For the first time ever, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will race through the streets of downtown St. Petersburg. NASCAR officials announced Wednesday that the trucks will join the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg weekend in 2026, with the inaugural race scheduled for Saturday, February 28th.

The 1.8-mile street course winding along St. Petersburg’s waterfront will now host both IndyCar and NASCAR Trucks, bringing together two of the country’s most popular racing series in one weekend.

The addition marks a milestone for the Truck Series, which had never competed on a street circuit in its 31-season history. The 2026 schedule will feature two such races, with St. Petersburg serving as the opener before the series heads to San Diego’s Naval Base Coronado in June.

The Grand Prix of St. Petersburg has long been known as the season opener for the NTT IndyCar Series, attracting national attention and tens of thousands of fans each year. With NASCAR’s Truck Series now added to the lineup, the weekend expands into a unique showcase of top-tier motorsports.

In 2026, the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will take place on the weekend of February 27th through March 1st.

St. Petersburg’s Waterfront Parks Foundation will attempt to break a world record this Saturday with Picnic Land in Flora Wylie Park.   

Picnic Land will feature more than 800 pink, green, blue, and orange picnic blankets that will break the world record for the Longest Continuous Picnic Blanket. 

All proceeds from Picnic Land will benefit the work of the Waterfront Parks Foundation, which, since 2012, has worked with the City of St. Petersburg to preserve, protect, and promote St. Petersburg’s downtown waterfront park system.