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2006 Grand Prix

Final laps to the green flag

By CARRIE WEIMAR
Published March 29, 2006

	[Times photo: Dirk Shadd]
	Rich White works Tuesday to run 14,000 feet of audio cable along the race course on the straightaway along the South Yacht Basin just after Turn 10 in preparation for this weekend's Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. White, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been working in racing since the 1970s, he said. More coverage

Only two days until Indy-style racing cars start tearing through downtown streets for the second annual Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Times staff writer Carrie Weimar caught up with Tim Ramsberger, vice president and general manager of the event. He discussed everything from the last-minute challenges of coordinating an international sporting event to the likelihood of celebrity sightings.

What's been your biggest challenge in coordinating the race?

I think dealing with the construction to the Mahaffey Theater - from an infrastructure standpoint, that's been one of the biggest challenges.

What still needs to be done?

Obviously, the tents and the (VIP) suites will get finished out. We'll finish constructing the rest of the block now that the Devil Rays have concluded spring training. We're finishing the track circuit with the walls and the catch fence. We're bringing in all the generators and all the infrastructure needs we have. ... This is really when the orchestra comes together and we all have to start singing off the same sheet of music.

How is this year's event different from last year?

We've got more concerts. Obviously, with the racing we've increased the number of races throughout the weekend. We've got a lot more on track all three days. We've got the Klein Tools Air Show coming back. We've also got the Bright House Speed Zone up in the north end. ... It's got rock-climbing and bungee jumping.

Is there anything for nonracing fans to do at the Grand Prix?

There's a number of activities we'll have away from the track, such as the Hoobastank concert. We have the Miss Honda Grand Prix contest Saturday afternoon. The driver autograph sessions. Gene Simmons, our grand marshal of KISS fame, will be here. We'll have a car show on the premises that will feature unique, exotic cars.

Can we expect to see any celebrities in town this weekend?

There will be. We don't quite know what the list looks like right now.

Ashley Judd?

We're expecting Ashley to be here to see her husband (Dario Franchitti) race. Beyond that, I'm not sure at this point. ... There's been talk of Patrick Dempsey because he's a part-owner of one of the teams.

Last year, was there anything unexpected that came up?

There's always something that comes up you have to deal with on the fly. I think we are very well prepared as far as infrastructure layout and operations. You know, there are some things you can't control. Last year, one example was these tents. We had a huge wind gust come through on Saturday night that blew half these tents apart. That's something you can't control.

There was an accident at the Homestead-Miami Speedway Sunday involving Indy Racing League driver Paul Dana, who was scheduled to drive in St. Petersburg. How will Dana's death affect the race this weekend?

We're proceeding forward with a heavy heart. We fully expect that the proper respects will be paid, as they were in Miami. I think people accept that there are risks involved in motor sports.

What does it mean for the city to have an event of this magnitude?

I think it really puts us in a different category, a much higher category, in terms of a community that can host international sports events of this type. I think it's a real credit to the people of this community, especially those of us who have been around a long time. They've really seen the transformation. ... We have the natural beauty and the arts. But as far as fun and excitement, this puts us up at the top.

[Last modified March 29, 2006, 06:31:40]