IndyCar’s Firestone GP pumped $40,000,000 into the local Florida economy last season according to City leaders

IndyCar has been growing steadily as a sport over the last few years. The first race of the season, the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, has been on the calendar since 1985 and the 2025 event is slated to take place from February 28 to March 2.

In light of the hype around IndyCar, it has been recently revealed that the 2024 edition of the race pumped in a whopping $40,000,000 to the economy in Florida. Via the 10 Tempa Bay YouTube channel, Jenny Dean talked about the upcoming event and shared some fascinating facts.

"Well, as you can see here, there is just a flurry of activity here in downtown St. Pete as today, they begin laying the first pieces of track for this race, and hundreds of thousands of people to come to downtown St. Pete here in a few weeks to cheer on their favorite drivers." Dean said.

She further added:

"The St. Pete Grand Prix runs February 28th through March 2nd. Of course, you can expect closures all through downtown St. Pete that weekend and at times leading up to as they set up for the big race. City leaders say last year's race brought about $40 million to the local economy and they expect it to do even better this year," Dean added.

The 2024 edition of the IndyCar Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg was won by Arrow McLaren driver, Pato O'Ward.

Mayor of St. Pete urges people to 'come together' ahead of IndyCar's Firestone GP 2025

While the 2024 edition of the Firestone Grand Prix proved immensely beneficial to the local economy, the Mayor of St. Petersburg Ken Welch has come up with some words ahead of the 2025 event.

Welch revealed that he wants the fans to 'celebrate' the upcoming race weekend. In light of this, the 60-year-old came up with an encouraging message.

"It's the perfect time for our community to come together and celebrate, even as we rebuild from the storms of 2024. We’re able to show folks that St. Pete is up and running – we’re back, we haven’t been devastated and the debris is gone. It’s a postcard for what St. Pete is," Welch said via Stpetecatalyst.

Arrow McLaren's Pato O'ward amassed victory in the 2024 race by completing the event in 1:51:37 seconds. The runner-up was Team Penske's Will Power who on his end, completed the event in 1:51:38. The last podium place was secured by Andretti Global's Colton Herta.

Going into the 2025 edition of the IndyCar race, all these drivers will once again try to make their way to the top step. Moreover, a top veteran like Josef Newgarden would also be eyeing the victory in the opening race of the season.