Long Beach Preview

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The 2025 Long Beach weekend is one I have been anticipating since my last visit to southern California since my last trip in 2022. Sunday’s Indycar race marks 50 years of racing on the streets of this city by the sea.

It is the 41st race IndyCar. The first race was Formula 5000 event in 1975, followed eight years of Formula 1. How special is this place? Formula 1 tried to return a few years ago and was rebuffed by the city and the grand prix owners. NASCAR turned an eye toward staging a race here as well.

IndyCar resolved the issue by buy the late Kevin Kalkhoven’s half of the franchise. Since by law only one weekend a year can be used for a race in the streets, it is solely for IndyCar as long as they wish.

The third race of the 2025 season should play out much like the St. Pete opener, although there are a couple of added twists.

Longer Race

The race distance is now 90 laps, up from 85 the past few years. How will the new distance affect fuel strategy? Can someone still make it on two stops? And if fuel isn’t the question mark, tires certainly will be.

Changing Colors?

Firestone will bring the same compound to Long Beach that was used at St. Pete. We can assume high wear on the alternates. IndyCar has returned to the new allotment formula of five sets of primaries and five sets of alternates.

Long Beach has traditionally been a race for the alternate tires, but with the alternate rubber’s shorter life this year, is this now a race favoring the primary tires?

Kyle Kirkwood said in the media conference that it is too soon to tell

“In the past, it’s typically been a red tire race. That’s
obviously going to change now, considering it’s the same
tire as St. Pete. That’s really the only question mark we
have in our minds right now. We need to get through the
first practice to know exactly how bad or good it’s going to
be.”

Palou Goes for Three

Alex Palou has a chance Sunday to match teammate Scott Dixon’s feat in 2020 of winning the first three races of the season. I say he will not win this weekend.

Andretti Global looks to be reasserting their street course dominance. Both Colton herta and Kyle Kirkwood have each won at Long Beach. Look for one of them to be in Victory Lane after 90 laps.

IMSA

A highlight of Long Beach is the IMSA event which accompanies the IndyCar race. Saturday’s 100-minute race has some added interest for IndyCar fans.

Robert Wickens makes his return to major league motorsport, driving a Corvette in the GTD class. Wickens won several races and the championship in the Michelin Pilot Challenge.

It will be a thrill to watch him race at this high level again. I have a feeling some fans who use the IMSA race time to just walk around the track will be watching this race.

Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Fast Facts 

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From IndyCar

 Race weekend: Friday, April 11 – Sunday, April 13
Track: 1.968-mile, 11-turn temporary street course (clockwise) in Long Beach, California
Race distance: 90 laps / 177.12 miles
Push-to-pass parameters: 200 seconds of total time, with a maximum time of 20 seconds per activation
Hybrid energy deployment parameters: Unlimited activation, with a maximum deployment of 415 kilojoules (kj) per lap
Firestone tire allotment: Five sets primary (hard) and five sets alternate (soft) to be used during the event weekend. Teams fielding a rookie driver may use one additional set of primary tires. Teams must use one set of primary and one set of new (sticker) alternate tires for at least two laps in the race.

X: @GPLongBeach, @INDYCAR, #AGPLB, #INDYCAR
Instagram: @GPLongBeach, @INDYCAR, #AGPLB, #INDYCAR
Facebook: @GrandPrixLB, @INDYCAR, #INDYCAR
TikTok: @grandprixlongbeach, @INDYCAR, #INDYCAR
YouTube: @INDYCAR
Event website: www.gplb.com
INDYCAR website: www.indycar.com

2024 race winner: Scott Dixon (No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda)
2024 NTT P1 Award: Felix Rosenqvist (No. 60 AutoNation/SiriusXM Honda), 1:06.0172, 107.317 mph
Qualifying lap record: Colton Herta, 1:05.3095, 108.480 mph, April 9, 2022

FOX Sports telecast: 
Practice 1, 6 p.m. ET, Friday, FS1 (live);
Practice 2, 11:30 a.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live);
Qualifying, 2:30 p.m. ET Saturday, FS2 (live);
Warmup, Noon ET Sunday, FS1 (live);
Race, 4:30 p.m. ET Sunday, FOX (live).

Will Buxton is the play-by-play announcer for FOX’s coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe. Kevin Lee and Jack Harvey are the pit reporters. A Spanish-language telecast of the race will be available on FOX Deportes.

INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside driver analyst Davey Hamilton. Jake Query, Nick Yeoman and Michael Young are the turn announcers. Ryan Myrehn, Jonathan Grace and DJ Clark are the pit reporters. The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach race (4 p.m. ET on April 13) and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES practices and qualifying sessions air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM INDYCAR Nation 218, indycar.com/leaderboard and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.

At-track schedule (all local times):
Friday, April 11
3:05-4:25 p.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice 1 (split group format), FS1 (live)
Saturday, April 12
8:30-9:30 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice 2 (limited green flag guarantee of 45 minutes), FS1 (live)1
1:35 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (three rounds of knockout qualifying), FS2 (live)
Sunday, April 13
9:02-9:27 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES warmup, FS1 (live)
12:59 p.m. – Driver introductions
1:30 p.m. – FOX on air
1:45 p.m. – Start engines command
1:52 p.m. – Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach (90 laps/177.12 miles), FOX, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network (live). Spanish telecast on FOX Deportes (live)
WHAT TO LOOK FOR AT LONG BEACH:
1. Palou on repeat: After scoring wins in the first two races of the season, Alex Palou looks to continue his winning streak and become just the fourth driver since 1979 to open the season with three or more wins.
Scott Dixon was the last driver to start the season with three wins, when he captured the first three races of the 2020 season. Dixon, Sebastien Bourdais (first four races of the 2006 Champ Car season) and Paul Tracy (first three wins of 2003 CART season) all won INDYCAR SERIES titles after starting the season with a win streak.
2. It’s not where you start…: Except for Alexander Rossi’s wins in 2018-19 and Kyle Kirkwood’s win from pole in 2023, the pole position has not been the place to start at Long Beach. Just six drivers have won Long Beach from the top spot. While pole winners have scored podium finishes in recent races, they’ve also finished 15th or worse just as often (Colton Herta – 23rd in 2022, Ryan Hunter-Reay – 20th in 2014, Dario Franchitti – 15th in 2012, and Justin Wilson – 19th in 2008).
3. …It’s where you finish: Alex Palou is the only driver to finish in the top five in both of this season’s events. Palou, who won at St. Petersburg and Thermal, is one of six drivers to finish in the top 10 in each race, so far. The other drivers are Scott Dixon, Kyle Kirkwood, Christian Lundgaard, Felix Rosenqvist and Alexander Rossi.
Race Notes:This weekend’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach will mark the 50th auto racing event and the 41st INDYCAR SERIES event on the historic Long Beach street circuit. Mario Andretti won the first INDYCAR SERIES race in 1984. Scott Dixon won the race in 2024.
Three California natives are entered: 2018 and 2019 race winner Alexander Rossi is a native of Nevada City, while Andretti Global’s Colton Herta, the 2021 race winner, hails from Valencia. Nolan Siegel, who made his INDYCAR SERIES debut at Long Beach in 2024, hails from Palo Alto.
Al Unser Jr. has won the most times at Long Beach (six), while Scott Dixon, Will Power and Alexander Rossi are the only entered drivers with multiple wins. Dixon won in 2015 and 2020 Power won in 2008 and 2012, and Rossi won in 2018 and 2019.
Other former race winners scheduled to compete are Colton Herta (2021), Josef Newgarden (2022) and Kyle Kirkwood (2023).Six drivers have won the race from the pole – Mario Andretti (1984, 1985 and 1987), Al Unser Jr. (1989-90), Helio Castroneves (2001), Sebastien Bourdais (2006-07), Alexander Rossi (2018-19) and Kyle Kirkwood (2023).
Twenty-four of the 27 drivers entered have competed in INDYCAR SERIES races at Long Beach. 
Will Power has 18 starts, the most among all entered drivers. Nine entered drivers have led laps: Power 187, Alexander Rossi 151, Scott Dixon 146, Josef Newgarden 100, Colton Herta 78, Kyle Kirkwood 54, Alex Palou 24, Graham Rahal 4 and Felix Rosenqvist 1.
Milestones: Alexander Rossi will attempt to make his 150th INDYCAR SERIES start at Long Beach … Marcus Ericsson will attempt to make his 100th INDYCAR SERIES start at Long Beach…Scott Dixon will look to extend his consecutive starts streak to 342 – the longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history…Dixon’s next top-10 finish will be the 300th of his career. 

Intense, Immersive, Dynamic-the Renovated IMS Museum

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I am happy to report that all my misgivings about the IMS Museum renovation were swept away- no- blown away by the gale force winds that came through the state last week. My visit earlier today put all my concerns at ease.

This is not your grandfather’s IMS Museum. It is a far cry from the six cars sitting in the ticket office at the corner of 16th and Georgetown. It’s even a far cry from what it was 15 months ago.

The static museum with artifacts randomly lining the walls has given way to a dynamic, immersive presentation of the history of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The similarity to the former place ends when you enter the front door. Yet, change begins outside as well. The two car sculptures, the 1949 Novi and the 1970 Foyt car, have been moved to flank the walkway leading to the entrance. The cars now have more visibility than they had on the lawn in front of the fountain.

Once inside, visitors are greeted by a wall with three screens of race highlights which change. I happened to enter when a photo of Bill Vukovich in Victory Lane flashed into view. They must have known I was there.

The images are faint, but take a minute to watch some of them. This was in the center of the screen and there are pictures on either side.

The former single floor display now encompasses all three levels of the building. There are five parts to the museum as it tells the story of speedway from its humble beginnings to the modern racing facility it is today. The story is told with respect, and it honors those who have built the Indianapolis 500 into the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.

Gasoline Alley

The journey begins in Gasoline Alley, a corridor just past the admission counter. On the left is a timeline beginning in 1909. Artifacts and photos are arranged in an orderly fashion, numbered with corresponding explanations below.

On the right are cars of several era in the garages as they would have looked at that time. While the cars were great to see, following the development of the garages was more interesting to me.

1928 Miller
1957 Dean Van Lines

Starting Line Experience

I am not going to describe this because it needs to be experienced firsthand. I will say it an intense, multi-sensory presentation. and you will get race day goosebumps during the three-minute show. I saw some people wiping their eyes as they left.

Winners’ Gallery

The winning cars are essentially in the same area as they were, but each now has its own niche. This is the part where I had the largest concern with the new project. There is actually more access to the cars. The Boyle Special and the Fuel Injection Special are among the cars with individual stands. Some cars are in wall niches, but those platforms are banked so visitors can get a good look at cockpits. If I have one small nitpick, the lighting causes photos to make the cars look a different color than they are. The Boyle Special looks more red in a photo. I found using a flash helps.

I maintain that this is the greatest car in Speedway history.

Kids’ Area

I like that a kids’ area is included in the museum. The area is educational as well. There are many activities for the kids, including working wrenches, moving a toy car around the oval and the road course, and sim racing. Each activity involves easy to read facts about the car and racing.

Four Time Winners’ Gallery

This is likely a special exhibit. It features each of the four time winners. Each winner has a corner of the area.

Penske Gallery

The Penske Gallery displays the history of Roger Penske. All drivers who won for him and some of the winning cars are represented. My favorite part of this exhibit was the row of helmets of the winning Penske drivers. It is a nice history of the evolution of the helmet from 1972 to today.

Interactive Displays

Throughout the museum there are interactive display screens ranging from a driver database to a speedway timeline to a winner’s database. The nice thing is there two of each, which eliminates waiting for those who like to linger over these devices.

If you are coming to the race in May, please take some time to visit the museum. It is well worth the time and the price is fair.

While I loved the former iteration of the place- it was my winter sanctuary and place of comfort during difficult periods the new museum presents a more orderly and dignified telling of the history of IMS. I think I will find comfort here as well.

Frye Joins RLL as Team President

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What great news to begin April. I am so happy that Jay Frye will remain in IndyCar. The team announcement from RLL:

ZIONSVILLE, Ind. (April 1, 2025) – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) announced today that well-respected industry executive Jay Frye has joined the team as president. Frye will report directly to team ownership and will oversee operations for the team’s involvement in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Frye’s experience spans over 30 years and includes series and team leadership on both the competition, marketing, sales and ownership sides.

The team also announced that they have parted ways with Steve Eriksen, who held the role of chief operating officer since January 2023.

“First, I would like to thank Steve Eriksen for all of the work he did for us, particularly at a critical moment in time for the company and we certainly wish him the best in his next endeavor,” said Bobby Rahal, team co-owner with David Letterman and Michael Lanigan. “I’m very pleased to have Jay Frye join the team as president of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. I’ve known him since his arrival on the INDYCAR scene in 2013 and have spent a lot of time with him and think highly of his character and his passion for the sport. I look forward to working with him in the future to take RLL to the place we all want it to be.”

“Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing has a tremendous history of success, both on and off the track,” added Jay Frye. “I am very proud to be joining the dedicated and talented team of people at RLL. RLL has the foundation, infrastructure and an incredible commitment to continue being successful well into the future.”

BMW M Team RLL returns to action in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Series on Saturday, April 12 on the streets of Long Beach while the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season resumes with the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on Sunday, April 13. For more information about the series or team, visit http://www.indycar.com and http://www.rahal.com.


About Jay Frye

Most recently, Frye served as INDYCAR president until February 2025. He left a legacy that includes a strategic plan for future financial stability and innovative safety, competition and partnership developments during his tenure.

Frye joined Hulman & Company in 2013 as chief revenue officer of Hulman Motorsports and led the combined team of INDYCAR and Indianapolis Motor Speedway sponsorship sales, licensing and account services. In 2016, Frye introduced an effective, rolling five-year plan that serves as a strategic blueprint and assists in cost containment for the teams moving into the future. The impetus for the plan was built around the introduction and successful implementation of the AK-18 universal aero kits in 2018. That initial five-year plan has extended through the 2026-28 seasons of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, where Frye has set up the series to continue to succeed strategically and competitively.

Named president in December 2018 after spending the previous three years as INDYCAR’s president of competition and operations, Frye made significant contributions to the commercial and competition sides of the business. NTT, a Fortune Global 500 global informational technology and communications leader, opened the 2019 season as the new series title sponsor. Frye initiated and consummated this multiyear deal that was pivotal to the future growth of the series.

In May 2019, Frye spearheaded a partnership with Red Bull Advanced Technologies to design the aeroscreen, an industry-changing, total driver cockpit safety solution, which debuted in the 2020 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season. The innovative addition to the open-wheel cars proved extremely effective in competition when put to the test. For his accomplishments and leadership, he was recognized by Autosport on its prestigious 2019 Motorsports Power List covering the 50 most powerful people in global motorsport.

In October 2020, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ engine manufacturers, Chevrolet and Honda, extended their long-term agreements with the series, providing stability.

The 2024 season featured the successful implementation of the INDYCAR hybrid power unit. Highlighted by a first-of-its-kind collaboration with Chevrolet and Honda, the hybrid engine package produced over 800 horsepower and completed a remarkable 94,244 miles after full-field introduction. The record-breaking 2024 season also produced 14 on-track passing records and the fastest pole speed in the 108-year history of the Indianapolis 500. As an indicator of overall series health, 2024 featured 27 full-time starters – matching the record set in 2023.

Prior to joining Hulman & Co., Frye flourished in team management roles in the NASCAR industry. He was vice president and general manager for Red Bull Racing’s NASCAR team (2008-11) and was named 2008 NASCAR Executive of the Year by ESPN and the Kansas City Star. From 1996-2007, Frye was chief executive officer and general manager of MB2 Motorsports, a team he created and built. Before his executive roles with NASCAR teams, Frye worked at Valvoline Racing, and his extensive sales and marketing experience began with a variety of roles at Anheuser-Busch Inc.

Frye, a native of Rock Island, Illinois, graduated with a marketing/education degree from the University of Missouri, where he played tight end and offensive tackle for four years on the Tigers’ football team. He and his wife, Danielle, have two daughters.

Thermal was a ‘Fine’ Race After All

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Following last Sunday’s IndyCar race at the Thermal Club, IndyCar issued penalties and fines to two teams.

Colton Herta’s number 26 entry failed post race tech inspection when officials found one of the two required anti intrusion plates was not installed. Andretti was fined $25,000 and lost 10 entrant points. Hertta keeps his fourth place finish and his driver points.

The number 83 of Robert Shwartzman received a penalty for use of an unapproved part stemming from the fire in his car during Friday’s practice’

PREMA was fined $25,000 and lost 10 entrant points.

Notes

The Pit Window will be returning to summer headquarters next week, so unless Liberty Media buys the series or IMS I won’t be posting until next Saturday.

I’m very excited to get a look at the renovated Speedway Museum, but that may have to wait until after Long Beach.

Tire Roulette Lands on Red 4- Quick Thoughts on Thermal

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In the end, red tires were the way to finish, as Alex Palou come storming back to take the lead from Pato O’Ward with nine laps to go after a great battle with Christian Lundgaard.

O’Ward led most of the way, but his choice to end on the primary tires cost him the race.

The race itself was another snoozer as cars were strung out for the most part all day. I hope this is the end of Thermal as a points paying venue. The track is not interesting, the surroundings are sterile, and the lack of a crowd visible to viewers at home made the event look small and minor league.

Palou

If anyone still doubted the greatness of Alex Palou, today should have erased all doubts. He took this victory on track with a powerful rush after his final stop. In my opinion this was his best win in the series. O’Ward seemed to have the field covered, yet Palou found a way to win.

Power Saves His Season

Will Power began the day with just five points, a DNF at St. Pete, and a 21st place starting spot. In what was expected to be a track position race, Power ended up sixth and may have put his season in the right direction. He needed a finish like this for the points and his confidence.

Herta Bounces Back

Colton Herta had another great qualifying effort, but unlike St. Pete, he maintained position all day and finished fourth. Herta moved up eight spots in the championship.

Palou/Lundgaard

The battle for second on lap 50 between Palou and Christian Lundgaard was one of the best on track duels I have seen in IndyCar on a road course. The two swapped spots for several corners before Palou took the position and pulled away.

FOX

The glitch was not the network’s fault. An Indycar production truck had an electrical issue. There were some improvements since St. Pete.

The leaderboard had the tire each driver was using after pit stops began, and they showed that graphic as the race wound down.

It seems as if with 20 laps to go, the cars in 14th place and lower are never shown on the screen. I think they are still in the race, and those drivers need to have their names on the screen too.

When will we see a pit stop timer?

The best thing about the broadcast was how much more relaxed Jack Harvey seemed this weekend. The stiffness is gone, and his speech flowed naturally and with confidence.

That will do it for me this weekend. Thanks for following along. I will be on site at Long Beach.