Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg 5K Run Presented by Modern Business Associates Set for March 10; To Benefit Police Athletic League of St. Petersburg

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Runners and walkers in the Tampa Bay area and beyond have the unique opportunity to participate in a race of their own for an important cause during the 2017 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.  The fifth annual fundraiser for local charities presented by Modern Business Associates (MBA) is slated for Friday, March 10, 2017. 

The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, organizers of the annual 5K event held on the temporary street course, and MBA also announced today that the Police Athletic League (PAL) of St. Petersburg will be the 2017 beneficiary.  MBA, the presenting sponsor since the beginning, recently renewed its partnership for three more years through 2019.  

"The St. Petersburg Police Athletic League is thrilled to be named the beneficiary of this year’s Firestone Grand Prix 5K presented by Modern Business Associates.  With 97 percent of the children we serve receiving a free or a reduced program fee, this support is critical to us being able to combat juvenile crime in our community,” said John Ullrich, PAL board chairman and assistant vice president, Wallace Welch & Willingham.  “Currently, about 150 children participate in a PAL program each day.  With this commitment, we will be able to continue to provide programming to this group at a critical point in their lives.”

Registration is currently open online at gpstpete5k.com.  An expected participation of over 1,000 runners and walkers will enter the Firestone Grand Prix 5K Run presented by Modern Business Associates benefiting the Police Athletic League of St. Petersburg.

Participants in the 5K run will begin south of Bayshore Drive until they reach the Firestone Grand Prix race track at Turn 9.  They will turn right to do a lap around the temporary circuit, in counter race direction, then exit at Turn 9 to continue on Bayshore Drive toward the finish line at The Vinoy Park Hotel.

“MBA is proud to sponsor the 5K run as a part of the Grand Prix weekend in St. Petersburg, and the Police Athletic League is a very deserving recipient of the proceeds,” said Christopher D. McDonald, president and COO of MBA.  “Participating in the 5K race is a healthy way for our community to support our youth who benefit from the PAL’s programs.”

"The 5K run has been tremendous for the community and a yearly highlight of the Firestone Grand Prix weekend.  An early evening start again makes it even more spectacular," said Kim Green, co-owner, chairman and CEO of Green Savoree Racing Promotions, organizers of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.  "We are extremely grateful to our partners at MBA for their continuous support of the race and the impact it will have on PAL."

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FIRESTONE GRAND PRIX 5K PRESENTED BY MBA TO BENEFIT PAL

Event: Fifth Annual Firestone Grand Prix 5K Run presented by Modern Business Associates benefiting the Police Athletic League of St. Petersburg

• Date: Friday, March 10, 2017
• Time: 6:15 p.m. EST start (approx.)
• Cost: $30 advance registration, $35 (Feb. 1 - Mar. 9), $40 (Mar. 10 - Race day)

*Registration includes race entry, t-shirt and finisher's medal.

*Registration: gpstpete5k.com

About Police Athletic League of St. Petersburg

The Police Athletic League of St. Petersburg serves over 150 children daily out of our two facilities with 97 percent of these member receiving reduced or free fees. The mission of the Police Athletic League (PAL) is to prevent crime among our youth through recreation, education, and athletics. Our programs are based on the conviction that young people, if they are reached early enough, can develop strong positive attitudes towards police officers in their journey through life toward the goal of maturity and good citizenship. Thus, PAL programs foster relationships between our youth and local police officers.  We grow great grown-ups.

About Modern Business Associates

If you are a typical business owner, a significant portion of your time is probably spent managing non-revenue producing tasks, like payroll, benefits and human resources issues. Modern Business Associates (MBA) removes the burden of these time-consuming and costly functions – and helps you refocus your energy on the areas where you excel, and on what will generate revenue. MBA offers scalable HR services to include strategic HR consulting, risk management and workers' compensation, payroll processing, and employee benefits and ACA compliance assistance. www.MBAhro.com. 

About Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg

Now in its 13th year, the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is run on a 1.8-mile, 14-turn waterfront circuit that includes a combination of adjacent downtown streets circling Pioneer Park, the Duke Energy Center for the Arts, The Dali Museum and extending onto the runways at Albert Whitted Airport, which overlook the Tampa Bay and picturesque St. Petersburg Harbor and Marina. The event is owned and operated by Green Savoree Racing Promotions, as are the Honda Indy Toronto (July 14-16, 2017) and the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio (July 28-30, 2017).

To learn more about the event, visit www.gpstpete.com, ‘like’ its Facebook page atwww.facebook.com/GPSTPETE or follow the event on Twitter @GPSTPETE #FirestoneGP.