as parking is available at the now-transformed Albert Whitted St. Petersburg Municipal Airport.

A full race guide is available with ticket information by clicking here.


2026 Firestone Grand Prix parking

Parking is available for $30 at Tropicana Field Lots 6 and 7. Enter the lots at 3rd Avenue South and Dr. MLK Jr. Street S. 

Payment must be made through credit card, as cash is not accepted. A free shuttle service will run from Tropicana Field to the Grand Prix event site.

The USF St. Pete garage is recommended for those with limited mobility looking to enter the event at 5th Avenue S (Gate 5).

The SouthCore garage is recommended for those looking to enter the event at 1st Avenue S (Gate 1).