The sun rises over the pits on Saturday morning. (Mark Zou/The Epoch Times)ST.PETERSBURG, Fla—The IndyCar Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg brings three days of racing to the coastal Florida city, with USF2000, Indy Lights, Star Mazda, Indy Lights, World Challenge GT cars, and of course the IICS IndyCars.
Before the races, around the edges, behind the fences, lies a wealth of entertainment, diversion, and simply striking scenes.
Wherever you look there will be things to see. A truck selling Danica Patrick merchandise sets up before the crowds arrive. (Mark Zou/The Epoch Times)Downtown St. Petersburg sleeps silently on Sunday morning—except for the crews preparing for the race. (James Fish/The Epoch Times)Laptops are as important as wrenches when running a racing team. (James Fish/The Epoch Times)A tire technician prepares tires for the final IndyCar practice session Sunday morning. (Mark Zou/The Epoch Times)Giant TV screens around the track keep fans apprised of the action in different locations. (James Fish/The Epoch Times)A crewman in the KV Racing pits lays out rain tires in case the weather turns ugly. (Mark Zou/The Epoch Times)Firestone technicians track the performance of their products on the track. (Mark Zou/The Epoch Times)The track runs right by the new Salvador Dali museum. (James Fish/The Epoch Times)Some of St. Petersburg's classical architecture looks down on the track. (James Fish/The Epoch Times)Indy Lights driver Carmen Jorda signs a photo for a young fan. (Mark Zou/the Epoch Times)James Hinchcliffe, who won the Indy Lights pole, signs autographs. (Mark Zou/The Epoch Times)Sixteen-year-old Star Mazda driver Tatiana Calderon signs autographs. (Mark Zou/The Epoch Times)Up-and-coming drivers meet up-and-coming fans. (Mark Zou/The Epoch Times)The lights on the Ferris wheel are the only motion, just before sunrise in downtown St. Pete. (James Fish/The Epoch Times.)A young fan enjoys the race with his mother. (James Fish/The Epoch Times)A local custom motorcycle shop displays its wares. (James Fish/The Epoch Times)
