Round 16: Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, 24-26 September.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Round 16: Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, 24-26 September.


Here we are again at the end of the season, though in very different surroundings at Long Beach which hosts the season finale. Of the two main championship contenders, the big question is can Alex Palou win the driver's championship, or will it be Pato O'Ward, who needs to overcome a 35 point deficit in order win it? Josef Newgarden is still in contention with a mathematical chance of winning it.

Last year's race would have been the 46th running of the Grand Prix of Long Beach and the 36th consecutive year the race has been held as an IndyCar event but due to the Covid-19 pandemic the race was cancelled. However, before the start of this season, it was decided rather than being faced with possibility of cancelling the race again, it would be put back and host the season finale.

The Grand Prix of Long Beach is the oldest running street race in North America and was founded by local travel agent Chris Pook in 1975. The inaugural race was the 7th round of the SCCA Formula 5000 series, held on September 28th 1975 and was won by British driver Brian Redman, in a Lola T332-Chevrolet V8. Following the success of the F5000 event and only 6 months later Pook convinced FISA to hold the F1 United States Grand Prix West, which was was won by Swiss F1 veteran Clay Regazzoni, driving a Ferrari-312T. The United States Grand Prix West remained on the F1 calendar until 1983. Interestingly, it wasn't until 1980, that Toyota became the race sponsor. However, this year long term sponsors Toyota, will be conspicuous by their absence.

After the 1983 Grand Prix, increasing F1 costs, sanctions and shipping charges, made the race too expensive to be run as an F1 Grand Prix. Having been approached by CART to host a race, Long Beach became a CART/Champ Car perennial event from 1984 to 2008. The final Champ Car race was held on April 20, 2008 as part of the 2008 IndyCar Series split weekend.

Although series reunification took place in late February 2008, it emerged that there was a calendar clash between Long Beach and the IndyCar Series round at Motegi in Japan. With both races so early on in the year and more or less finalised, neither track could change their date; particularly Long Beach, due to the preparations required for a street course. It was decided both races would go ahead, with points from Long Beach counting towards the the IndyCar Series championship. It was won by Will Power driving for KV Racing, in a Panoz DP01-Cosworth. The race became part of the IndyCar Series calendar the following year.

Recently, there were rumours as to the future of the race. The Grand Prix Association, which owns and promotes the race and the City of Long Beach, signed a new three-year agreement after the 2015 race, with an additional two-year option. However, in 2016, the Long Beach City Council issued an RFP a request for proposal, to consider the return of the event to a Formula One race, as early as 2019. In August 2017, after a study was completed and after discussions, the switch to Formula One was rejected. The city council voted unanimously to continue the event as part of the IndyCar Series.

One change that did occur, was long time sponsor of the race, Toyota Motor North America, deciding to call it a day after 44 years. as the race title sponsor. As from 2019 Acura, the luxury vehicle division of Honda, whose U.S. headquarters are nearby in Torrance, would become the title sponsor.


Some trivia:
The driver with the most wins: 6. Al Unser Jr., 1988 - 1991, 1994, 1995.
The team with the most wins: 6.
Newman/Haas Racing. 1984, 1985, 1987, 2005, 2006, 2007.
Chip Ganassi Racing. 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2009, 2015.
Team Penske 1993, 1994, 1995, 2001, 2012, 2016.


Track layout:
The track is a temporary street course and since the 1975 F5000 race, the layout has changed considerably over the years. Rather than fill the intro with all the various track changes, below are the original and current layouts and this link will take you to,

http://www.racingcircuits.info/north...l#.Vw6LfjFI6Fk

which shows all the track variations.


Original 1975-1981 layout:
Length: 2.02 miles (3.251 km)
Turns: 12



Current layout:
Length: 1.968 Miles (3.167 Km)
Turns: 11


Lap record:
Hélio Castroneves, April 8, 2017. 1:06.225, 106.980 Mph (172.167 Km/h).
Team Penske,
Dallara DW12-Chevy IndyCar V6,
Verizon IndyCar Series.

Previous race:
https://www.motorsport.com/indycar/n...Bvalue%5D=2243

Previous Pole:
Alexander Rossi, 1:06.4811, 106.569 Mph (171.506 Km/h).
Andretti Autosport
Dallara IR18-Honda HI19R Indy-V-6

Previous winner:
Alexander Rossi
Andretti Autosport
Dallara IR18-Honda HI19R Indy-V-6

Laps: 85
Distance: 167.28 Miles (269.211 Km)
Race Time: 1:41'35.5999
Average Speed: 98.794 mph (158.993 Km/h)
Fastest lap: Ryan Hunter-Reay, Andretti Autosport, lap 27. 67.6943 sec, 104.659 mph (168.432 km/h)

Cautions: 1
Laps 3: 1-3

Race Broadcast:

NBCSN. Septmber 26. 3:00pm ET, 7:00pm UTC. 8:00pm BST
Sky Sports F1. 8:00pm BST

[mstets]

I got in from the hay field just in time to save results from the first practice. Should be able see the replay on Peacock in a few minutes.

[mstets]

Askew first to make contact, though light, with first the left rear then the left front. Not sure if there was any damage. Grosjean locked the brakes and had to go down the escape road a bit later. Both continued with no yellow. 30 minutes into the session and the Ganassi cars were 1, 2, 3, and 14 with Palou leading Ericsson and Dixon. Newgarden bottomed out on a bump approaching T9 and looped it into the tire barrier backwards, bringing out the first yellow. He continued with no apparent damage after being restarted.

[mstets]

Johnson had a harmless spin just before the back straight on cold tires. No contact, no yellow flag, he continued. Askew then tagged the wall exiting T1 first with the right front and then with the right rear, which caused a red flag with a bent rear upper control arm, even though he got the car down an escape road. Green flag with 17 minutes left in the session.

[mstets]

Pagenaud down the escape road at T9 after a lockup, local yellow and he continued. Then Herta with a big moment after hitting the curb and bottoming at T6. He was headed into the wall at about a 30 degree angle when the front tires bit and straightened him out with inches to spare. Great save to keep it out of the wall. Hinch was next to lock up and go down the escape road. With 5 minutes left, the Andretti cars were 1, 2, 3, 4 - with Herta leading RHR, Rossi, and Hinch. No incidents in the last 5 minutes but several fast laps posted.

[2 litre Touring Car Star]

I'm intrigued by the RotY points more than the series win. I'd expect Palou to get the job done whichever way possible.

But RotY is a different scenario. It was meant to be a formality with only McLaughlin being the only one doing the whole series. But he could be gazumped by Grosjean.I suspect it would be galling for McLaughlin if indeed Grojean can pick him off?

Grosjean would have to be in the top 2 to get it? I don't think McLaughlin has anymore in him that what he's shown on non-ovals this season. That being said I think he's done just enough to get it. It looks as though Grosjean has bigger fish to fry.

[mstets]

Originally Posted by 2 litre Touring Car Star

I'm intrigued by the RotY points more than the series win. I'd expect Palou to get the job done whichever way possible.

But RotY is a different scenario. It was meant to be a formality with only McLaughlin being the only one doing the whole series. But he could be gazumped by Grosjean.I suspect it would be galling for McLaughlin if indeed Grojean can pick him off?

Grosjean would have to be in the top 2 to get it? I don't think McLaughlin has anymore in him that what he's shown on non-ovals this season. That being said I think he's done just enough to get it. It looks as though Grosjean has bigger fish to fry.

McLaughlin has a 20 point lead going into Long Beach. If he finishes dead last he will get 5 points. So if Romain doesn't get pole, or leads a lap (or the most laps) he would get 26 points for a 7th place finish. I'm not sure who would win if they finished with the same number of points. I'd guess that the first tie breaker is best finishing position during the season, then 2nd best finishing position, and so on. As you mentioned, I doubt it's something Grosjean is too concerned about. I think they have both been impressive.

[2 litre Touring Car Star]

What has been impressive about McLaughlin?

[mstets]

Originally Posted by 2 litre Touring Car Star

What has been impressive about McLaughlin?

He has been at least mid pack and often towards the front on tracks that he has never raced on in a type of car that is relatively new to him - to me that's enough to be impressed by. He has also been quicker than his much more experienced team mates at times. Without going back through his qualifying and finishing positions it seems to me that he has had better results in qualifying than in the races. He was quicker in practice today than two of his three team mates, and they they all have raced at Long Beach previously.

[mstets]

Here are Practice 2 results. Lots of light contact by Bourdais, Grosjean, Herta, and others. Dixon into the tire barriers to bring out a red flag which ends the session. Interesting to see Charlie Kimball leading the Foyt team in his only race since the Indianapolis 500.

[mstets]

Group 1 qualifying ended with Harvey in the tires, and Power hitting him and breaking his LR suspension and wing. Lots of damage to repair Power's car before the next session. Pato also hit the wall with the LR and bent the toe link.

[mstets]

In Group 2 Herta was evidently trying to transfer on blacks and brushed the wall, possibly bending both left side toe links. He still may transfer if race control decides that Grosjean impeded Askew.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Amazing, they fixed Power's car.

[mstets]

Grosjean cleared so he stays in the mix. Power's car was repaired in time to make the green flag in the Fast 12, they even changed the side pod.

[mstets]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Amazing, they fixed Power's car.

I wish I had timed it. That was a lot of parts to change. The rear was badly enough damaged that the opposite front was off the pavement as he drove back to the pits. They may have more to change tonight if the floor was damaged.

[mstets]

Here is how the Fast 12 session ended but it's under review as 3 or 4 cars may have done their fastest laps while ignoring the local yellow for Power's car, which was in the runoff area with a gearbox issue. Palou clearly slowed for the yellow. The results stand. AMSP upset with the decision as they know Roseqvist ignored the yellow and he was one that put O'Ward out of the Fast 6.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Newgarden on pole.

[mstets]

Nice job by Newgarden to take pole. Dixon thinks he had it before being help up by Helio, who disagrees about impeding him. O'Ward and Palou share a mid pack start. Sets up a pretty interesting scenario for the championship.

[mstets]

IMSA pre-race show is being shown on Peacock as a continuation of the Indycar qualifying. Waiting to see if it continues for the race.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Qualifying result:

Josef Newgarden keeps his championship hopes alive by taking pole. Rival championship contender Pato O'Ward and championship leader Alex Palou are 8th and 10th.

Helio Castroneves is back setting the 3rd fastest time and Romain Grosjean continues to impress with 6th spot.

The qualifying session for Group 1 was red flagged, when Jack Harvey hit the wall at the exit of Turn 8. Power rounded the corner and with no time to avoid Harvey's car, damaged the left-rear corner of his car and the rear wing. Amazingly, Team Penske were able to repair the car and get it back out in time for Q2. Power starts 12th.

[joeb]

Palou just needs to keep it on track to take the championship. I'm going to be nervous watching this tomorrow. The indycar field has shown a lot of willingness for contact on street courses this year.

[Adam43]

He must be hitting those bricks.

[bjohnsonsmith]

A clean start, with Newgarden in the lead.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Jones spins Pato around and it's an FCY as Bourdais stops on the track.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Pato O'Ward grinds to a halt just before the entrance to pit lane and it's a second FCY.