2025 R3: Long Beach

[MonteCristo]

3 weeks later, we're back at it.

IMSA is on as well.

Weekend schedule: https://www.gplb.com/weekend-schedule

[Everso Biggyballies]

There is a bit for info in terms of background and a preview over on the Indycar website.

Coveted Win On The Line as Long Beach Celebrates 50 Years of Speed

A half-century of Southern California motorsports will be celebrated this weekend with the 50th running of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach

While the event began with a Formula 5000 race in 1975, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and its predecessors have played a significant role in making this North America’s street course showcase. Certainly, no other such event – past or present – has the prestige of this one.

Celebrating Long Beach’s History

The first task of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach was to prove to Formula One that it could host a major event in what was then a depressed industrial port city 25 miles south of Los Angeles. It was no easy assignment to bring Chris Pook’s vision to life, and still today there are people who say they walked in for that first event without paying. Those attending the inaugural race saw SCCA champion Brian Redman win in a Lola fielded by Carl Haas Racing.

F1 arrived in Long Beach in 1976 with much fanfare, but it wasn’t until popular American driver Mario Andretti, the ’69 Indy winner, won in ’77 that the event became a signature event. Future winners included world champions Nelson Piquet, Alan Jones and Niki Lauda.

The event switched to the INDYCAR SERIES in 1984, and appropriately it was Andretti who was the first to reach victory lane. Andretti also won in ’85 and ’87 with his son Michael capturing the first of his two Long Beach wins in ’86. That was Michael’s first series win; interestingly, the last win of his career also came in this event, in 2002.

This weekend, event organizers will have several races featuring vintage cars of all three major classes – Formula 5000, F1 and INDYCAR – in a nod to the 50th anniversary.

A Race of Champions

Perhaps no other event can lay a better claim to championship status than Long Beach.

The first 27 races held under the INDYCAR banner were won by drivers who either were or became season champions and/or won Indy. Al Unser Jr., a two-time series champion with a pair of Indy 500 wins, leads all drivers with seven Long Beach victories. Paul Tracy won four times, Sebastien Bourdais three times.

Other champions or Indy 500 winners with Long Beach victories: Danny Sullivan, Jimmy Vasser, Alex Zanardi (two), Juan Pablo Montoya, Helio Castroneves, Power (twice), Dario Franchitti, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Takuma Sato, Simon Pagenaud and Alexander Rossi (twice).

More info looking forward to the race here: https://www.indycar.com/news/2025/04/04-10-lb-preview

[MonteCristo]

Practice 1 times:


Report: https://racer.com/2025/04/11/power-lead ... -practice/

Highlights:

[MonteCristo]

Qualifying results:


Report: https://racer.com/2025/04/12/kirkwood-t ... each-pole/

Highlights:


I've got (Kirk)wood!

Stingray outqualified Daly, haha

What is up with Penske this year?

Seagull wasn't terrible.

So, how will Palou win this one?

[John]

Will miss this one. But let's go Swedes!

[Everso Biggyballies]

Will miss this one. But let's go Swedes!

I think its a 7am start here..... nearly 4 hours away.

[MonteCristo]

Will miss this one. But let's go Swedes!

I think its a 7am start here..... nearly 4 hours away.

One of the better start times .

[MonteCristo]

A few more moves than any Monaco race already.

Newgarden goes off-strategy with a third lap stop.

[MonteCristo]

Just a friendly reminder that F1 needs to ban tyre warmers.

[MonteCristo]

Race petered out after the first ... 25 or so ... laps.

Daly got smashed by the People's Sting Ray (Robb), who got his equal best result - and ultimately got religiously persecuted and had the win stolen from him.

Power and Scooter did decently to salvage something from the race. Newgarden RIP.

OMG - Palou didn't win! Second is a terrible result.

Most importantly, I've got (Kirk)wood.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Race petered out after the first ... 25 or so ... laps.

Daly got smashed by the People's Sting Ray (Robb), who got his equal best result - and ultimately got religiously persecuted and had the win stolen from him.

Power and Scooter did decently to salvage something from the race. Newgarden RIP.

OMG - Palou didn't win! Second is a terrible result.

Most importantly, I've got (Kirk)wood.

Even survived a Palou undercut!

And Kirkwood is 2nd behind Palou in the title. race now. Oh and Lundgaard 3rd, Felix 4th.
Plus no yellows or interruptions.

Not to mention a top 10 finish for the people's favourite.

[Manfred Cubenoggin]

Pretty decent show. No caution periods! Take a bow, chaps.

[John]

4th isn't half bad. Well done Felix.

Marcus needs to be great in May if he wants to salvage his Indycar career.

[Vassago]

I fell asleep shortly after Newgarden's stop for loose seat belts. This wasn't quite a vintage Long Beach edition IMO