United Site Services, the nation's leading provider of portable restrooms, temporary fencing, and other site services, has been named an official sponsor of the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.

As a part of this agreement, United Site Services will have a strong presence at the event, with branding and signage displayed throughout the circuit. The company will also have hospitality and other activations throughout the weekend.

"Our team is excited to partner with the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach again this year," said Bobby Creason, Regional Vice President of United Site Services. "We understand the importance of clean and reliable restroom facilities for all guests at such a high-profile event, and we are proud to bring our expertise to ensure the success of the race."

“We are excited to have United Site Services aboard as a sponsor of the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach," said Jim Michaelian, Grand Prix Association of Long Beach President and CEO. “In the past they have provided the event with high quality products and excellent service so it is only fitting that they will now join us as an official sponsor.”

The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach race weekend will feature the third round of the NTT INDYCAR® SERIES along with the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with its all-new GTP (GT Prototype) class, GTD PRO and GTD (GT Daytona) classes.  

Fans will also see two nights of the Super Drift Challenge Friday and Saturday, Saturday and Sunday races from Robby Gordon’s SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks and Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America, along with a doubleheader of the new-for-2023 Historic F1 Challenge, featuring vintage Formula 1 cars from the 1970s and ‘80s.

Ticket prices range from $38 for a Friday General Admission ticket to $175 for a three-day ticket that includes Saturday and Sunday reserved seating in grandstand upper levels.  Pre-paid parking packages are also available, along with handicapped seating, NTT INDYCAR SERIES Paddock access passes ($70 for three days or $30 per individual day), Super Photo tickets and an array of VIP Club packages.

Fans can select and pay for their 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach seats, parking and paddock passes online at gplb.com. Ticket orders can also be placed by calling the toll-free ticket hotline, (888) 827-7333.  

Fans can also follow the Acura Grand Prix on Facebook at GrandPrixLB, Twitter @GPLongBeach and Instagram at GPLongBeach.

About United Site Services:

United Site Services (USS) is the nation’s leading temporary site services provider with a full offering of solutions including portable restrooms, hand hygiene solutions, temporary fence, trailer solutions, roll off dumpsters and more. For over 20 years, USS has helped keep environments safe and clean for construction workers, emergency responders, live event attendees and more. With coast-to-coast coverage, the largest inventory of equipment plus industry-leading safety and service standards, USS has an unmatched ability to meet the unique needs of any environment - no matter the scale. www.unitedsiteservices.com

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Los Angeles-based DJ act Boombox Cartel will headline the return of Fiesta Friday to the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach lineup of activities.

Presented by Acura, the high-energy show will take place at approximately 6:30 p.m. on the plaza in front of the Long Beach Performing Arts Center adjacent to the Long Beach Convention Center and is free to Friday race ticket holders. Space at the plaza is limited and will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Blurring the lines between electronic and hip-hop with Latin influences, internationally recognized Mexican American producer act Boombox Cartel has risen the ranks as an unparalleled force in the world of dance music.

The Boombox Cartel name spread quickly in 2015 after Jack Ü played “B2U” at Hard Fest and shortly after, every major artist was playing it live. Following the success of “B2U” came the smash single “Supernatural” with Quix and Anjulie, and in 2017 Boombox Cartel released his highly anticipated debut EP “Cartel,” featuring innovative tracks “Alamo” and “Jefe.”

In 2019, Boombox Cartel embarked on his biggest headline tour: The Cell Tour. It featured a full stage production, synchronized visuals and sold-out dates all across the US and has also secured prime slots at major festivals including Lollapalooza, EDC Las Vegas and many more. With collaborations and features ranging from Dillon Francis, DMX, MadeInTYO, NGHMTRE, Panama and more, Boombox Cartel has also been featured in prominent media outlets like Billboard, Noisey, Complex, and DJ MAG.

“I’ve always been super passionate about cars and race cars,” said Americo Garcia, the music producer and live DJ also known as Boombox Cartel. “It's been a part of my life since I was a kid, going to rally races in Mexico and being a mechanic growing up. Living in L.A., I've met so many cool people who share the same love for motorsports. They've given me the chance to race and hit up tracks and events all over the world, and I recently got my own Birel Kart a few months back that I've been enjoying at The Thermal Club. Whenever I have a break from touring, I try to catch some Formula 1 races, most recently in Austria and Austin. It's so special that two of my favorite things will be coming together for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach - music and racing!”

The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach will be headlined by the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, as well as the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. In addition, the weekend will include the Super Drift Challenge under the lights on Friday and Saturday nights, plus doubleheader action from Robby Gordon’s SPEED/UTV Stadium Super Trucks, Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America and the new-for-2023 Historic F1 Challenge.

Friday tickets start at $38 for a General Admission ticket that gives access to the show, Lifestyle Expo, all racing events plus unreserved seating in all grandstands. A three-day ticket that includes prime Sat./Sun. reserved seating in grandstand upper levels costs $175.  Pre-paid parking packages are also available, along with handicapped seating, NTT INDYCAR SERIES Paddock passes, Super Photo tickets and a wide variety of hospitality packages.

Fans can select and pay for their Grand Prix seats, parking and paddock passes online at gplb.com. Ticket orders can also be placed by calling the toll-free ticket hotline, (888) 827-7333.  Also featured on gplb.com is the latest Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach news and racetrack information, photos and ongoing announcements of special race week activities.

Fans can also follow the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on Facebook (GrandPrixLB), Twitter @GPLongBeach (#AGPLB) and Instagram @GPLongBeach.

For more information on Boombox Cartel, visit boomboxcartel.com or follow on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Soundcloud (@Boomboxcartel).

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The pole-sitting No. 31 Whelen Engineering Racing Cadillac V-Series.R won Saturday’s Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring at the historic Sebring International Raceway – the team’s first victory in IMSA’s new Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class era.

But this win was hardly so straightforward.

An action-packed thrill show, the famed IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race featured intrigue and drama from the time Pipo Derani in the No. 31 Cadillac took the opening green flag to the time his teammate Jack Aitken took the closing checkered.

A dramatic three-car accident eliminated the top-three running cars with only 19 minutes remaining in the 12-hour race, but the No. 31 Cadillac was able to navigate through the wreck and go on to a 2.940-second win over Nick Yelloly in the No. 25 BMW M Team RLL BMW M Hybrid V8 following a final restart.

“Obviously it was quite tricky at the end,’’ said Aitken, who conceded he and his team – including co-drivers Derani and Alexander Sims – were essentially trying to count cars to see where they were in the race order after Aitken avoided the accident.

“There was a lot going on,’’ Aitken said smiling. “To be honest, we were struggling a lot with the tires at the end. It’s not really how you want to win the race, but we were there when we needed to be and kept it clean. It’s a great reward for the Whelen Engineering guys, they did a massive job this week. Thank you to them.’’

Victory lane at the 3.54-mile, 17-turn Sebring circuit was a mixture of joy and even surprise considering the dramatic ending. The BMW team had a rough start to the weekend – its two cars qualifying sixth and eighth in the eight-car GTP class – after a rough start to the season with finishes of sixth and ninth in the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona.

Saturday’s Sebring runner-up effort marks the first podium for all three BMW drivers this year – Yelloly, Connor De Phillippi and Sheldon van der Linde.

The race-defining accident involved the three frontrunning cars. Filipe Albuquerque in the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 fielded by Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport pulled up alongside Mathieu Jaminet in the leading No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 hoping to overtake at Turn 3 as they came upon slower GT cars.

Instead, Albuquerque went wide to avoid the Porsche that was trying to avoid another car and the No. 10 ran off course. When Albuquerque’s Acura came back across the track, it hit Jaminet’s race-leading Porsche. They also collected the third-place No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 driven by Felipe Nasr in the melee. None of the drivers were injured, but the near miss still hurt.

“It’s kind of standard Sebring at the end of the race,” said Jaminet’s co-driver, Dane Cameron. “It gets pretty rowdy in the night, the restarts in the dark and you come up on GTs. Obviously, it’s disappointing to end this way, but I must say I’m very, very proud of Mathieu.

“He was flying and doing a fantastic job and put us in position to win. It’s unfortunate it ended the way that it did but I’m very proud of all the boys and girls on the team. It’s been very difficult and many, many, many hours preparing. It’s shame but I understand what Mathieu was doing there and it’s just unfortunate.”

For Derani, it marks a fourth Twelve Hours of Sebring victory and his 12th all-time win in the series. It was Sims’ sixth IMSA win and first at Sebring, and Aitken’s first IMSA victory.

“You have to be lucky in motorsport and we were still there at the end,’’ said Derani, who shared that this was his first victory as a father – his daughter born just three months ago.

The No. 6 Porsche Penske was officially scored third in GTP with Wayne Taylor’s No. 10 Acura fourth and the No. 7 Porsche Penske fifth. The season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona-winning No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing with Curb Agajanian Acura was scored sixth in the GTP class. And the No. 24 BMW M Team RLL car finished eighth in GTP and 51st overall after an early retirement.

Chip Ganassi Racing’s Cadillac Racing entry also suffered an early exit, having to suddenly pit from the lead – with smoke trailing from the car. Driver Sebastien Bourdais climbed out quickly and safely, and the No. 01 Cadillac was scored seventh in class.

“The guys did such a great job,’’ Bourdais said. “It’s heartbreaking. It was very competitive, obviously. We definitely could keep up with the Acuras for sure. … We’ll just keep at it.’’

GTD PRO

As has so often been the case over its 70 prior editions, the 2023 Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring came down to a risk/reward scenario for the leaders in the Grand Touring classes of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. A series of full-course cautions in the final hour of Saturday’s grueling endurance contest made fuel strategy the critical factor.

Patrick Pilet and Pfaff Motorsports timed it to perfection, completing a remarkable comeback for the distinctive plaid No. 9 Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) after a crash by Klaus Bachler in qualifying the day before required 11 hours to repair and forced the team to start deep in the field.

Pilet ran the last 41 laps of the race without stopping for fuel and tires – a duration of one hour, 52 minutes – to lead the GTD PRO field through the final 19 laps after darkness fell upon Sebring International Raceway. He finished 2.706 seconds ahead of Jack Hawksworth (with co-drivers Ben Barnicoat and Kyle Kirkwood) in the No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 at the checkered flag, with the No. 79 WeatherTech Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 shared by Rolex 24 At Daytona winners Daniel Juncadella, Jules Gounon and Maro Engel 4.326 seconds back in third.

“Just amazing, this group of people on the team that worked until 1 a.m. to repair the after qualifying yesterday,” said Pilet, who claimed his third win at Sebring and 14th in IMSA competition. “Then they rocked so much in the race, with the strategy and all the pit stops. Sometimes you get bad luck with the yellows, but we never gave up and we stayed focused. They call me the fuel-saving expert; that can be a big advantage and today it paid off.”

There were four full-course cautions in the final two hours, most significantly when the overall leaders of the race – three Grand Touring Prototypes (two Porsche and one Acura) – crashed in Turn 3 with 19 minutes remaining. That gave the Pfaff Porsche the fuel cushion it needed to make it to the checkered flag.

“Sebring is always madness the last two hours,” said Laurens Vanthoor, Pfaff’s IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup driver and a two-time winner at Sebring. “I remember my first time here, I was shocked. We really needed those yellows. We were on a different strategy. We needed one more yellow to be safe on fuel, and unfortunately our Porsche colleagues were involved. But that gave us the upper hand on strategy.”

GT Daytona (GTD)

The GT Daytona (GTD) class was also resolved by a gamble on late yellows to stretch fuel mileage. Madison Snow’s 40-lap final stint in the No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 secured the victory for himself and co-drivers Bryan Sellers and Corey Lewis.

As in GTD PRO, track position was king as no one was able to mount a charge on Snow in the limited number of green-flag laps down the stretch. Robby Foley came closest, as he completed a 1-2 finish for BMW in the No. 96 Turner Motorsport M4 GT3 with co-drivers Patrick Gallagher and Michael Dinan.

Snow was humble in victory, deflecting credit to the engineers making mileage calculations on the pit stand after his 10th IMSA race win. It was the second Sebring victory for all three drivers.

“In the car they don’t really tell you a whole lot,” he said. “You’re doing what they tell you, and you hope they’re telling you right. So, I’d say it was the team and the drivers for 10 and a half hours, and it was definitely the engineer the last hour and a half.”

But Sellers, a 15-time IMSA winner, was full of praise for Snow – and for the intra-manufacturer competition with BMW stalwart Turner Motorsport.

“We’ve had some great battles with them over the last year and a half or so,” Sellers remarked. “I think the teams are at a high level, and today we executed well.

“Madison at the end got the job done,” he added. “He credited the engineer, but he’s the one who held the ball and took the last shot.”

The No. 79 WeatherTech Mercedes team maintained the lead in the GTD PRO points standings, by 26 over the No. 14 Lexus and 49 ahead of the No. 9 Porsche.

In GTD, the No. 1 BMW group moved within a single point of the class leader, the No. 70 Inception Racing McLaren 720S GT3 piloted by Brendan Iribe, Frederik Schandorff and Ollie Millroy, the fourth-place finishers at Sebring.

The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship resumes April 14-15 at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.

United Rentals has agreed to become an Official Sponsor of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, officials from both organizations announced.

As a part of this agreement, United Rentals, one of the primary sponsors on Graham Rahal’s #15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing car in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, will get signage around the iconic Acura Grand Prix track at key locations and host guests in a custom hospitality tent in Lagoon Park, adjacent to pit lane. United Rentals is also the official equipment provider.

“We are excited about the opportunity to sponsor the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach,” said Craig Schmidt, Vice President, National Accounts at United Rentals, “It’s a great extension of our existing partnerships and gives us a chance to provide an exciting experience for our customers and race fans alike.”

United Rentals, Inc. is the largest equipment rental company in the world. The company has an integrated network of 1,449 rental locations in North America, 13 in Europe, 27 in Australia and 19 in New Zealand. In North America, the company operates in 49 states and every Canadian province. The company’s approximately 24,700 employees serve construction and industrial customers, utilities, municipalities, homeowners and more. The company offers approximately 4,700 classes of equipment for rent with a total original cost of $19.3 billion.

United Rentals is a member of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, the Barron’s 400 Index and the Russell 3000 Index® and is headquartered in Stamford, Conn.

"We are pleased to bring United Rentals aboard as an Official Sponsor,” said Grand Prix Association of Long Beach President and CEO Jim Michaelian. “We will not only be utilizing their equipment for construction of our racetrack, but also at other high-profile events such as  the Academy Awards, and the EDC concert in Las Vegas.”

The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach race weekend will feature the third round of the NTT INDYCAR® SERIES along with the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with its all-new GTP (GT Prototype) class, GTD PRO and GTD (GT Daytona) classes.  

Fans will also see two nights of the Super Drift Challenge Friday and Saturday, Saturday and Sunday races from Robby Gordon’s SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks and Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America, along with a doubleheader of the new-for-2023 Historic F1 Challenge, featuring vintage Formula 1 cars from the 1970s and ‘80s.

Ticket prices range from $38 for a Friday General Admission ticket to $175 for a three-day ticket that includes Saturday and Sunday reserved seating in grandstand upper levels.  Pre-paid parking packages are also available, along with handicapped seating, NTT INDYCAR SERIES Paddock access passes ($70 for three days or $30 per individual day), Super Photo tickets and an array of VIP Club packages.

Fans can select and pay for their 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach seats, parking and paddock passes online at gplb.com. Ticket orders can also be placed by calling the toll-free ticket hotline, (888) 827-7333.  

Fans can also follow the Acura Grand Prix on Facebook at GrandPrixLB, Twitter @GPLongBeach and Instagram at GPLongBeach.

For more information about United Rentals, visit unitedrentals.com.

About United Rentals

United Rentals, Inc. is the largest equipment rental company in the world. The company has an integrated network of 1,462 rental locations in North America, 13 in Europe, 27 in Australia and 19 in New Zealand. In North America, the company operates in 49 states and every Canadian province. The company’s approximately 24,600 employees serve construction and industrial customers, utilities, municipalities, homeowners and others. The company offers approximately 4,600 classes of equipment for rent with a total original cost of $19.61 billion. United Rentals is a member of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, the Barron’s 400 Index and the Russell 3000 Index® and is headquartered in Stamford, Conn. Additional information about United Rentals is available at unitedrentals.com.

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Two past Grand Prix of Long Beach winners, James Hinchcliffe and Ryan Hunter-Reay, will be inducted into the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame on Thursday, April 13, 2023, ahead of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach taking place April 14 through 16.

“We’re thrilled to welcome back past Grand Prix winners, James and Ryan, and congratulate them on their well-deserved induction into the Motorsports Walk of Fame,” said Mayor Rex Richardson.

Hinchcliffe and Hunter-Reay will be inducted during a free, open-to-the-public ceremony at 11 a.m. in front of the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center on South Pine Avenue. During the ceremony, each will unveil a 22-inch bronze medallion featuring renditions of their iconic cars and descriptions of their major achievements, permanently enshrining their contributions to motorsports on the Walk of Fame.

“It is an honor to welcome these two racing icons and past Grand Prix winners into the Motorsports Walk of Fame,” said First District Councilwoman Mary Zendejas. “Located in our scenic downtown-shoreline area, their medallions will be seen by racing fans from all over the world for many years to come.”

“James and Ryan have both had exceptional careers in auto racing and it is a privilege to present them with this prestigious honor,” said Vice Mayor Cindy Allen. “I congratulate them on all of their incredible achievements.”

Toronto-born Hinchcliffe won the Grand Prix in 2017 and finished third in 2012. He was the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Rookie of the Year in 2011 and got his first Indy Lights win at Long Beach in 2010. He is now an INDYCAR commentator for NBC.

“I thought Jim had the wrong email!” the always entertaining Hinchcliffe said about being notified by Grand Prix Association of Long Beach President and CEO Jim Michaelian.  “Seriously, it’s such a huge honor. This race is one of my favorites, if not the favorite, on the calendar and has been for a long, long time. That email was one of the best things I could have gotten; the list of the people on it are some of my heroes. It’s a huge, huge honor. Winning Long Beach in 2017 was a really special moment.”

Hunter-Reay, from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., took the Long Beach checkered flag in 2010, and later won the 2012 INDYCAR championship and the 2014 Indianapolis 500 during an outstanding Indy car career that spanned 19 seasons and included 18 wins and 72 top-5 finishes.

“The Grand Prix of Long Beach has essentially been a cornerstone of my racing career,” said Hunter-Reay. “What an honor it is to be inducted into the Walk of Fame. This circuit has always been one that suited me naturally. The best all-around street course in the world, no doubt. My wife, Beccy, and I got engaged during the 2009 race weekend. The highlight on track was dedicating my 2010 win to my Mom, Lydia, who lost her battle with cancer late 2009 and Long Beach was her favorite race of the season.”

“We are very honored to be able to induct James and Ryan into the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame,” said Grand Prix Association of Long Beach President & CEO Jim Michaelian. “They are two very accomplished drivers who have represented motorsports at the highest level. They certainly deserve this special recognition.”

After the ceremony, Hinchcliffe and Hunter-Reay will sign autographs for those in attendance. For more information, visit lbmotorsportswof.com.

The Walk of Fame is a joint project of the City of Long Beach and the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach and new members are added every year during Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach week.

The Walk of Fame was created in 2006 to honor key contributors to the sport of auto racing. It is located in front of the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment building across from the Pike At Rainbow Harbor entertainment complex on South Pine Avenue. The first inductees were Dan Gurney and Phil Hill, who contributed mightily to the success of the early days of the Grand Prix of Long Beach.

The induction ceremony kicks off the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach weekend which brought more than 188,000 people to Downtown Long Beach in 2022. For more information, visit gplb.com, call 888.827.7333, or follow the race on Facebook at GrandPrixLB, Twitter @GPLongBeach (#AGPLB), Instagram @GPLongBeach and YouTube @GPLongBeach.  
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About the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach

The Grand Prix Association of Long Beach owns and operates the annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach INDYCAR race, which attracts more than 180,000 attendees over its three-day weekend. The Grand Prix Association of Long Beach also owns GPALB Special Events, offering high-quality structures, bleacher rentals, event operation management and design. For more information, visit gplb.com.  

About the City of Long Beach

Home to approximately 470,000 people, the multiple award-winning and innovative City of Long Beach offers all the world-class amenities of a large metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods nestled together along the California coast. As a full-service charter city, Long Beach is home to the Queen Mary, Aquarium of the Pacific, several museums and theaters, a highly-rated school district, Long Beach Airport, the Port of Long Beach, as well as many award-winning City departments such as Health, Parks, Recreation and Marine, Development Services, Public Works and more. The City also has a highly respected university and city college, two historic ranchos, five hospitals, 12 libraries, five golf courses, 169 parks, miles of beaches, marinas, bike paths and a Bike Share program.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov. Watch us on LBTV. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Marcus Ericsson dodged multiple incidents in a chaotic season-opening race for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, winning the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding on Sunday in a day overflowing with drama.

2022 Indianapolis 500 winner Ericsson earned his fourth career NTT INDYCAR SERIES victory by 2.4113 seconds in the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing Honda over runner-up Pato O’Ward in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet.

Ericsson, who started fourth, took the lead when O’Ward slowed suddenly exiting Turn 14 on Lap 97 of the 100-lap race when his engine shut off momentarily due to a brief fire in the plenum chamber of his powerplant.

“I feel bad for Pato for having the issue, but that’s racing,” Swedish driver Ericsson said. "You need to get there to the finish line. We were having such a good weekend. The car was fantastic all the way through. We were hunting him down, putting the pressure on, and that’s when things happen. It was a hell of a start to the season.”

Six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Scott Dixon finished third in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Alexander Rossi finished fourth in the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet in his debut with the team after seven seasons at Andretti Autosport.

Callum Ilott rounded out the top five after starting 22nd in the No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet, with his 17 spots gained the most of any driver in the race.

O’Ward took the lead on Lap 74 when leader Scott McLaughlin in the No. 3 DEX Imaging Team Penske Chevrolet and second place Romain Grosjean in the No. 28 DHL Honda collided while dueling side by side for the lead, both plunging into the tire barriers in Turn 4. McLaughlin had just exited the pits on cold Firestone tires after Grosjean had pitted earlier and was on warm rubber, and McLaughlin took responsibility for the incident in a post-race interview.

McLaughlin and NTT P1 Award pole-sitter Grosjean were the dominant drivers out front, leading 37 and 31 laps, respectively.

On the ensuing restart on Lap 79, O’Ward built a 2.8-second lead in just one lap and appeared to be destined for victory. But Ericsson steadily chipped at O’Ward’s gap, helped by saving twice as much Push-to-Pass time as O’Ward for the final stint of the race.

Ericsson pulled to within one-half second of O’Ward on Lap 97 when O’Ward’s car suddenly slowed with the plenum problem and then regained speed.

“We did everything right today,” a crestfallen O’Ward said. “There’s always something. The boys deserved that. Compared to where we were here last year, this is a massive step. But we gave that one away. We can’t have that happen anymore. I know we’re second, but …”

Ericsson slipped past O’Ward, taking the lead for the first time and cruising to the checkered flag to enthrall a chanting corps of Swedish fans in the grandstands. Ericsson will split $10,000 with his Chip Ganassi Racing team and his chosen charity, Riley Children’s Foundation, for his victory as part of the PeopleReady Force For Good Challenge.

Two major incidents on the 14-turn, 1.8-mile temporary street circuit thinned the 27-car field in the first half of the race.

On a restart on Lap 41, Rinus VeeKay’s No. 21 Bitnile.com Chevrolet nosed into the barriers in Turn 4 amid heavy traffic. The No. 30 Kustom Entertainment Honda of Jack Harvey had nowhere to go and plowed into the back of VeeKay. Then the trailing No. 27 AutoNation Honda of Kyle Kirkwood hit the rear of Harvey’s car and vaulted over that machine and VeeKay’s wounded car.

Harvey was taken to a local hospital in stable condition for further evaluation as a precautionary measure, according to INDYCAR Medical Director Dr. Julia Vaizer. The other drivers in the incident were unhurt.

The race started with a chaotic incident on the first lap. Felix Rosenqvist’s No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet and Dixon’s car made side-by-side contact in Turn 2, with Rosenqvist being shoved into light wall contact.

That minor clash triggered a big, chain-reaction collision involving six cars that wiped out two teams’ hopes for a strong finish in the race. Drivers involved: Meyer Shank Racing teammates Helio Castroneves in the No. 06 AutoNation/Sirius XM Honda and Simon Pagenaud in the No. 60 AutoNation/Sirius XM, AJ Foyt Racing teammates Santino Ferrucci in the No. 14 AJ FOYT RACING/SEXTON PROPERTIES Chevrolet and rookie Benjamin Pedersen in the No. 55 AJ FOYT RACING/SEXTON PROPERTIES Chevrolet, rookie Sting Ray Robb in the No. 51 biohaven Honda and Devlin DeFrancesco in the No. 29 EVTEC Honda.

DeFrancesco’s car was tossed into the air in a pirouette when T-boned by Pedersen in the unfolding maelstrom. None of the drivers involved in the incident was hurt.

The next NTT INDYCAR SERIES race is the PPG 375 on Sunday, April 2 on the 1.5-mile oval at Texas Motor Speedway.

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All-star rock band Kings of Chaos – with special guests– will headline the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach’s Saturday night, April 15 concert presented by Acura.

The show will take place at approximately 6:30 p.m. on the plaza in front of the Long Beach Performing Arts Center adjacent to the Long Beach Convention Center and is free to Saturday race ticket holders. Space at the plaza is limited and will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Kings of Chaos, the brainchild of Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver drummer Matt Sorum, is an international all-star band with a revolving lineup of top rock-and-roll talent. The lineup for Long Beach is scheduled to include guest vocalists Corey Taylor (Slipknot, Stone Sour), Corey Glover (Living Colour), Lzzy Hale (Halestorm) and Rome (Sublime) along with guitarists Gilby Clarke (Guns N’ Roses), Billy Duffy (The Cult), Vernon Reid (Living Colour), Brent Woods (Taylor Hawkins), bass guitarist James LoMenzo (Megadeth) and drummer Sorum.

Sorum also brought Kings of Chaos to the Grand Prix in 2017, playing 90 minutes of hit songs to a big crowd in front of the plaza stage.

“As Long Beach is my birthplace, this is a very special gig for me,” said Sorum. “Kings of Chaos are excited to join this legendary event and we’re putting together a once-in-a-lifetime show to make it even more memorable for fans of live music. Fast cars and Rock N’ Roll! Does it get any better?”

“I’m so honored to be joining the Kings of Chaos for a night none of us will forget,” said Hale. “And to be surrounded by these lifers of live music for such a legendary event, not only will make this a true moment in time for the fans, but for myself as well! Thank you to all the boys for having me! Let’s get loud!”

The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach will be headlined by the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, as well as the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. In addition, the weekend will include the Super Drift Challenge under the lights on Friday and Saturday nights, plus doubleheader action from Robby Gordon’s SPEED/UTV Stadium Super Trucks, Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America and the new-for-2023 Historic F1 Challenge.

Saturday tickets start at $77 for a General Admission ticket that gives access to the concert, Lifestyle Expo, all racing events plus unreserved seating in select grandstands. A three-day ticket that includes prime Sat./Sun. reserved seating in grandstand upper levels costs $175.  Pre-paid parking packages are also available, along with handicapped seating, NTT INDYCAR SERIES Paddock passes, Super Photo tickets and a wide variety of hospitality packages.

Fans can select and pay for their Grand Prix seats, parking and paddock passes online at gplb.com. Ticket orders can also be placed by calling the toll-free ticket hotline, (888) 827-7333.  Also featured on gplb.com is the latest Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach news and racetrack information, photos and ongoing announcements of special race week activities.

Fans can also follow the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on Facebook (GrandPrixLB), Twitter @GPLongBeach (#AGPLB) and Instagram @GPLongBeach.

For more information on Kings of Chaos, visit kingsofchaosband.com or follow them on Facebook (KingsOfChaosBand), Twitter @kingsofchaosusa and Instagram @kingsofchaos.

FlexCBD has signed an agreement to become an Official Sponsor of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, officials from both organizations announced today.

FlexCBD, headquartered in nearby Torrance, is a leader in high-quality CBD pain-relief products, including creams, sprays and dietary supplements. The company’s mission is to help people around the world get back doing the things they love. By utilizing innovative techniques and fueled with passion, FlexCBD strives to make a healthy lifestyle possible for everyday people tired of living with pain.  

The FlexCBD product line includes a Farm Bill Compliant Topical Relief Cream and Athletic Spray that provides people with relief from aches and pains of all kinds as well as reduction of inflammation within minutes of application.

"We are delighted to bring aboard FlexCBD, a company that produces high-end products right up the street in Torrance,” said Grand Prix Association of Long Beach President and CEO Jim Michaelian. "We look forward to helping them showcase their products to our many receptive fans."

The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach race weekend will feature the third round of the NTT INDYCAR® SERIES along with the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with its all-new GTP (GT Prototype) class and GTD PRO and GTD (GT Daytona) classes.  

Fans will also see two nights of the Super Drift Challenge Friday and Saturday, Saturday and Sunday races from Robby Gordon’s SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks and Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America, along with a doubleheader of the new-for-2023 Historic F1 Challenge, featuring vintage Formula 1 cars from the 1970s and ‘80s.

Ticket prices range from $38 for a Friday General Admission ticket to $175 for a three-day ticket that includes Saturday and Sunday reserved seating in grandstand upper levels.  Pre-paid parking packages are also available, along with handicapped seating, NTT INDYCAR SERIES Paddock access passes ($70 for three days or $30 per individual day), Super Photo tickets and an array of VIP Club packages.

Fans can select and pay for their 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach seats, parking and paddock passes online at gplb.com. Ticket orders can also be placed by calling the toll-free ticket hotline, (888) 827-7333.  

Fans can also follow the Acura Grand Prix on Facebook at GrandPrixLB, Twitter @GPLongBeach and Instagram at GPLongBeach.

Southern California’s 200-MPH Beach Party is just around the corner! Construction has begun on the city streets comprising the world-famous Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach race circuit in preparation for the April 14-16 race weekend.

Over 50 days, more than 2,400 concrete blocks that anchor the safety system around the 1.97-mile, 11-turn racing circuit will be placed along with 14 large grandstands that line the racecourse. More than 188,000 fans attended the race in 2022, returning the event’s attendance to pre-pandemic levels.

On Wednesday, Grand Prix Association of Long Beach President and CEO Jim Michaelian, newly elected Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson and LiUNA Local 1309 Business Manager Mario Suales commemorated the start of track construction in what will become Turn 10 of the race course in the Long Beach Arena parking lot.

“Coming off a very successful event last year, we are looking at providing an even more attractive weekend in April,” said Michaelian. “We will soon be announcing some exciting additions to our schedule including the Saturday night concert, inductees into the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame and a possible preview event during race week.”

“Every year, our city has the unique opportunity to welcome more than 180,000 people to our downtown, support our local restaurants, engage with our beautiful waterfront and see what makes Long Beach so very special,” said Richardson. “I look forward to welcoming the Grand Prix back to Long Beach for its 48th year to continue this incredible tradition of community and highlighting the prosperity of our city.”

In total, Grand Prix Director of Operations Dwight Tanaka, LIUNA and Grand Prix Operations staff will put in more than 33,000 working hours installing the safety system – more than 14 million pounds of concrete blocks, four miles of fencing and 17,000 bolted-together tires – along with grandstands, six pedestrian bridges and eight giant vision boards for full-circuit TV coverage.

Tanaka’s staff will also install 45 high-end hospitality suites, three hospitality clubs, tents, electrical lines and equipment, phones, porta-johns, trash containers and a myriad of other items around the track.

The eastern portion of the racetrack (Turns 9, 10 and 11) will also be used for Round One of the eight-event 2022 Formula Drift season April 7-8, and part of the circuit will be used as a running course for the Grand Prix Foundation of Long Beach’s 5th Annual G & M Grand Prix 5K Run on Sunday morning, April 2.

All businesses along the race circuit, which includes Shoreline Drive, Aquarium Way and Pine Ave., will remain open during construction of the racetrack.

The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach will be headlined by the third round of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, as well as the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. In addition, the weekend will include the Super Drift Challenge under the lights on Friday and Saturday nights, the SPEED/UTV Stadium Super Trucks, Historic F1 Challenge and the Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America.

Fans can select and pay for their Grand Prix seats, parking and paddock passes online at gplb.com. Ticket orders can also be placed by calling the toll-free ticket hotline, (888) 827-7333.  Also featured on gplb.com is the latest Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach news and racetrack information, photos and ongoing announcements of special race week activities.

Ticket prices range from $38 for a Friday General Admission ticket to $175 for a three-day ticket that includes Saturday and Sunday reserved seating in grandstand upper levels.  Pre-paid parking packages are also available, along with handicapped seating, NTT INDYCAR SERIES Paddock passes, Super Photo tickets and a wide variety of hospitality packages.

Fans can follow the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on Facebook (GrandPrixLB), Twitter @GPLongBeach (#AGPLB) and Instagram @GPLongBeach.

The debut of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s newest class not only lived up to expectations, but arguably outperformed it with one of the most dramatic runs to the Rolex 24 At Daytona overall victory in recent memory. It all unfolded in front of a rapt international television audience and a record crowd at Daytona International Speedway.

Meyer Shank Racing’s Tom Blomqvist drove the pole-winning No. 60 Acura ARX-06 to a 4.190-second victory, to win the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class win in the first race with hybrid-powered prototypes. It was the second consecutive and third overall Rolex 24 victory for the Meyer Shank team, which led a race-best 365 of the 783 laps, crossing the stripe 4.190 seconds ahead of Filipe Albuquerque in the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 from Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport.

The Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-LMDh cars from Chip Ganassi Racing finished third (with driver Renger van der Zande in the No. 01) and fourth (Earl Bamber in the No. 02). The top four cars were separated by 11.176 seconds after 24 hours of racing on the 3.56-mile Daytona International Speedway road course.

“I knew we had a fantastic car, unbelievable,’’ said an excited Blomqvist, who won the 2022 Rolex 24 in his first race with Meyer Shank and went on to collect the Daytona Prototype international (DPi) class championship. “I just have to say, a massive ‘well done’ to everyone who’s been a part of this project.

“What a car we’ve built and I’m so grateful to be able to drive that and be trusted with the duty to take it to the finish. Amazing, I was a bit nervous because the (No.) 10 car was definitely the second fastest car when it came down to it. But yeah, we held it off and had to take it to another level to secure this victory.’’

Blomqvist shared the car in the race with Colin Braun, Helio Castroneves and Simon Pagenaud, the latter duo also part of last year’s Rolex 24 triumph. Today’s victory, in fact, is Castroneves’ third straight in the iconic race, tying late sports car legend Peter Gregg for most consecutive overall victories in sports car racing’s renowned season opener.

“This team is amazing. This is absolutely a dream come true,’’ Castroneves, the four-time Indianapolis 500 winner said after once again convincing his teammates and team owners Mike Shank and Jim Meyer to climb the track fence in celebration. “So happy to start the year like that and keep it going.’’

Pagenaud, Castroneves’ teammate on the Meyer Shank IndyCar team, was also all smiles, earning his second straight Rolex winner’s watch.

“I think I’m getting used to it,’’ he joked, adding, “I’ll tell you what, it was tough out there but it was fun. I’m going to savor this one.”

The MSR No. 60 Acura led the final 97 laps despite having to repair the gearbox midrace and worrying whether it would indeed make it to the end. It marks the third straight Rolex 24 overall victory for Acura, which also won with the WTRAndretti team in 2021.

Nine hybrid prototypes made the highly anticipated debut of the GTP class in the race. All but one were still running at the finish, including the top six overall finishers, an impressive outing for a car making its first competitive showing in one of the longest, most grueling events on the schedule.

The celebratory feeling went from track to pits to company brass. The first win in a totally new car elicited both relief and confidence. The finish of the race, the reliability and competitiveness a good sign for all.

“It feels unbelievable,’’ said David Salters, president of Honda Performance Development (HPD), which developed the race winner. “The real privilege is to work with those people (Acura teams) and achieve days like today. We all know it doesn’t happen all the time. Was it worth it? It’s been two years and I think it’s the best thing I’ve been involved in in my whole life.

“If that isn’t a demonstration of precision-crafted performance, I don’t know what is,’’ Salters added. “It’s a landmark moment. It’s the pinnacle of sports car racing.”

GTD PRO

In his final start as an IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship driver, Cooper MacNeil co-drove the No. 79 WeatherTech Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 to the GT Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) class victory today alongside Mercedes factory drivers Maro Engel, Daniel Juncadella and Jules Gounon.

MacNeil claimed a prize he has coveted for more than a decade – the Rolex Cosmograph watch reserved for winners since the legendary Swiss firm took over as the title sponsor of the Daytona 24 Hours in 1992. McNeil earned his 12th IMSA race win, sharing honors with the WeatherTech Racing team’s season-long drivers Juncadella and Gounon and endurance ace Engel.

It was Engel who handled the anchor stint, engaging in a fierce battle with the No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 driven by Jack Hawksworth and Antonio Garcia in the No. 3 Corvette Racing Corvette C8.R GTD. Garcia eventually prevailed for second place, finishing 3.916 seconds behind Engel with co-drivers Jordan Taylor and Tommy Milner. Hawksworth, Ben Barnicoat and Mike Conway completed the podium for Lexus.

“Man, those restarts are like war,” said Engel, who won in IMSA competition for the third time – his second at the Rolex 24. “It was a big dogfight with the Lexus and the Corvette. But we got there in the end, with big thanks to my teammates and the whole WeatherTech family.

“I knew the pressure was on, but I woke up yesterday morning and told the guys, ‘I’m feeling it,’” he continued. “The last stint was definitely exciting in the car, and I can only imagine what it was like watching from outside.”

Juncadella and Gounon both earned their first IMSA race wins.

In late 2022, MacNeil announced plans to step out of the car after the Rolex 24 to focus on the future of WeatherTech Racing and the WeatherTech brand’s relationship with IMSA. His victory came in his 13th attempt at Daytona.

“This is lucky number 13 for me and my last IMSA race, so I couldn’t be happier than to win here with WeatherTech, Mercedes and Proton Competition,” MacNeil said. “It was a difficult race here at Daytona, and everyone strives to put everything together to win the Rolex watch. We came close in 2015, finishing second, but this year the Mercedes was in contention the whole time. We put the best AMG drivers in the car we could find in the world, and they drove their butts off.”

MacNeil admitted that knowing this would be his last race start, he battled some emotions – even once he was in the car.

“Once the helmet goes on, that nonsense goes out the window and you just focus on the job at hand,” he said. “My job was to go out and execute, and to keep the car clean, on the lead lap and in contention for these guys to fight for the win, as you saw Maro do.

“Winning my last IMSA race is tremendous.”

GT Daytona (GTD)

Aston Martin has competed in endurance races at Daytona International Speedway since 1964. Today, Marco Sorensen and Heart of Racing teammates Roman De Angelis, Darren Turner and co-driver/team manager Ian James earned the legendary English marque’s first Rolex 24 victory in 13 attempts by claiming the GT Daytona (GTD) class trophy.

The Heart of Racing pit crew lifted De Angelis and the No. 27 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 into the class lead with a superior pit stop with a little more than 2 1/2 hours remaining in the 24-hour endurance chase.

After taking over the wheel, Sorensen briefly lost the top overall GT spot to Jack Hawksworth in the No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 from the GTD PRO class on a restart 40 minutes later. Hawksworth surrendered the point back to Sorensen five laps later and the No. 27 Aston held off the GTD PRO class-winning No. 79 Mercedes-AMG GT3 over the final 80 minutes to claim overall GT and GTD class honors.

Making Aston Martin’s day even sweeter, the No. 44 Magnus Racing Vantage GT3 with drivers John Potter, Andy Lally, Spencer Pumpelly and Nicki Thiim finished second in GTD, crossing the line 5.363 seconds behind the No. 27. The win follows up Aston’s first Daytona podium, a second-place finish achieved last year by the Magnus car.

“First win for Aston in nearly 60 years? I don’t know what to say,” Sorensen said. “We won the Daytona 24 outright, ahead of everyone (in GT). Every time I saw yellow flags toward the end, I was so upset. It was one big fight, and I’m just so happy we could bring it home.

“Amazing job by The Heart of Racing – I couldn’t have done it without them,” he added. “For the last four hours, Roman and I were flat out. We couldn’t have done any more. It’s very emotional – really, really special.”

The victory was the first in WeatherTech Championship competition for Sorensen; Turner and De Angelis own six career wins each, with James raising his total to 11. James’ triumph came in his 21st Rolex 24 start.

Defending IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup GTD champion Inception Racing took third place with a McLaren 720S GT3 shared by Brendan Iribe, Frederik Schandorff, Ollie Millroy and Marvin Kirchhofer, followed by Sheena Monk, Katherine Legge, Mario Farnbacher and Marc Miller in the No. 66 Gradient Racing Acura NSX GT3.

The top four cars in GTD all completed 729 laps of the 3.56-mile, 12-turn Daytona road course.

In one of the most emotional storylines of this year’s Rolex 24, Winward Racing’s amazing quest for victory fell just short. After driver Lucas Auer was hospitalized Thursday when he crashed the GTD pole-winning No. 57 Mercedes, a new chassis was trucked from Texas to Daytona and completed at 4 a.m. race morning.

Russell Ward, Philip Ellis, Indy Dontje and last-minute substitute Daniel Morad quickly moved into the top five and held second place when the car suffered a mechanical issue in the last half hour, dropping to 13th place in class.

“Gotta say hats off to the entire crew,” said Ward, a team co-owner. “That’s the most incredible race we’ve ever had, start to finish. We drove the wheels off it and the crew were just fantastic. A really sad way to end it, but definitely one we’ll remember.”

America’s #1 Street Race fulfilled one of its New Year’s resolutions this week: South Pine Avenue, between Shoreline Drive and Seaside Way in downtown Long Beach, has been repaved ahead of the April 14-16 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.

The improved segment of Pine Ave. comprises Turns 6 through 8 of the iconic racecourse.

The project, a financial partnership between the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach and City of Long Beach, was completed Friday, Jan. 13 by All-American Asphalt, whose workers are members of the LiUNA Local 1309 union.

“The completion of the repaving of the racecourse on Pine Ave. is a significant step in maintaining the Grand Prix circuit as one of the premier street courses in the world,” said Grand Prix Association of Long Beach President and CEO Jim Michaelian. “This one segment needed an upgrade and was achieved through a true public-private partnership with contributions from both the Grand Prix Association and the City of Long Beach. Also, thanks to All-American Asphalt for their expert assistance on this project. Now we look forward to hosting the teams and drivers on this improved circuit when the 48th Acura Grand Prix comes to Long Beach in April.”

"The City of Long Beach has partnered with the Grand Prix organization for several decades and we are happy to provide the infrastructure necessary for a successful Grand Prix event," said Eric Lopez, Director of Public Works at the City of Long Beach. "I'd like to thank our City team for their work on completing the Grand Prix repaving project as this is one of many projects on our list to improve the conditions of our streets, curbs, and alleys across the city."

The race weekend will feature the third round of the NTT INDYCAR® SERIES along with the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with its all-new GTP (GT Prototype) class and GTD PRO and GTD (GT Daytona) classes.  

Fans will also see two nights of the Super Drift Challenge Friday and Saturday, Saturday and Sunday races from Robby Gordon’s SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks and Porsche Carrera Cup North America, along with a doubleheader of the new-for-2023 Historic F1 Challenge, featuring vintage Formula 1 cars from the 1970s and ‘80s.

Ticket prices range from $38 for a Friday General Admission ticket to $175 for a three-day ticket that includes Saturday and Sunday reserved seating in grandstand upper levels.  Pre-paid parking packages are also available, along with handicapped seating, NTT INDYCAR SERIES Paddock access passes ($70 for three days or $30 per individual day), Super Photo tickets and an array of VIP Club packages.

Fans can select and pay for their 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach seats, parking and paddock passes online at gplb.com. Ticket orders can also be placed by calling the toll-free ticket hotline, (888) 827-7333.  

Fans can also follow the Acura Grand Prix on Facebook at GrandPrixLB, Twitter @GPLongBeach and Instagram at GPLongBeach.

Southern California’s 200-MPH Beach Party® is back! Tickets for the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, which will take place April 14-16, are now on sale!

The race weekend will feature the third round of the NTT INDYCAR® SERIES with celebrated drivers such as four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves, defending Long Beach winner Josef Newgarden, 2021 winner Colton Herta, defending series champion Will Power, 2021 champion Alex Palou, six-time champion Scott Dixon and young stars such as Pato O’Ward, 2022 Rookie of the Year Christian Lundgaard and Rinus VeeKay expected to battle on the famed 1.97-mile, 11-turn circuit through downtown Long Beach.

In addition, the Saturday, April 15 featured event will be the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with its all-new GTP (GT Prototype) class, featuring newly designed hybrid prototypes from the likes of Acura, BMW, Cadillac and Porsche driven by defending series champions Tom Blomqvist and Oliver Jarvis, as well as Ricky Taylor, Filipe Albuquerque and Earl Bamber. The GTP cars will be joined on track by the GTD PRO and GTD (GT Daytona) classes, making for an exciting (and pass-filled) race.  

Fans will also see two nights of the Super Drift Challenge Friday and Saturday, Saturday and Sunday races from Robby Gordon’s SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks and Porsche Carrera Cup North America, along with a doubleheader of the new-for-2023 Historic F1 Challenge, featuring vintage Formula 1 cars from the 1970s and ‘80s.

“We have put together another exciting event on the track for 2023,” said Jim Michaelian, Grand Prix Association of Long Beach President and CEO. “After returning to our traditional April date this year, we had an extremely successful event and we are looking forward to building on that momentum to bring even more excitement and family fun back to the streets of Long Beach. It’s going to be a beach party full of activity for the entire family.”

Off the track, the event’s menu of family entertainment will also include the Lifestyle Expo featuring a more than 100 product and service displays and a large Family Fun Zone with racing simulators, kids’ racing cars, computer games and action sports. Add to that driver autograph sessions, special events, the popular Food Truck Experience and Sunday’s Mothers Exotic Car Paddock, with more to be announced in the coming weeks.

Ticket prices range from $38 for a Friday General Admission ticket to $175 for a three-day ticket that includes Saturday and Sunday reserved seating in grandstand upper levels.  Pre-paid parking packages are also available, along with handicapped seating, NTT INDYCAR SERIES Paddock access passes ($70 for three days or $30 per individual day), Super Photo tickets and an array of VIP Club packages.

At 10 a.m. PT on Monday, fans can select and pay for their 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach seats, parking and paddock passes online at gplb.com. Ticket orders can also be placed by calling the toll-free ticket hotline, (888) 827-7333.  

Fans can also follow the Acura Grand Prix on Facebook at GrandPrixLB, Twitter @GPLongBeach and Instagram at GPLongBeach.

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With the smoke still clearing from the Final Round of the 2022 Formula DRIFT PRO Championship, the series is announcing its 2023 schedule at SEMA in Las Vegas. The venues for the eight-round PRO Championship remain unchanged and will culminate at its traditional Irwindale Speedway venue.

Formula DRIFT will once again stage its invitational Super Drift Challenge at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on Friday and Saturday nights, April 14-15.

2023 FORMULA DRIFT CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

VENUE, LOCATION, DATE

Streets of Long Beach, Long Beach, April 7-8

Super Drift Challenge, Long Beach, April 14-15

Road Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, May 11-13

Orlando Speed World, Orlando, FL, May 26-27

Englishtown Raceway Park, Englishtown, NJ, June 22-24

World Wide Technology Raceway, St Louis, MO, July 13-15

Evergreen Speedway, Seattle, WA, Aug 11-12

Utah Motorsports Park, Grantsville, UT, Sept 14-16

Irwindale Speedway, Irwindale, Oct 13-14

In addition to the schedule announcement, Formula DRIFT is celebrating its landmark 20th Anniversary in 2023 and will introduce a number of important updates to the series, which will have a significant impact on teams and fans alike.

One of the first major changes is the removal of the 37 driver cap on both the PRO and PROSPEC Championships. This will allow more teams to enter the series but makes qualifying more crucial than ever as only 32 drivers are able to compete in the head-to-head competition.

The teams that do qualify will be excited to learn that the PRO Prize Purse has been increased, with the payout per round doubled over 2022. And the 2023 PRO Champion will receive a significant $50,000 reward for their achievement.

Fans of the sport will be able to follow their favorite teams and drivers thanks to the creation of the official Formula DRIFT Podcast. Hosted by Jacob Gettins, he'll talk to leading protagonists as the season unfolds.

In a move that signifies the maturity and longevity of the series, Formula DRIFT has announced the creation of the Formula DRIFT Hall of Fame. The first inductees will be honored at the 2023 opening round in Long Beach. And each inductee will be awarded a unique FDHOF ring, which will be custom-made for the recipient, encrusted with diamonds and gemstones to a value of $10,000.

Furthermore, a Formula DRIFT monument will be erected in downtown Long Beach to commemorate the sport, and the name of each Hall of Fame inductee will be etched into the monument to preserve their part in history.

With celebrations planned for individual events and some special announcements to be made before the start of the 2023 season, the Formula DRIFT 20th Anniversary promises to be truly unforgettable.

Formula 1 will return to the streets of Long Beach when the Historic Formula 1 Challenge, featuring classic F1 machines from the 1970s and 1980s, gives race fans a double dose of nostalgia at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, April 14-16.  

Twin 20-minute races will run Saturday, April 15 along with the IMSA WeatherTech Championship race and Sunday, April 16, the same day as the NTT INDYCAR SERIES race.

Formula 1 ran for eight years in Long Beach, from 1976-83, and the “who’s who” list of winners during those years includes Mario Andretti (1977), Niki Lauda (1981), Nelson Piquet (1980), Clay Regazzoni (1976) and Gilles Villeneuve (1979). Andretti’s 1977 John Player Lotus, along with Andrea de Cesaris’ 1982 pole-winning Alfa Romeo and Keke Rosberg’s Williams FW08 are expected to be in the field, along with other famous F1 marques that include Shadow, Penske, Wolf, McLaren, March and Surtees.

The historic event at Long Beach will be sanctioned by the Historic Motor Sports Association (HMSA).

“We’re assembling a really great field of classic F1 cars for Long Beach,” said Cris Vandagriff, president of the HMSA. “These cars will always be a part of this event’s history and heritage and it’s going to be a pleasure to see them race twice during the weekend.”

“It’s going to be great to see these incredible machines back on the streets of Long Beach,” said Grand Prix Association of Long Beach President and CEO Jim Michaelian. “For those of you who were here during those early years, it’s going to be very nostalgic and for those who weren’t, you’ll get a taste of what F1 was like back then.”

The 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach will be headlined by the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, as well as the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. In addition, the weekend will include the Super Drift Challenge under the lights on Friday and Saturday nights plus doubleheader action from Robby Gordon’s SPEED/UTV Stadium Super Trucks, Porsche Carrera Cup North America and the Historic F1 Challenge.

Fans that attended the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach in 2022 will have the opportunity to renew their ticket orders for 2023 starting Oct. 24. On Nov. 28, Acura Grand Prix tickets will go on sale to the general public.

Ticket prices range from $38 for a Friday General Admission ticket to $175 for a three-day ticket that includes Sat./Sun. reserved seating in grandstand upper levels. Pre-paid parking packages are also available, along with handicapped seating, NTT INDYCAR SERIES Paddock passes, Super Photo tickets, and a wide variety of hospitality packages.

Fans can also follow the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on Facebook (GrandPrixLB), Twitter @GPLongBeach (#AGPLB), and Instagram @GPLongBeach.

About HMSA

The Historic Motor Sports Association (HMSA) is one of the most respected historic racing organizations in North America, producing world-class spectator events across the continent. HMSA emphasizes the preservation and proper use of world-class historic racecars at all of its events. For more information, please visit www.hmsausa.com.

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Santa Monica-based Tixr, a global experiential commerce leader, has signed a multi-year agreement to become the Official Ticketing Partner of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, race officials announced today.

Tixr empowers large-scale event producers with simple solutions to highly complex ticketing and ecommerce problems. Born from a fan-focused frame of mind, Tixr leverages sophisticated technology to evolve the way event creators do business and remove purchasing pain points for fans, delivering instead a positive experience from the initial ticket sale to arrival and beyond. Tixr services over 500 entertainment partners in 40 countries, including local taste-maker brands ComplexCon, Laugh Factory, VidCon, Riot Games, and LIV Golf, and has been written about in publications such as Forbes, Rolling Stone, Billboard, Spin, and Pollstar.

Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach fans will now use the Tixr platform for online purchasing on mobile and desktop starting Oct. 24 with the 2023 ticket renewal period. In addition, as an official event sponsor, Tixr will receive branding around the iconic Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach racetrack in key locations as well as other amenities.

“Teaming Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach with Tixr’s modern ticketing technology and clean user-friendly purchase interface will truly help turbo charge the fan experience,” said Oriol Servia, Tixr’s Head of Racing and legendary pro Indy Car driver.

“We are excited to welcome Tixr aboard as our Official Ticketing Partner,” said Grand Prix Association of Long Beach President & CEO Jim Michaelian. “We’re making technology upgrades across the board, and their state-of-the-art service will give our fans a system that affords them modern ease-of-use and more flexibility when making a purchase. Our alignment with Tixr is incorporated into a series of additional customer services including a new website and the introduction of a mobile app before our April event.”

The 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach will be headlined by the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, as well as the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. In addition, the weekend will include the Super Drift Challenge under the lights on Friday and Saturday nights plus doubleheader action from Robby Gordon’s SPEED/UTV Stadium Super Trucks, Porsche Carrera Cup North America and the new-for-2023 Historic F1 Challenge.

Fans that attended the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach in 2022 will have the opportunity to renew their ticket orders for 2023 starting Oct. 24. On Nov. 28, Acura Grand Prix tickets will go on sale to the general public.

Ticket prices range from $38 for a Friday General Admission ticket to $175 for a three-day ticket that includes Sat./Sun. reserved seating in grandstand upper levels. Pre-paid parking packages are also available, along with handicapped seating, NTT INDYCAR SERIES Paddock passes, Super Photo tickets, and a wide variety of hospitality packages.

Fans can also follow the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on Facebook (GrandPrixLB), Twitter @GPLongBeach (#AGPLB), and Instagram @GPLongBeach.

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