Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Preview02/04/2009

The first round of the IndyCar Series gets underway on Sunday 5th April with 22 drivers competing in the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. IndyCar enters its second season as a unified series with a 17-race calendar, which includes short ovals, intermediate ovals, big tracks, streets and natural terrain road courses.

Al Speyer, Executive Director, Firestone Racing, said:
"Another IndyCar Series season is here, and for the first time we get to kick it off at one of the premier events, the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Firestone Racing has been a strong supporter of this event since it debuted in 2005, and we are continuing that role as the grand prix's official tyre this year. The racing at St. Pete has always been exciting and unpredictable, and it should become even more so with the introduction of our alternate tyre concept to IndyCar Series road and street courses this season. Each car will have a limited supply of the red-sidewall alternate tyres, which possess a softer tread compound for faster lap times. But, by design, the Firehawk 'reds' trade away some tread compound durability over the long run, so teams will need to manage their tyre use wisely to maximize their car's performance. This added strategy variable could yield even more unexpected results in both qualifying and the race. We're thrilled to see the alternate tyre concept added to the competition, and we believe the IndyCar fans will enjoy it."

Race Stats
Race Distance: 180 mi./289.68 km (100 laps on the 1.80-mi./2.897-km temporary street circuit).

Firestone Firehawk Race Tyres Supplied:
Primary (black-sidewall) dry-condition slicks: 702, each entry gets six sets (24 total tyres)
Alternate (red-sidewall) dry-condition slicks: 347, each entry gets three sets (12 total tyres)
Wet-condition (rain) tyres with grooved tread pattern: 436, each entry gets four sets as needed.