When the green flag drops on the quaint downtown streets of sleepy St. Petersburg this weekend a roar of 1525-pound aerodynamic race cars each with 650 horsepower will echo across the harbor past a signature pier and out into Tampa Bay. The excitement will thrill 100,000 or more fans at track side, some street side but it's not likely to disturb the resident pelicans or deter hungry dolphins from their afternoon feast.

The 2007 Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is a lot about speed and scenery so to prepare those who can't be here for the early spring warmth we bring you a visual prelude to action. First we present racers at work and then the tropical background that influences so many to rip up roots and move south.

When we asked A.J. Foyt about his job as a driver in Homestead recently he was quick to say, "I couldn't wait to get in a race car when I was driving. It was something I loved and something I enjoyed doing."

Foyt must not be able to stay away even now as he was in the St. Pete garage area even as his crew were setting up for the weekend. Driver Dario Franchitti seems to share Foyt's passion as he was in town early looking over the car he will race. Danica Patrick's team had an engine under scrutiny outside of the race car well before the cranking of pistons.

Our images will show some hard advance work and in keeping with our visual mission we share a few pelicans at rest, palm trees at attention and bay waters at ease.

We now put away words and let a precision lens do the story telling from this point. More words and images will follow as this hot weekend erupts in temperate air and on cozy turf.