The Verizon IndyCar Series had to come away from the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg feeling pretty good.
With perfect sunny weather for the new mid-March date, big crowds flocked out to witness Juan Pablo Montoya's second consecutive victory on the downtown street circuit.
"I can't say enough about this event -- it's one of my favorites," third-place finisher Ryan Hunter-Reay said. "The way it's put on, the fans, it's definitely one of the highlights of the Verizon IndyCar Series schedule."
The Tampa Bay Business Journal reported attendance for the three-day event was 160,000 in 2015, and Green Savoree Racing Promotions owner Kim Green said he was "optimistic" that this year's numbers were even higher.