Andretti Impact On Long Beach Grows With Conway IndyCar Win

Mike Conway gets first IndyCar Series win while giving Andretti Autosport its second win in a row at the Toyota Grand Prix Of Long Beach. Image Credit: Jeff Lewis/Grand Prix Association of Long Beach (2011)

Andretti Impact On Long Beach Grows With Conway IndyCar Win

The Andretti family and the Toyota Grand Prix Of Long Beach almost have a charge of destiny about them when spring comes around here in the Los Angeles basin. Mario Andretti showed an American face during the Formula 1 years and in 1977, at Long Beach, when he became the only American to win the United States Grand Prix West. He went on to win four times while driving for Newman/Haas in 1984, 1985, 1987, and 1988. Michael Andretti won at Long Beach as a driver for Kraco Racing in 1986, Newman/Haas in 2002, further owned/fielded the winning cars in 2010 (Hunter-Raey) and now ... 2011 (with Conway).

Take for example this latest round of the 37th edition of a temporary street race that set the standard of bringing the track to the people as opposed to having the people travel to a dedicated track. Last year, Andretti Autosport, and Michael Andretti specifically, were very confident that they would have the car and driver to win the event. Ryan Hunter-Raey delivered on the pre-event near prediction at the Long Beach Motorsports Walk-Of-Fame by Michael that Ryan would win the race.

Ryan Hunter-Raey as he negotiates his way to position 2 and feels poised to win the race. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2011)

This year looked as though the Andretti Autosport driver would repeat as Hunter-Raey had strong practice, qualifying sessions throughout the weekend, and running at the top of the order in second late in the race, behind Penske Racing's Ryan Briscoe ... only to have to retire with transmission problems with 13 laps left.

Enter Mike Conway ... Conway claimed his first IndyCar Series race victory with a late charge despite tumbling down the order with an ugly first pitstop. Conway worked his way back through the field and on what turned out to be the last Yellow Flag restart of the race, he was sixth behind Briscoe leading fellow teammate Hunter-Reay, Franchitti, Alex Tagliani (Sam Schmidt), Hinchcliffe (Newman/Haas) as the green came out. Conway quickly passed Hinchcliff and Tagliani on Shoreline Drive at the restart, picked up another place when Hunter-Reay's car slowed with its gearbox problem, then was able to dispatch Franchitti and Briscoe in quick succession to take the lead. It turns out that Conway was able to keep his tires cleaner during the Yellow Flag caution period making the dirty tires of Franchitti and Briscoe open for clean and easy overtakes. Once ahead, Conway, on his clean tires, decisively stormed away from the field, going on to win by 6 seconds as Briscoe held off Franchitti for second.

Ryan Briscoe ends up in P2 after being passed by Mike Conway on the last Yellow Flag restart. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2011)

Audio Of Post Race Podium Press Conference For The 37th Toyota Grand Prix Of Long Beach
(P2 - Ryan Briscoe & P3 - Dario Franchitti - Begin to 12:58 | Michael Andretti & P1 - Mike Conway - 13:00 to End at 24:13 ... file is launchable & downloadable)

At the post race press conference, Michael Andretti, team owner of Andretti Autosport, expressed his confidence in not only adding Conway to his team but the future prospects of Mike Conway for the season.

"I think Mike showed a lot of signs of brilliance last year at the beginning of the season and then unfortunately had his accident," Michael Andretti said. "Coming back, I had no question in my mind. I personally felt like he was going to be hungrier than ever, and that's exactly the way it came about."
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"I never felt like it was taking a chance. I was so happy that we were able to put a deal together with Mike because I wanted him all the way from the end of last year."
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"I was very happy because I felt like he was going to be a great addition to the team - not only as a great talent, but he just fits in with the other three drivers, which is quite important to have that chemistry."

And I think we have a great chemistry right now between the drivers, and because of that, I feel really good about the rest of this year. I think we're going to be strong."

Andretti did admit he wasn't expecting Conway to win the race, conceding that he was happy with the prospect of the Brit at being poised to finish in the top six on the last restart.

"It was crazy and I've got to admit unexpected," Andretti said. "It's so difficult to pass here, so I was really happy to see Mike up in the top six, and I thought that's not bad. At that point we were feeling good about where Ryan was and then all of a sudden Ryan has this (gearbox) problem. I was thinking, 'Oh, man, this is over.'

"And then, all of a sudden, everybody starts cheering, and I'm thinking, 'What are they cheering about?' Mike is like, boom, going past Dario (Franchitti), and next thing you know he's past (Ryan) Briscoe. Unbelievable."

Find more photos like this on IndyCar Garage

Audio Of Question Asked Of Michael Andretti About Prospects At Long Beach 2012

At the end of the press conference one felt that that this Andretti charge of destiny with Long Beach just might end up as a Three-Peat for Michael and his team come 2012 when the 38th Toyota Grand Prix Of Long Beach will be held once again when spring comes back around here in the Los Angeles basin.

... notes from The EDJE

ALMS at Long Beach 2011 - 12 cyl. power gives new meaning to muscle at "Muscle Milk"

Muscle Milk collected its first American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón win under the Aston Martin Racing banner Saturday as Lucas Luhr made an opening-lap pass on Dyson Racing’s Chris Dyson. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2011)

Tequila Patron ALMS At Long Beach - Rounnd 2
12 cylinder power gives a new meaning to the muscle at "Muscle Milk"

In qualifications, the lead for the start of the race changed eight times between the two fastest cars in the American Le Mans Series 2011 season and the only two cars in the LMP1 classification.

At race start the race was ended with a first lap pass by the Muscle Milk Aston Martin driven by Lucas Luhr on the series points leading Dyson Racing Mazda/Lola driven by Chris Dyson. After a long caution period which started soon (lap #3) after the turn #6 pass for the lead, the lead never change as the Muscle of the 12 cylinder engine of the Aston Martin pulled ahead by nearly a lap before a race ending crash with about eight minutes left had the race end on a Yellow Flag while the field took the Checkered Flag in parade behind a safety car.

Behind the two LMP1 class cars the story was very different, in that, the GT class was in a pitched battle in the first 31 laps as the Rahal Letterman Lanigan BMW's, the Corvette, and Patrick Long in the Flying Lizard factory Porsche duked it out while being as hooked-up as a train.

“My eyes were popping out of my head but that’s how street racing is,” said Joey Hand, driver of the RLL BMW M3 GT at the post race. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2011)

Full Audio Of Post Race Press Conference
(moderated by Bob Dickinson - ALMS Vice President Public Relations/Media Services - Running Time: 34min. 52sec.)

This excerpted and edited The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón -

MUSCLE MILK SCORES LONG BEACH WIN AHEAD OF EPIC GT BATTLE
Opening lap pass gives Luhr/Graf win while BMW makes it two in a row in GT

Shortly after Luhr’s pass for the lead, attention turned to a furious GT battle led by Joey Hand in the BMW Team RLL BMW M3 GT. While leading the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR of Patrick Long and the Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C6.R of Oliver Gavin, Hand was caught out by teammate Bill Auberlen, who spun in Turn 2 just before the 30-minute mark and blocked the course as the GT leaders came back around. Gavin seized the moment, promoting his Corvette into the lead on lap 44.

“My eyes were popping out of my head but that’s how street racing is,” Hand said. “The incident with Bill was interesting. I went to the right and he went to the right. It wasn’t his fault because he couldn’t see me.”

GTC traffic came into play next when Long attempted to use one of the slower cars for a pick on Gavin in an attempt to take the lead 10 minutes later at Turn 7. Hand, who had fallen to third, anticipated the move and passed both Gavin and Long to move back into the GT lead. Long used the Porsche’s power to get back around Hand coming out of the final turn but that lead was short-lived. On lap 31 and after dispatching the Extreme Speed Motorsports Ferrari 458 Italia of Scott Sharp - which had just completed its first pit stop - Long made contact with the Turn 9 wall, damaging the suspension and sending the car to pit lane and an eventual retirement. Hand retook the lead, and a flawless pit stop for the BMW Team RLL ensured Dirk Mueller was in position to take the team’s second consecutive win.
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The full-course caution came out with less than eight minutes remaining in the race after two GTC Porsches made contact on the backstretch, leaving a car stranded at Turn Nine and a trail of fluid on the course.

The No. 4 Corvette finished second in the hands Magnussen, who set a new GT race lap record of 1:20.552 . Third place went to the hard-charging Risi Competizione Ferrari F458 Italia driven by Toni Vilander and Jaime Melo. The team was forced to start the car from the back of the grid after an accident in qualifying prevented Melo from entering a flying lap.

“If you don’t like ALMS GT racing, you don’t like racing,” Hand said of the thrilling GT race. “If I was a spectator, I’d love to see what is going on out there. At one point I was in third and Long was going to the inside of Gavin into a turn and I was thinking, ‘This isn’t going to work out for them.’ I race to put on a show for people watching at home, and I think that’s what we all did.”
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In LMPC, polesitter CORE autosport faced off against Intersport Racing. The pivotal moment came on lap 56 when Gunnar Jeannette’s ORECA FLM09 passed Kyle Marcelli for the lead in Turn 1. It was the first win for the new LMPC team and defending Cooper Tires Prototype Lites championship team but the second in a row at Long Beach for Jeannette. Finishing third overall with Ricardo Gonzalez, Jeannette also set a new LMPC race lap record at Long Beach, a 1:18.620.

“I’m so happy to be up here for CORE autosport’s first win,” Jeannette said. “Ricardo did a fantastic job today and put in a monster first stint. We decided to take tires under green, and props to our guys for being able to do a four-tire change under green and get us out behind the Intersport car. I could catch him pretty easily and made the move. It’s never easy to win here at Long Beach and any street course in the ALMS. To have two wins here in a row, I have to pinch myself.”
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Completing the LMPC podium with Intersport’s Marcelli and Tomy Drissi were Eric Lux and Elton Julian in the Genoa Racing ORECA FLM09.

Black Swan Racing, which had a rough debut at Long Beach last year, navigated the treacherous streets like veterans this year for its second straight GTC win of the season with Tim Pappas and Jeroen Bleekemolen behind the wheel of their Porsche 911 GT3 Cup entry.
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Level 5 Motorsports the LMP2 winner, though the team elected to park the Lola-Honda coupe piloted by Scott Tucker and Christophe Bouchut after 45 laps.

“We’re running Le Mans and going to the Test Day next Sunday,” team owner Tucker explained. “One of our goals here was bringing the coupe, which is leaving in two hours. We decided this was the best thing to do in the overall picture.”
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MICHELIN® GREEN X® Challenge honors went to LMP1 winner Muscle Milk Aston Martin Racing and GT winner BMW Team RLL.

The Tequila Patrón American Le Mans Series at Long Beach will be broadcast on ESPN2 from 5 to 7 p.m. ET on Sunday. Following the ESPN2 broadcast, the race will be available on demand at both ESPN3.com and americanlemans.com.

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón will take its traditional break for those teams preparing to race at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and return for Round 3, the American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park, on July 9. The race will be shown live and in its entirety on ESPN3.com in the United States and internationally on americanlemans.com starting at 1:05 p.m. ET. ESPN2 will provide television coverage from 1 to 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 10.

Tequila Patrón American Le Mans Series at Long Beach
Long Beach street circuit, Long Beach, Calif.
Saturday’s results
1. (2) Lucas Luhr, Monte Carlo; Klaus Graf, Dornham; AMR/ Lola Coupe B08 62 (1, LMP1), 83.
2. (1) Chris Dyson, Pleasant Valley, NY; Guy Smith, Bracken, Yorkshire; Lola B09 86/Mazda (2, LMP1), 83.
3. (3) Ricardo Gonzalez, Monterrey; Gunnar Jeannette, Salt Lake City, UT; Oreca FLM09 (1, LMPC), 81.
4. (4) Tomy Drissi, Los Angeles, CA; Kyle Marcelli, Barrie, ON; Oreca FLM09 (2, LMPC), 81.
5. (7) Joey Hand, Sacramento, CA; Dirk Mueller, Monte Carlo; BMW M3 GT (1, GT), 81.
6. (8) Oliver Gavin, Yardley Hastings; Jan Magnussen, Roskilde; Chevrolet Corvette C6 ZR1 (2, GT), 81.
7. (28) Toni Vilander, Kankaanpaa; Jaime Melo, Milan; Ferrari F458 Italia (3, GT), 81.
8. (11) Wolf Henzler, Nuertingen; Bryan Sellers, Braselton, GA; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (4, GT), 80.
9. (6) Eric Lux, Jacksonville, FL; Elton Julian, Santa Monica, CA; Oreca FLM09 (3, LMPC), 80.
10. (15) Tommy Milner, Leesburg, VA; Olivier Beretta, Monte Carlo; Chevrolet Corvette C6 ZR1 (5, GT), 80.
11. (17) Jon Bennett, Fort Mill, SC; Frankie Montecalvo, Highlands, NJ; Oreca FLM09 (4, LMPC), 79.
12. (16) Bruno Junqueira, Brazil; Cristiano da Matta, Belo, Horizonte; Jaguar XKR (6, GT), 79.
13. (9) Bill Auberlen, Redondo Beach, CA; Dirk Werner, Kissenbrück; BMW M3 GT (7, GT), 79.
14. (26) Seth Neiman, San Francisco, CA; Darren Law, Phoenix, AZ; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (8, GT), 78.
15. (19) Tim Pappas, Boston, MA; Jeroen Bleekemolen, Monte Carlo, ; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (1, GTC), 77.
16. (13) Ed Brown, Las Vegas, NV; Guy Cosmo, West Palm Beach, FL; Ferrari F458 Italia (9, GT), 77.
17. (20) Bill Sweedler, Westport, CT; Leh Keen, Dublin, GA; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (2, GTC), 77.
18. (5) Miles Maroney, Topanga, CA; Alex Figge, Denver, CO; Oreca FLM09 (5, LMPC), 77.
19. (23) John Potter, Salt Lake City, UT; Craig Stanton, Long Beach, CA; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (3, GTC), 76.
20. (21) Dominik Schwager, Eisenhofen; Nicky Pastorelli, Rijswijk; Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 (10, GT), 75.
21. (27) Scott Blackett, Avon, CO; Nick Ham, Evergreen, CO; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (4, GTC), 71.
22. (12) Johannes van Overbeek, San Francisco, CA; Scott Sharp, Jupiter, FL; Ferrari F458 Italia (11, GT), 70.
23. (25) Brendan Gaughan, Las Vegas, NV; Dion von Moltke, Coral Gables, FL; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (5, GTC), 70.
24. (14) Sascha Maassen, Lontzen; Bryce Miller, Summit, NJ; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (12, GT), 68.
25. (29) Scott Tucker, Leawood, KS; Christophe Bouchut, Paris; Lola Honda (13, LMP2), 45.
26. (22) Duncan Ende, Los Angeles, CA; Spencer Pumpelly, Mason Neck, VA; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (6, GTC), 36.
27. (10) Patrick Long, Bellaire, FL; Joerg Bergmeister, Langenfield; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (14, GT), 31.
28. (18) Paul Gentilozzi, Grand Ledge, MI; PJ Jones, Torrance, CA; Jaguar XKR (15, GT), 2.
29. (24) Bret Curtis, Valencia, CA; James Sofronas, Newport Beach, CA; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (7, GTC), 2.
30. (30) Luis Diaz, Mexico City; Scott Tucker, Leawood, KS; Lola Honda (8, LMP2), 0.

Another great race for the books and history that is the Toyota Grand Prix Of Long Beach event. Two open-wheel races (IZOD IndyCar and Firestone Indy Lights) and two full-bodied multiple class races (Tequila Patron American Le Mans Series and Pirelli World Challenge Championships) make for a very memorable modern era rite of spring here in Long Beach during its 37th year of hosting this motor culture event icon.

... notes from The EDJE

Ticket Offices Open For The 2011 37th Annual Toyota Grand Prix Of Long Beach

Don't be left on the outside looking in. While the view from the Wells Fargo Landmark building is expansive, it does not put one directly in the action around the track. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

Ticket Offices Open For The 2011 37th Annual Toyota Grand Prix Of Long Beach

Yesterday, March 28, 2011 marks the day the ticket operations offices were opened to the public for business. Starting Monday, residents and visitors to the City of Long Beach now have an even handier place to purchase tickets to the April 15-17 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach: right in the heart of the city!

The Grand Prix downtown ticket office, located at 300 E. Seaside Way in Long Beach (near the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center box office) will be open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Adrie, Adrn Brody as he gets ready to board a Sion C and trade paint with the rest of the field participating in the 2010 Toyota Pro-Celebrity race. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

A variety of great ticket options are available for the six-race weekend, featuring the cars and stars of the IZOD IndyCar Series, such as Danica Patrick, Helio Castroneves, Dario Franchitti, Scott Dixon and defending race champion Ryan Hunter-Reay. The weekend also includes: the popular Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race; the technologically advanced sports cars of the Tequila Patron American Le Mans Series at Long Beach race; Firestone Indy Lights; Team Drift Challenge and the Pirelli World Challenge Presented by Stop Tech.

Penske Racing's Will Power, the 2010 IndyCar Series runner-up, as he receives instruction from his team manager during the 36th Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

The Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race will again boast a star-studded lineup that includes film and television actor William Fichtner, musician Kevin Jonas and UFC Champion Tito Ortiz tangling with professional drivers such as Formula Drift champion Kenshiro Gushi, USAC midget car series champion Kody Swanson and TV star Frankie Muniz in a fender-to-fender, 10-lap dash for charity.

In addition to hot racing, fans can enjoy the Tecate Light Fiesta Friday Concert with two great Hispanic bands, “Moderatto” and “Fobia.” On Saturday, the Tecate Light Rock-N-Roar Concert Presented by KLOS at 6:30 p.m. features classic rockers “JOHN KAY & STEPPENWOLF.” Both concerts, held on the Convention Center outdoor stage, are free to race ticket holders.

The weekend-long Lifestyle Expo in the Convention Center – free to all ticket holders – includes the all-new aerial thrills of a Zipline ride, BMX and skateboard exhibitions, rockclimbing wall, a Family Fun Zone filled with electric car rides and computer games and the unique “Green Power Prix-View,” highlighting renewable energy sources and a host of energy tips for inside AND outside the home.

MAZDASPEED Motorsports powered, Dyson Racing's American Le Mans Series car as it enters the Shoreline Drive straightaway during the race at the Toyota Grand Prix event at Long Beach. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

The famed race circuit, which includes the downtown streets of Long Beach surrounding the Long Beach Entertainment and Convention Center, is 1.97 miles in length and includes 11 turns. Grandstands lining the circuit include reserved seating, limited general admission seats, and seating for various hospitality club ticket packages.

Tickets for the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach can be purchased from the Grand Prix ticket office by calling toll-free at (888) 82-SPEED, or you can select your seats online and print your tickets at home for no additional charge by visiting gplb.com. A ticket brochure – which includes circuit map, grandstand and parking locations, ticket prices and order form – can be obtained online or by calling the ticket hotline.
(ht: TGPLB)

... notes from The EDJE