ACURA puts on the display for influencers and invited members of the
media to generate interest in the upcoming celebration of a "Rites Of
Spring" icon event that happens every year as the poppies begin to bloom
in the deserts of Southern California. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks -
Motorsports Journal (2025)
ACURA GPLB Celebrates Its 50th Year Of Motorsports Competition & Motor Culture Pageantry
The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach (AGPLB) is poised to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2025, marking a half-century of motorsports competition and motor culture pageantry with a spectacular weekend from April 11 to April 13. This iconic event, held on the streets of downtown Long Beach, California, will commence its milestone festivities on Thursday, April 10, at 11:00 AM with the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame ceremony. The celebration will conclude on Sunday, April 13, with the NTT INDYCAR SERIES third race of the 2025 season, a gripping 90-lap race starting at 1:30 PM PT. This golden jubilee, themed “50 Years at Full Speed,” promises an exhilarating blend of racing, entertainment, and historical tributes.
Held on the grounds of the Long Beach Convention Center and where soon
become the community of the support paddock home for the 2025 NTT
INDYCAR SERIES Race 03, the Grand Prix Association Of Long Beach Press
Day pace car track ride center brings attention to a very special time
that happens every Spring (almost always) in Long Beach. Image Credit:
Edmund Jenks - Motorsports Journal (2025)
The Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame ceremony on April 10 will set the tone for the weekend, honoring motorsports legends Scott Dixon, a six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion, Jim Michaelian, CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach, and former Long Beach Mayor Beverly O’Neill. Held in front of the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center on South Pine Avenue, this free public event will induct these luminaries into the Walk of Fame with commemorative medallions. The ceremony, a tradition since 2006, celebrates the giants who have shaped the Grand Prix and the sport, kicking off the 50th anniversary with a nod to its storied past.
The racing action begins in earnest on Friday, April 11, with the Super Drift Challenge illuminating the night with high-adrenaline drifting from top professional drivers. This event continues on Saturday, April 12, offering fans two nights of sideways spectacle under the lights. The 1.97-mile, 11-turn street circuit, renowned for its challenging layout, will host a diverse array of races throughout the weekend, showcasing the evolution of motorsports over five decades and reinforcing Long Beach’s status as North America’s longest-running major street race.
Acura Meyer Shank Racing W/Curb-Agajanian No. 93 - Acura Motorsports
ARX-06. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks - Motorsports Journal (2025)
On Saturday, April 12, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship takes center stage as the third round of its 2025 season. Featuring high-performance hybrid prototypes from brands like Acura, BMW, Cadillac, and Porsche, this endurance race will thrill spectators with its blend of speed and strategy. Also on Saturday, Robby Gordon’s SPEED Energy Stadium Super Trucks will debut in a doubleheader format, with Race 1 showcasing gravity-defying jumps, followed by Race 2 on Sunday, April 13, adding a wild, crowd-pleasing element to the weekend.
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES race on Sunday, April 13, remains the headline event, serving as the third round of the 2025 season. Starting at 1:30 PM PT, top drivers like defending champion Scott Dixon, alongside past Long Beach winners Josef Newgarden, Colton Herta, and Will Power, will compete over 90 laps on the iconic street circuit. As the second-oldest continuously running race in IndyCar history, trailing only the Indianapolis 500, this event carries immense prestige, drawing over 190,000 fans annually to witness its high-stakes competition.
Vince Tjelmeland's F5000 Lola T332-Chevrolet, driven by Danny
Ongias in the 1975 Long Beach Grand Prix, will join in celebrating
the 50th anniversary of the inaugural race, along with other noted
racing platforms here in 2025. Held on September 28, 1975, this
landmark event took place on a 2.02-mile (3.25 km) temporary street
circuit as the 7th race of the 1975 SCCA/USAC Formula 5000
Championship. An estimated 65,000 spectators watched Englishman
Brian Redman take the victory, followed by Australian Vern Schuppan,
with Canadian Eppie Wietzes rounding out the podium in third,
kicking off a motorsport legacy that continues to captivate fans
five decades later. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks - Motorsports Journal
(2025)
Adding a historical flair, the Historic Formula Exhibition will feature legendary cars from Formula 5000, Formula 1, and INDYCAR racing in twin 20-minute races on both Saturday, April 12, and Sunday, April 13. This tribute to Long Beach’s racing heritage, which began with a Formula 5000 race in 1975, transitioned to Formula One from 1976 to 1983, and shifted to IndyCar in 1984, will captivate fans with a rolling museum of motorsport history. The exhibition underscores the Grand Prix’s evolution into a Southern California institution.
GT America Powered by AWS will bring GT2, GT3, and GT4 racecars like
this No. 69 Toyota Gazoo Racing GR Supra GT4 EVO2 prepared by JTR
Motorsports driven by Anthony McIntosh at Sonoma Raceway last weekend on
March 29th, 2025. Image Credit: Brian Cleary via SRO (2025)
The GT America Powered by AWS series will bring additional excitement with GT2, GT3, and GT4 racecars from brands like Ferrari, Porsche, and McLaren. Two 40-minute races, one on Saturday, April 12, and one on Sunday, April 13, will showcase these sleek machines, offering a contrast to the open-wheel and prototype racing. Meanwhile, the Mothers Exotic Car Parade on Sunday, April 13, will dazzle attendees with a display of automotive beauty, featuring Ferraris, Porsches, Lotuses, and more parading through the streets.
Saturday post events concerts at the Acura Grand Prix Of Long Beach
are legend. In 2017, a supergroup was formed under the name Kings Of Chaos
which performed in 2017 - the rotating group, consisted of Cult drummer Matt
Sorum, The Cult’s Billy Duffy on guitar and Stone Temple Pilots brothers
Robert and Dean DeLeo on bass and guitar respectively for this gig, brought
in some A-list rock power to amp up the show. Vocals by Linkin Park frontman
Chester Bennington and Billy Idol, as well as some extra guitar help from ZZ
Top’s Billy Gibbons.
Chester Benington
performs here on the AGPLB stage as a member of the Kings Of Chaos just
three months before his passing. Image Credit Edmund Jenks - Motorsports
Journal (2017)
Beyond the track, the 50th Acura GPLB is a festival of motor culture, enriched by concerts and off-track activities. On Friday, April 11, “Fiesta Friday” will feature a live performance, followed by a Saturday, April 12, concert headlined by the legendary band Foreigner, with VIP packages including a meet-and-greet opportunity. The Lifestyle Expo and Family Fun Zone, running all weekend, will offer interactive displays, automotive exhibits, and family-friendly fun, while a driver autograph session (exact day TBD) will bring fans closer to their racing heroes.
The weekend’s festivities are preceded by Thunder Thursday at The Pike Outlets on April 10, an evening of entertainment and activities that primes the city for the Grand Prix. This event complements the Walk of Fame ceremony, ensuring the celebration begins with a bang. Local businesses will join in, offering special deals, while the Grand Prix Foundation’s 5K run the prior weekend will raise funds for Southern California charities, reinforcing the event’s community impact.
Paul Tracy launched his CART career in 1991 with Dale Coyne and
Penske Racing, stepping up in 1992 to race part-time for Penske in 11
events, substituting for the injured Rick Mears and finishing 12th overall.
His breakthrough came in 1993 with Penske, where he clinched five victories,
including a hometown triumph at the Molson Indy Toronto, before a standout
2003 season with Player’s Forsythe Racing, winning seven of 18
races—highlighted by another Toronto win—and cementing his legacy in the
series. Despite stints with Newman/Haas and Team KOOL Green yielding mixed
results, Tracy’s seven podiums in 1999 and third-place championship finish
showcased his talent, making him a fan favorite over his dynamic career.
Image Credit: Paul Tracy via FB/META (2013)
Mario Andretti and Al Unser Jr., named co-Grand Marshals for the April 13 IndyCar race, will bring their legendary stature to this milestone event, joined by the recently announced attendance of Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame honoree (2017) Paul Tracy. Andretti’s illustrious career, Unser’s multiple Long Beach victories, and Tracy’s 2003 CART championship - highlighted by his thrilling win at Long Beach that year - embody the Grand Prix’s rich competitive legacy, seamlessly connecting its past and present. Their participation will amplify the event’s pageantry, which has revitalized Long Beach from a struggling city into a vibrant hub, contributing nearly $100 million annually to the local economy.
FACTOID: preparations for the 50th anniversary began on February 20, 2025, with crews installing over 24 million pounds of concrete blocks, four miles of fencing, and 17,000 bolted-together tires to craft the temporary circuit. Led by Grand Prix Director of Operations Dwight Tanaka and supported by LIUNA Local 1309, this effort transforms downtown streets into a world-class racetrack. Acura, the title sponsor since 2019, will provide pace cars like the 2025 Integra Type S, aligning its innovation with the event’s legacy.
FOX Sports will broadcast the NTT INDYCAR SERIES race on April 13, its first year as IndyCar’s exclusive home, bringing the 90-lap showdown to a national audience. The coverage will capture the race’s intensity and the weekend’s spectacle, from jet flyovers to the checkered flag. With former ChampCar owner Gerald Forsythe’s 2024 investment in the Grand Prix Association, the event’s future looks robust, ensuring its continued evolution.
The 50th Acura GPLB has been a proving ground for talent, with first IndyCar wins for drivers like Michael Andretti and Kyle Kirkwood etched into its history. Young stars like Pato O’Ward and 2024 Rookie of the Year Linus Lundqvist will aim to join them in 2025. The challenging circuit, with tight corners and long straights, demands precision, making victories here a career-defining achievement.
In its 50th year, the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach stands as a motorsport festival unlike any other, weaving together world-class racing, historical tributes, and vibrant entertainment. From April 10’s opening ceremonies to April 13’s thrilling conclusion, it celebrates “50 Years at Full Speed” with a legacy that resonates far beyond the track. As the NTT INDYCAR SERIES cars roar past the finish line, the echoes of five decades will herald a milestone etched in speed and community spirit. (schedules are tentative; fans should check the official Grand Prix website for final details).
... notes from The EDJE
TAGS: NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Formula Drift, #formulad, 50th Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, #AGPLB, Rites-Of-Spring, Formula 5000, Formula 1, The EDJE
