THE TOYOTA GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH // IRL & ALMS ACTION

The 35th running of the Long Beach Grand Prix took place this weekend on the famous street circuit in downtown Long Beach, California, and despite the heat, the racing action (and spectator turnout) was great. While their counterparts in Formula One had the daunting challenge of racing for position in the pouring rain an ocean away in Shanghai, China, the drivers of the IRL had beautiful weather and clear skies overhead... [read more]

The IRL race proved to be relatively uneventful, though there were several minor crashes that prompted full-course cautions and the deployment of the safety car. Danica Patrick, perhaps the most hated AND most loved driver in the sport, had a great race, finishing just off the podium in 4th place after starting the race at the very back of the pack. It was Dario Franchitti though who ended up taking the win (in only his second race back in an Indy car after a long absence fueled by NASCAR ambitions), ahead of the impressive Will Power and always fast Tony Kanaan. 

The American Le Mans Series support race on Saturday was arguably a more exciting contest of speed, despite the fact that some of the key competitors from past events were absent (Porsche and Audi, for example). Acura ended up dominating the race with a 1-2-3 finish with P1 and P2 class victories, and the Compuware Chevrolet C6.R GT1 car finished strong as well, though the GT1 class is reaching the end of its life and the field consisted of only two entries. In the hotly contested GT2 class, the Top 3 finishers drove cars from three separate manufacturers – Porsche, Ferrari, and BMW – and it goes without saying that they put on a great show for the crowd. Perhaps the most dramatic moment of the whole weekend though was when Boris Said's GT2-class Riley Corvette stopped just past Turn 1 fully engulfed in flames, causing quite a scare. Thankfully, Said was able to escape the car with only minor injuries as the safety stewards responded with incredible quickness. 

As a devout F1 fan, I found the Long Beach Grand Prix to be thoroughly enjoyable in person and came away with a new found respect for IRL cars. I guess seeing is believing, and witnessing these 650hp open wheel cars blast down Shoreline Drive at 170mph made me a believer!

Photo/Editorial: Robert Carrier