Wheldon offers tips to Super Bowl visitors

Dan Wheldon grew up in Emberton, England, where being a football fan meant cheering for men kicking a checkered, round ball. Now that he’s been racing in the United States for a decade, the 2005 IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500 champion has an appreciation for the American version of football, especially the grandeur of the Super Bowl, which will visit his adopted home in the Tampa/St. Petersburg, Fla., area Feb. 1.

As a resident of St. Petersburg for the past four years, Wheldon offers this advice to fans coming to the area for the Super Bowl.

“There’s some very good places in Tampa," Wheldon said. “The Hyde Park Village is very nice. The Vinoy hotel, which is in St. Pete, is a very popular spot. The restaurant Bella Brava is very nice.

“The beaches are probably a little bit cold right now, but they’re very nice. You’ve got the Don Cesar hotel. There’s a very nice beach there. You have to be a member, but it’s particularly nice. For the younger crowd, there’s a bar on the beach called The Undertow that’s very good. The Tampa International Plaza is very good."

Wheldon expects to watch the championship game at his home with wife Susie, who is expecting the couple’s first child in mid-February.