Grand Prix fans bring the party to downtown St. Pete, ‘fueling up’ ahead of jam-packed weekend
First day of the Firestone Grand Prix
FOX 13's Evyn Moon reports on hundreds of thousands from across the country making a pit stop in the warmth of downtown St. Pete before the Firestone Grand Prix race this weekend
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Hundreds of thousands from across the country are making a pit stop in the warmer weather and revving up for the races, partying in downtown St. Pete Friday night.
Grand Prix fans enjoying themselves in downtown St. Pete ahead of the race.
They were 'fueling up' in their own way ... with drinks and food.
What they're saying:
"I came with seven other guys from Alberta, Canada, for the Indy race, and it's going to be phenomenal. We're cheering on our buddy, Pat O'Ward, and hopefully he wins the race," said Mike Christiansen. "It's our first time to St. Pete, so we love the palm trees and white sand; it's great."
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The downtown restaurants brought the vibes, too. FOX 13 spoke with Ford’s Garage, whose staff decked out their decor for the drivers.
Ford's Garage in downtown St. Pete.
"The Grand Prix is our Super Bowl every year," said the restaurant manager, Tracey Duquette. "We run with it; drivers come in here, pit crews come in here. We opened the doors early for the Honda pit crew because I knew they were getting off the plane. It's tons of excitement, tons of fans."
Some truly die-hard fans say they love this unique waterfront course, coming straight from the racing mecca Indianapolis for these races.
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"Next year will be my 40th Indy 500, and we drove here from Indy yesterday. We are very excited to be here. We're gonna be partying," Ryan Collicott said as he laughed with friends.
Downtown St. Pete's Ford's Garage race-themed decor ahead of the Grand Prix race.
One thing is sure: People came for the speed – and stayed for the sunshine.
The Source: FOX 13's Evyn Moon collected the information in this story.
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