The Indy Racing Experience hit the streets of Tampa on Saturday with its popular street-legal 2-seater at the eighth annual Gasparilla Pirate Festival.

IndyCar Series veteran and Indy Racing Experience driver Davey Hamilton talked with SPEED TV's SpeedFreaks host Crash Gladys in Tampa Saturday before taking her for a ride in the IRE street-legal 2-seater.

Indy Racing Experience Invades Tampa's Gasparilla
Popular attraction took to the streets of Tampa Saturday with street-legal 2-seater to promote Walt Disney World Speedway operation

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TAMPA (Feb. 7, 2009) – The Indy Racing Experience took to the Tampa Bay streets Saturday at the same time pirates were invading the mainland.  The IRE street-legal 2-seater was one of many attractions at the eighth annual Gasparilla Pirate Festival, cruising the streets of Tampa, crashing house parties, and setting up along the parade route where several of the estimated 350,000 patrons could stop by an visit with the car and crew members.

The Gasparilla event is typically held in late January or early February and hosted by Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla and the City of Tampa.  The festival celebrates the apocryphal legend of José Gaspar (Gasparilla), who according to legend was a Spanish pirate captain who operated in southwest Florida.

The Indy Racing Experience traveled to several local establishments with its sharp red and black street-legal 2-seater to promote its daily operations at the Walt Disney World® Speedway in nearby Orlando.  One of the IRE driving program’s four single-seat cars, as well as an IndyCar Series trailer, were anchored on the sidewalk just outside the Soho Tavern for all to see.

While at the Soho Tavern, IndyCar Series veteran and popular IRE driver Davey Hamilton was interviewed by Crash Gladys of SPEED TV’s SpeedFreaks and then took Gladys for a 10-minute joy ride around town while a cameraman filmed from a lead car.

The Indy Racing Experience was well received when it sped past several house parties near the festival and especially when the 2-seater parked outside the Publix grocery store along the parade route.  Several onlookers stormed to the car to learn more about the Indy Racing Experience, its new operations at the Walt Disney World® Speedway, as well as the upcoming IndyCar Series season opener on the Streets of St. Petersburg in April.

“This is the coolest thing I have ever seen,” said Darren Jackson, 47, a native of Clearwater, Fla., who has been to the past two IndyCar races at St. Pete.  “I’m and IndyCar fan, but I had to do a double-take when I saw the car drive past us earlier this afternoon.”

Several other patrons, most of whom were decked out in festival pirate attire, were excited to hear that the Indy Racing Experience had come to the Walt Disney World® Speedway.  Many had noted that they had done the popular Richard Petty Driving Experience at the same track and now had intentions on going back to drive or ride in an IndyCar.

The Indy Racing Experience operates daily at the Walt Disney World® Speedway and opens for both riding and driving experiences at 4 p.m. ET.  Reservations can be made online or by calling (888) 357-5002.

For more information on the Indy Racing Experience, please contact us by phone or submit questions and comments HERE.