The St. Pete Grand Prix marked a lot of firsts for me: the first time I have attended an Indy Car Race, the first time I've attended a street course race, and the first time I've seen GT3 cars run.
Needless to say, I was not disappointed with anything I witnessed all weekend. Now--I'll be honest--in spite of Indy Car being the main event, I was far more interested in the GT cars that were in attendance. However, the Indy Cars did prove to be quite a spectacle, with close racing and some interesting incidents.
I'm not going to lie though, the GT's provided far more enthralling laps. That is all due to what I think is one of the greatest assets a racing series can utilize, variety. It makes the racing so relatable and endearing. Whether we are talking about what we choose for our commute, or weekend track excursion, we all have a different approach and opinion on what does the job better, faster, and more efficiently. The same goes for the race cars.
It's great to watch a sprightly Ginetta go head to head with a burly Mustang in the GTS class. Or to witness a 650S and Bentley Continental squeeze down the same straight.
The best thing about the Pirelli World Challenge Series? Variety.
Let's not forget the laps the Stadium Super Trucks put in--truly a high point of the weekend.
I'll definitely be back next year, no matter what is racing along the waters edge and through downtown St. Petersburg.
