Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl-winning coach will give the command for NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers to start their engines this Sunday
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Feb. 24, 2026) – Super Bowl XXXVII champion head coach Jon Gruden for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and current Barstool Sports personality will serve as the grand marshal for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, the season opening race of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, on Sunday, March 1.
Gruden will participate in pre-race ceremonies, then give the command for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers to start their engines for the 100-lap race around the 1.8-mile, 14-turn downtown St. Petersburg street circuit. He will also take a lap in the parade car ahead of the 25-car starting field just before taking the green flag.
“This will be my first ever Grand Prix in St. Petersburg on Sunday,” said Jon Gruden about the opportunity to be a part of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. “Can’t wait to see these great drivers in action and make some new friends. Looking forward to an amazing event!”
Jon Gruden won Super Bowl XXXVII as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and had also coached the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders (1998-2001 and 2018-2021) over two stints. At the time of his Super Bowl win, he was the youngest ever head coach to claim an NFL championship. Over his 15-year coaching career, Gruden accumulated 117 wins, won five division titles and made it to three conference championship games. He was also inducted to the Buccaneers Ring of Honor in 2017. From 2009 to 2018, Jon served as a color analyst for ESPN’s Monday Night Football as well as an analyst for the NFL Draft and postseason college football games. In 2024, Jon joined Barstool Sports and is featured on their football programming, The Pro Football Football Show and Gruden’s QB Class.
"We are excited to announce Jon Gruden as the grand marshal of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg," said Kim Green, co-owner, chairman and CEO of Green Savoree Racing Promotions, organizers of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. "Coach Gruden will no doubt give a great command for IndyCar drivers to start their engines for the first time to kick off the 2026 season. He is a revered sports figure in the Tampa Bay community guiding the Buccaneers to its first Super Bowl trophy in 2003. We greatly appreciate him wanting to join us on Sunday."
The 22nd annual Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will bring a full-weekend of high-speed action to the picturesque downtown St. Petersburg waterfront. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES headlines the event as the premier open-wheel series in North American opens its season in St. Pete for the 16th time on Sunday, March 1. Joining the race weekend is the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series for their inaugural street race on Saturday, Feb. 28 in the OnlyBulls Green Flag 150 at St. Petersburg. The racing schedule will also feature the sport’s rising stars as INDY NXT by Firestone, and USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire speed through the downtown streets. Additionally, Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin will provide fender-bending sports car competition.
On Thursday, Feb. 26, two community events - INDYCAR Party in the Park and the 5K Run on the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Track - will kick off the event festivities in downtown St. Petersburg at North Straub Park. Free and open to the public, INDYCAR Party in the Park will feature NTT INDYCAR and other racing series driver appearances, music, giveaways, food trucks and more. Fans will be able to get up-close to race cars from all the series running during the race weekend in the park from 4-7 p.m. ET.
Additionally, runners and walkers have a unique opportunity to “race on track” during the 5K Run on the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Track set for 5 p.m. ET on Feb. 26. The race starts and ends on Bayshore Drive NE, adjacent to North Straub Park. Participants can register now at gpstpete5k.com while supplies last with all proceeds benefiting the Police Athletic League of St. Petersburg.
Both 3-Day and Single Day Grandstand and General Admission tickets are available starting as low as $30. For complete pricing, schedule and festival information, visit gpstpete.com. Follow the event on social media using @gpstpete and #FirestoneGP for the latest updates. Joining the E-Club also provides insider access to the latest news and offers.
ABOUT FIRESTONE GRAND PRIX OF ST. PETERSBURG
The 22nd annual Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is a race event held during Florida’s spring break season. Traditionally the site of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ season-opening race, St. Pete is a destination city hosting this annual motorsports tradition and offering a festival atmosphere with its downtown location. The 2026 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg airs live on a national broadcast on FOX on March 1. NASCAR will also conduct its very first street race for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in its history on the streets of St. Petersburg in 2026. The temporary circuit is a 1.8-mile, 14-turn configuration that uses the streets circling Pioneer Park, the Duke Energy Center for the Arts, The Dali Museum and extending onto the runway at Albert Whitted Airport, and borders the waterfront of Tampa Bay and picturesque St. Petersburg Harbor and Marina. The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is owned and operated by Green Savoree St. Petersburg, LLC. Green Savoree St. Petersburg, LLC is owned by Green Savoree Racing Promotions 2, LLC whose other subsidiaries also promote three additional NTT INDYCAR SERIES races, The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2027 CR-V Hybrid (July 3-5, 2026), BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland (Aug. 7-9, 2026) and Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham (Aug. 14-16, 2026).
For more information, visit gpstpete.com, ‘like’ its Facebook page at @GPSTPETE or follow the event on X at @GPSTPETE and Instagram at @GPSTPETE using #FirestoneGP.
