Long Beach GP
Race Information
- Course: Long Beach Street Racing Circuit, Long Beach, California, USA
- Course Length: 1.968 miles (3.167 kilometers)
- Distance: 85 Laps, 167.280 miles (269.211 kilometers)
- Date: April 21st, 2024
- 2023 Winner: Kyle Kirkwood
- Course: Long Beach Street Racing Circuit, Long Beach, California, USA
- Course Length: 1.968 miles (3.167 kilometers)
- Distance: 85 Laps, 167.280 miles (269.211 kilometers)
- Date: April 21st, 2024
- 2024 WINNER: Scott Dixon
🏆 Long Beach GP Odds
The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is the third race of the NTT IndyCar Season and is held on a street course in Long Beach, California. The course around the Long Beach Convention Center has hosted many different racing series over the years. IndyCar has been the premier open-wheel formula since 1984. The Grand Prix of Long Beach was the premier race of the IndyCar calendar for much of the 1990s and has been a fixture of the schedule for nearly three decades.
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🚥 What Is the Long Beach Street Racing Circuit?
The Long Beach Street Racing Circuit is a standout, 1.968-mile layout that features 11 turns. This temporary street circuit wraps around the Long Beach Convention Center, which, during the race weekend, transforms into a vibrant hub with a Family Fun Zone and various displays that add to the festive atmosphere.
One of the circuit’s most scenic stretches is along Shoreline Drive, providing not only a beautiful backdrop but also a high-speed challenge for the drivers. The circuit is renowned for its numerous overtaking opportunities, with Turn 1 being a key spot where many races see significant action. Additionally, mastering the hairpin turn just before the front stretch is crucial for maintaining speed and positioning, making it a critical point on the track that can often decide the outcome of the race.
This combination of technical demands and scenic urban environment makes the Long Beach circuit a favorite with its unique blend of cityscape and racing.
2024 Indycar Schedule
Indycar Series:
- 5:50 p.m. ET – Practice 1
Indycar Series:
- 11:25 a.m. ET – Practice 2
- 2:25 p.m. ET – Qualifications Round 1 Group 1
- 2:50 p.m. ET – Qualifications Round 1 Group 2
- 3:15 p.m. ET – Qualifications Round 2
- 3:40 p.m. ET – Firestone Fast 6
Indycar Series:
- 3:30 p.m. ET – Long Beach GP
| POSITION | DRIVER | TEAM |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scott Dixon | Chip Ganassi |
| 2 | Colton Herta | Andretti Global |
| 3 | Alex Palou | Chip Ganassi |
| 4 | Josef Newgarden | Team Penske |
| 5 | Marcus Ericsson | Andretti Global |
| 6 | Will Power | Team Penske |
| 7 | Kyle Kirkwood | Andretti Global |
| 8 | Romain Grosjean | Juncos Hollinger |
| 9 | Felix Rosenqvist | Meyer Shank |
| 10 | Alexander Rossi | Arrow McLaren |
🏁 Long Beach GP History & Highlights
Promoter Chris Pook took inspiration from the Monaco Grand Prix circuit in Monte Carlo and wanted to bring a similar event to southern California. The waterfront circuit near the Port of Long Beach drew thousands of fans for the inaugural Formula 5000 race in September 1976.
Formula 1 held the United States Grand Prix West at the Long Beach street circuit from 1976 through 1983. Pook convinced local leaders to change the race to an IndyCar (CART at the time) event the following year. It opened the 1984 season and saw that season’s world champion, American Mario Andretti, take the win. The 1986 race saw Andretti’s son and future champion Michael take his first career win. The father-son duo won the first four Long Beach Grand Prix races.
The 1988 race was the first of four wins in a row for two-time champion Al Unser Jr. In 1992, the Park Avenue loop section of the circuit was removed, making the track shorter and faster, and turning it into one of the primary passing zones.
The 1990s saw the first CART wins for 2003 Indycar champion Paul Tracy (in 1993) and Juan Pablo Montoya (1999). The circuit was redesigned in 1999 to include a new series of 90-degree turns and a roundabout around a fountain. More changes were made in 2000 to the current layout used by IndyCar.
From 1996 to 2008, the race was considered the premier race of the CART/Champ Car World Series calendar. When open-wheel racing in the U.S. unified in 2009 for the IndyCar series, it remained in its traditional mid-April spot on the calendar. In 2006, organizers created the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame to honor past winners and auto racing contributors.
American drivers have won the last four runnings of the Grand Prix of Long Beach, including Alexander Rossi, Colton Herta, and two-time champion Josef Newgarden in 2022.
Al Unser Jr. has won a record six CART/IndyCar races at the Grand Prix of Long Beach.
Circuit Information
The Long Beach street circuit is one of five street circuits on the IndyCar calendar. The layout winds around the Long Beach Convention Center and the Aquarium of the Pacific.
The 11-turn layout features many straights and sharp turns. Organizers say attendance for the weekend event is typically close to 200,000.
Álex Palou set the IndyCar record for the fastest lap with a time of 1:07.2359 in the 2022 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.
