A day at the Beach! Doesn’t get old, even after thirty-six years. That’s how it feels Thursday in Southern California for another go-around for the country’s biggest and longest-running street race – the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. The weather is coastal – sunny turning to overcast, with a chilly ocean breeze. But no rain is forecast.
Toyota has continuously been the entitlement sponsor for the Grand Prix since 1980, thought to be the longest entitlement sponsorship in the US – not just motorsports.
The six races on the weekend schedule are Izod IndyCar Series, Firestone Indy Lights, Tequila Patron American Le Mans Series, SCCA Pro Racing World Challenge Championships, Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race, and Formula Drift Demonstrations – not strictly racing, but definitely motorsports.
Tuesday Formula Drift opened its 2010 Championship with a round on the LBGP circuit, won by VAUGHN GITTIN Jr. viewed by “thousands of fans.”
JIM MICHAELIAN, President/CEO of the Grand Prix of Long Beach Association, is justifiably proud of this year’s entries. ALMS and World Challenge each have 36 cars, which could be a record for the largest ever field of cars in one LBGP weekend. IndyCar has 25 entries including two female drivers and a female owner; and Indy Lights has 18 cars. The Toyota Pro/Celebrity entries number 19. Among the Pro drivers are IndyCar KV Racing Technology team co-owner, JIMMY VASSER, who won the 1996 CART Championship. Other Pros include JAMIE BESTWICK/BMX, TANNER FOUST/Formula Drift/Stunt Driver/X Games, STEVE MILLEN/IMSA/MTEG, MARTY NOTHSTEIN/Drags/Olympic cyclist/bicyclist, and last year’s Celebrity victor, actor KEANU REEVES.
American RYAN HUNTER-REAY will double dip this weekend. In addition to his regular IndyCar ride in No.37 Andretti Autosport, he will run No.95 Level 5 Motorsports Oreca FLM09 LMPC in Saturday’s ALMS race. His co-driver will be team owner, SCOTT TUCKER.
The 11-turn, 1.969-mile temporary street course hasn’t changed much for the past few years. IRL driver JUSTIN WILSON/Dreyer Reinbold, who has raced indy cars at Long Beach for the past seven years, said the only change in prior years he noticed was the opening up Turn One about five feet.
Friday’s heavy schedule starts at oh dark thirty. ALMS has a two-hour practice session starting at 7:15 am, and then rest until their 90-minute qualifying session starting at 5 PM. IndyCar has two one-hour practices. Also practicing will be Indy Lights and World Challenge. Pro/Celebrity cars practice and qualify for Saturday’s race.The Drifting Demonstration is in the morning. The day ends at 6:30 PM.