High Octane Fun in the Sun

Official Review by Jim Dietrich, Stadium Journey Regional Correspondent

If you've read any of my reviews before, you've probably seen me extol the virtues of the high-energy city that St. Petersburg has become in both my Tropicana Field and Al Lang Stadium reviews. So, hosting an international event billed as "the world's fastest spring break party" seems like it'd fit right into St. Pete's M.O. as of late. This third incarnation of the track in downtown St. Pete centers around Al Lang, the Mahaffey Theater, new Dalà Museum, and Albert Whitted Airport, though this wasn't always the case.

Racing has been in St. Pete for over two decades, starting in 1985 with the SCCA Trans-Am Series on a track similar to today's, but focusing more on the northern part of the waterfront, going by the St. Pete Pier and the Vinoy Hotel, then returning north by the Mahaffey. After complaints by the neighbors, though, those races were ended after 1990. Upon returning to St. Pete in 1996, the track was moved to the streets around the Trop, but due to the inferior condition and lack of difficulty of the new circuit, the event was cancelled in 2000.

The current track was built to bring the highest level of road-specific racing in the US, Champ Car, to St. Pete, and it was successful in 2003. However, after financial difficulties, 2004's race was cancelled, and in 2005, the competing racing series, the Indy Racing League, took control of the circuit, making it the first non-oval in its history. Today, the IRL has since bought-out the Champ Car series and has a 50/50 mixture of ovals and road/street courses, thanks in large part to this track in the Sunshine City; as a nod to its part in the unification of open-wheel racing in the US, the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is now the opening race in the League's schedule.

Food & Beverage    4

I haven't seen so many choices for food at any event in my life. Hot dogs, burgers, and fries aside, you have Italian; Greek; Middle Eastern; funnel cake; Cuban; cheesesteaks; seafood; (fill in the blank)-on-a-stick; barbecue; home-brewed sodas and root beer, complete with souvenir metal mug; a treat from Pittsburgh, sausages from Tambellini Catering; and a Latin American dish called arepa, which consists of sweet corn- and cheese-infused unleavened bread.

There were multiple carts of each available around the 1.8 mile circuit, so you have numerous choices available. Beer is more-than-plentiful around the grounds, especially with a public floating bar by the Albert Whitted control tower, offering numerous choices of brews, and a unique view of the track.

Prices for all the above are about standard for a baseball game: $7 for beer, $5 for some food. You can have a great time for $20-$30 a person, not including tickets and merchandise.

The only reason this score isn't perfect is an inherent flaw with a temporary course, like this one in St. Pete: 99% of all the booths are cash-only. With apps now available on phones to accept credit cards, the abundance of online payment systems, and the prevalence of plastic in our society, cash may still be king, but no one uses it on a regular basis. Yes, there are ATMs available in numerous locations, but be prepared to pay dearly to get your money out. I hope they fix this problem next year, but bring plenty of cash in case they don't.

Atmosphere    5

For being a temporary track on busy city streets, they do a great job making sure everything is top-notch in the short amount of time they have to make it happen. From the Trackside Club "" which is fully air conditioned and enclosed for parties and groups "" to the Ferris wheel, offering a great view of both the track and city, everything is made to give it a party atmosphere.

Something for the family (or the kids at heart) is the Bright House Networks Speed Zone, which offers a large inflatable slide, a human-sized gyroscope, and even free sunscreen and earplugs "" both of which are necessary and welcome. And if you want to just chill and take in the sights, there is plenty of seating along the course, though mainly in the park at the north edge, Pioneer Park, and along the Bayshore Drive portion of the track.

Neighborhood    5

I've said it once, and I'll say it again: downtown St. Pete is one of the best locations for sports in the US. I could copy and paste this section from the Al Lang Stadium review (since it is located in the dead center of this course), but I'll give a brief synopsis. Where else can you walk from a racetrack to three theaters; five museums; a spring training stadium; a Major League stadium; three concert venues; four night clubs; over 10 hotels and B&Bs; and countless bars, shops, and restaurants, all in a space of 10 blocks, all while going to the race in your boat or private plane?

Fans    3

This category's a little unusual compared to my other reviews. In those, it was clear-cut to tell whether a fan base was phenomenal (like Bethune-Cookman's), average (like South Florida's), or lackluster (like Jacksonville's); it may be harsh to be that black-and-white, but it always was pretty easy to determine. Here, on the other hand, this was much tougher.

The attendance "" though I haven't seen any official numbers "" was high for Sunday's main races, as it was hard to walk around the course at times. People living in the condo towers lining the track were having viewing parties from their balconies, and people of all walks of life, make their way to the spectacle of waterfront racing.

However, I can safely tell you 80% of the people coming through the turnstiles had no idea who any of the drivers were, other than Danica Patrick and Helio Castroneves. I've never been to an event where people were more interested in just being there than actually know what's going on. Hey, people coming through the gates is always good for any sport, but if it doesn't translate into more permanent fans, does it really matter?

Access    3

Being on city streets, getting to the event can be a little bit of a challenge since those streets are obviously closed. The major ones affected are 1st Ave from 1st St N to 6th Ave S and any cross-streets in between, so your best bet for parking is either at the St. Pete Pier or the Trop and take the free shuttles to the track. You can also park at many of the public (and some of the private "" look for signs before parking, though) garages. However, bring comfortable shoes, as you'll be doing a lot of walking.

Once you're in, however, there are plenty of porta-potties along the course, and the walkways are wide enough to handle all but the largest crowds trying to walk through at once.

Return on Investment    4

I'm not a NASCAR fan, and the only race I've ever been to "" Dover back in the 1990s "" was one of the worst experiences I've ever had in my life. However, this is the anti-NASCAR race: all the amenities of a big city right at your disposal without the harshness of methanol fumes (IndyCar switched to E90 ethanol back in 2007, so the city permeates with the smell of apple pie and popcorn). It's a gear-head's playground, as well as a great place to spend an exciting afternoon.

There is a huge point off, however, for something the planners need to fix for the next time around. You have a choice of tickets available for Sunday's main events: $40 for general admission, $60 for a lower grandstand seat, and $80 for an upper grandstand spot. Those $60 and $80 seats afford you a view of the main straightaway along with plenty of video boards. The $40 ticket, the one that only allows you to ramble around the track, doesn't have access to both seating in the grass and a video board at once; you can only have one or the other since the main video board is in a standing-only spot. I get they're trying to add value to the grandstand seats, but it does a disservice to people who can't afford those prices, especially in this economy.

Because of this lack of a video board, and my unwillingness (like most humans', I'm sure) to stand for three hours straight, we missed a massive Lap 1 crash involving the front-runners of the race. That's a large flaw in an otherwise-fantastic event.

Extras    5

Where do I begin? There's the aforementioned Speed Zone, Ferris wheel, and floating bar, but there's also the Acura Yacht Club, which, for a hefty price, you can dock your million-dollar yacht along the course for unparalleled views of the race. Also, the Salvador Dalà Museum, right in the middle of the track, is open during the race, but that's a separate admission fee, so be prepared.

Downtown St. Pete and everything it has to offer is feet away, along with Tampa Bay itself being to your east and the border to half of the track. Don't forget the Indy Car season starts at this track, so chances are, you'll see a celebrity or two running around town.

Final Thoughts

For anyone expecting a different version of Daytona's famous race, you're in for a big surprise. As I said before, this is the anti-NASCAR event; it attracts a different demographic with a different purpose in mind: sun and fun. It's almost as if there's a carnival going on in downtown St. Petersburg, and a race is just one of the attractions.

The hardcore race fan will like this. The casual watcher will appreciate this. The person who doesn't care about racing and is just looking for a great time won't be disappointed. Just remember to bring plenty of cash and invest in a seat in the grandstand.