ST. PETERSBURG, FL. (WSVN) \u2014 Just days before the official start of a new season of the NTT IndyCar Series, fans flocked to St. Petersburg for a rainy afternoon of fun.<\/p>\n
While the season begins in the Sunshine State, Friday\u2019s planned practice run for drivers was canceled due to rainy conditions.<\/p>\n
The rainfall didn\u2019t deter fans; they were seen enjoying the first day of what\u2019s expected to be a busy weekend of excitement.<\/p>\n
On Saturday, fans will be able to catch the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and enjoy a whole host of food vendors and activities, including the opportunity to meet their favorite drivers.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re not watching IndyCar, you\u2019re missing out. It\u2019s the greatest form of motor sports in the world in my opinion,\u201d said Sting Ray Robb, a driver for Juncos Hollinger Racing.<\/p>\n
Speaking with 7News, Sting Ray Robb said he hopes to make a strong impression on his team this weekend.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe name helps. Obviously, with a name like Sting Ray, that\u2019s hard not to want to be a race car driver. It was gonna be really hard to be an accountant or a lawyer, something like that. Not very many people are trusting a kid named Sting Ray Robb,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
It all leads up to Sunday\u2019s race, a 1.8-mile circuit featuring 14 turns and 100 laps that incorporates some downtown St. Petersburg streets and sections of a runway at Albert Whitted Airport.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe race part on an airstrip and then part on streets, so it\u2019s two very different parts of the track and each have their own unique challenges,\u201d said Kyffin Simpson, a driver for Chip Ganassi Racing.<\/p>\n
Each of the 25 drivers is eager to take home the season\u2019s first victory at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s not to love about this? Really, it\u2019s the speed, it\u2019s the competition,\u201d said Simpson.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m very fortunate I get to live my dream,\u201d said Christian Rasmussen, a driver for Ed Carpenter Racing. \u201cI\u2019m looking to stay in IndyCar for a long time and build my career here and see where it takes me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Doug Boles, the president of the IndyCar series, said Florida is the perfect home for the competition.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we love about coming to Florida, the weather\u2019s good and this community makes it more than a race; they make it an event. That\u2019s why I think this will always be the opener for us here in the U.S.,\u201d said Boles.<\/p>\n
The race is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. on Sunday. You can watch it all on Channel 7.<\/p>\n
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