Why St Petersburg was IndyCar's best season-opener in years
Yesterday at 06:19 PM
The Friday looked like a Saturday. The Saturday looked like a Sunday. And Sunday? It looked like nothing I've seen at St. Petersburg for decades.
Having been on the ground for IndyCar's Floridian season-opener for almost all of the events since it took over the race in 2005, the 2025 edition of IndyCar's championship launch was like a dream come true. Attendance was visibly up from the first morning the event went live, and it continued to improve each day.
The early St. Pete races when IndyCar had true star power with Dario Franchitti, Dan Wheldon, Tony Kanaan, and peak 'Danicamania' with Danica Patrick was a different and more popular animal. Especially when the American Le Mans Series — forerunner to today's IMSA — was on the bill as the co-feature from 2007-2009. But those were heady times with nationally-recognized drivers, and the two best racing series working in unison drew huge audiences.
Last weekend, fond memories of those amazing IndyCar+ALMS crowds were present throughout. And in an important change, there seemed to be more young men and women inside the venue than I've ever witnessed. It's a vital step for IndyCar as it looks to build a new and long-sustaining fan base.
And there appeared to be more women on average – of all ages – than I've ever seen across the hundreds of motor races I've attended since the 1980s. That’s another crucial development in expanding the appeal of the series beyond its traditional consumers.
It's also a single event, which makes it hard to say whether St. Pete was a one-off change or the start of something big and transformational for the series. The hope is for the latter. We'll need to add more data points at Long Beach and Barber and other high-attendance IndyCar events on the horizon before claiming a generational shift is happening, but the series has a reason to feel optimistic about what took place to open the season.
"The momentum and positive vibes were all around," IndyCar CMO Alex Damron told RACER. "The IndyCar on FOX era got off to an amazing start in St. Pete. Three straight days of sunshine and big-time crowds set up a tremendous showcase for the NTT IndyCar Series and its stars. It was particularly great to see many newer fans coming through the gates and cheering for their favorite driver."
The autograph sessions for IndyCar and Indy NXT drivers had massive lines, and in the official IndyCar merchandise tents, the series told me a 15-percent increase in year-to-year sales was recorded. Over the last few years, IndyCar gear was definitely seen, but Formula 1 shirts and hats and jackets were also a common sight. It's nothing more than an anecdotal observation, but I swore there were fewer fans in F1 attire and more there repping IndyCar for a change.
Something positive and vibrant was afoot, and that even extended into the paddock. It's common for team owners and drivers to arrive and grouse over an offseason filled with complaints about poor promotions and other ills surrounding IndyCar, but for the most part, the gritted teeth was traded for bright smiles.
I'd be lying if I said every owner and driver was happy throughout St. Pete; I had two of the 11 air their frustrations, and there are plenty of big-picture items on the horizon that need to be resolved, but none of the topics presented on the ground were show-stoppers related to the event. As a whole, the general vibe was one of enthusiasm and contentment, which is a rare a thing that is for the opening race, but it happened.
I can't say if the happenings at St. Pete will continue at the next race, which takes place at The Thermal Club, a private facility where no more than 5000 tickets starting at $475 apiece for general admission have been made available. Thermal stands to be an outlier in that regard, but the next wide-open race is Long Beach, where IMSA's on the bill, and the 50th anniversary of the event will be celebrated.
The odds, though, of a St. Pete-like lift continuing in April on those Southern Californian streets seem favorable, and for IndyCar's sake, count me among the many who hope the uplifting vibe carries over from Florida. I got on my flight home Sunday night, just as I did in January after IMSA put on its most-attended Rolex 24 At Daytona in decades, and was buzzing with excitement. The amplified possibilities that exist for IndyCar are within reach.
FOX played a role. Penske Entertainment played a role. Event organizers Green Savoree Race Promotions played a role. Former IndyCar president Jay Frye, who set the stage for the 2025 season to roll off with no issues, played a role. New president Doug Boles, who brought his man-of-the-people persona to the common areas and grandstands, played a role.
Add in Chevy, Honda, Firestone, the teams, and the drivers, all of whom combined to form a cohesive unit with the series and its new broadcaster, and the first example of what a truly unified series can accomplish was on display.
Throw in the immensely promising television audience of 1,417,000 viewers, which was a 14-year high for anything other than the Indy 500, and all of the potential is there for the series to break free from its stagnancy and start to build real upward momentum.
IMSA's Rolex 24 At Daytona had the same feeling as St. Pete, the same great turnout by more fans, younger fans, and more women. That’s two wildly positive season-openers for the two series where I've dedicated most of my life. The well-worn adage about a rising tide lifting all boats is what comes to mind. Thanks is due to all of the people who've propelled the lift, and welcome to all those who've joined our open-wheel and sports car tribe.
