Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach

[DanicaFan]

2 of 17

Race - Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach

Location - Streets of Long Beach, Long Beach, California

Date - April 19th

TV Schedule - 3:30pm Eastern - Versus

Course Type - 1.9 mile street course

Distance - 85 Laps / 161.5 Miles

Qualifications - April 18th - 2:10pm -3:40pm Eastern

2008 Winner - Will Power

[DanicaFan]

Here is the entry list for the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. 22 cars in the field.

Car # & Driver / Car Name / Team / Race Strategist

#2 Raphael Matos / US Air Force Luczo Dragon / Luczo Dragon Racing / Jay Penske
#3 Will Power / Team Penske / Team Penske / Tim Cindric
#4 Dan Wheldon / National Guard Panther Racing / Panther Racing / John Barnes
#5 Mario Moraes / KV Racing Technology-Votorantim / KV Racing Technology / Mark Johnson
#6 Ryan Briscoe / Team Penske / Team Penske / Roger Penske
#7 Danica Patrick / Motorola / Andretti Green Racing / Michael Andretti
#9 Scott Dixon / Target Chip Ganassi Racing / Target Chip Ganassi Racing / Mike Hull
#10 Dario Franchitti / Target Chip Ganassi Racing / Target Chip Ganassi Racing / Chip Ganassi
#11 Tony Kanaan / Team 7-Eleven-Dr. Pepper / Andretti Green Racing / George Klotz
#13 EJ Viso / PDVSA HVM Racing / HVM Racing / Michael Cannon
#14 Vitor Meira / ABC Supply Co. - AJ Foyt Racing / AJ Foyt Enterprises / AJ Foyt
#18 Justin Wilson / Z-Line Designs / Dale Coyne Racing / Bill Pappas
#20 Ed Carpenter / Menard's-Vision Racing / Vision Racing / Jeff Britton
#21 Ryan Hunter-Reay / Vision Racing / Vision Racing / Neil Fife
#23 Darren Manning / Dreyer & Reinbold Racing / Dreyer & Reinbold Racing / Larry Curry
#24 Mike Conway / Dreyer & Reinbold Racing / Dreyer & Reinbold Racing / Dennis Reinbold
#26 Marco Andretti / Automatic Fire Sprinklers / Andretti Green Racing / Kyle Moyer
#27 Hideki Mutoh / Formula Dream / Andretti Green Racing / Kim Green
#34 Alex Tagliani / Conquest Racing / Conquest Racing / Brandon Fry
#98 Stanton Barrett / Interush Racing / CURB-Agajanian-Team 3G / Owen Snyder
#02 Graham Rahal / McDonald's Racing Team / Newman-Haas-Lanigan Racing / John Tzouanakis
#06 Robert Doornbos / Newman-Haas-Racing / Newman-Haas-Lanigan Racing / Todd Malloy

[nickyf1]

Can't wait for this, will be ashame to see Long Beach without Champcar, but I guess this will have to do on our way to complete unification.

Also cant wait to try out that Race Control thing on Indycar.com.

We will definetaly see some of the ex-champcar drivers do well in this race.

[DanicaFan]

Yes, it will be fun to watch but I cant wait to get these cars on some ovals again!!

[gomick]

Thinking Will Power will be right up there as he won last year in the Champcar event...

[Knowlesy]

Originally Posted by DanicaFan

Yes, it will be fun to watch but I cant wait to get these cars on some ovals again!!

Nooo...these cars are totally ill suited for oval racing. Far too slow, grippy and weedy.

The road events are actually more enjoyable in Indycar which is pretty tragic.

[DanicaFan]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

Nooo...these cars are totally ill suited for oval racing. Far too slow, grippy and weedy.

The road events are actually more enjoyable in Indycar which is pretty tragic.

Negative. Ovals give you faster speeds, side-by-side racing, good passing that you dont get on a road course. Ovals are what makes the IRL.

On to Kansas next!

[Knowlesy]

I love oval racing, but the cars either have to have ultra fast top speed or low grip for it to be at its best.

Anyhow, Long Beach. Hurrah!

[nickyf1]

Im up for both really, although the Dallaras do need less downforce on the Ovals, the nose winglets like they used to run in CART would work very well along with an Indy spec rear wing?

Anyway, thats for another thread. Cannot wait to see these cars going round the final corner at Long Beach and taking the green flag on shoreline drive.

[Raven]

Danica for the win in Long Beach!

[mac]

I expect both of the Penske guys to be right up there - Power may have an edge due to his experience at the circuit.

I reckon Justin Wilson and Robert Doornbos are might also be in with a fair chance too.

[drdisque]

I will be at this race for both Saturday and Sunday! I'll try to post my thoughts Saturday night.

[Alan Green]

First practice sessions today, I'm flagging at Turn 8 so looking forward to seeing the cars up-close (real-close!). If the ALMS practice yesterday was anything to go by it'll be a lot of fun!

Updates later...

[Tim Northcutt]

Penske has called a news conference at 1 p.m. West Coast time...

Expect Helio in the #3 and Will Power in a third car (probably #12)

[DanicaFan]

Well, Practice session 1 is complete and Long Beach. Danica didnt have a good session unfortunately.

Here are the results..

Rank / Car # & Driver / Best Time / Best Speed / Best Lap

1. #10 Dario Franchitti / 1:11.1915 / 99.517 / 7
2. #6 Ryan Briscoe / 1:11.5385 / 99.035 / 13
3. #5 Mario Moraes / 1:11.6395 / 98.895 / 29
4. #3 Will Power / 1:11.6512 / 98.879 / 12
5. #02 Graham Rahal / 1:11.6777 / 98.842 / 6
6. #06 Robert Doornbos / 1:11.9263 / 98.501 / 16
7. #9 Scott Dixon / 1:11.9562 / 98.460 / 11
8. #2 Raphael Matos / 1:12.0233 / 98.368 / 24
9. #24 Mike Conway / 1:12.0611 / 98.317 / 39
10. #13 EJ Viso / 1:12.1371 / 98.213 / 17
11. #11 Tony Kanaan / 1:12.3380 / 97.940 / 9
12. #21 Ryan Hunter-Reay / 1:12.3799 / 97.884 / 15
13. #18 Justin Wilson / 1:12.5172 / 97.698 / 12
14. #26 Marco Andretti / 1:12.6952 / 97.459 / 31
15. #27 Hideki Mutoh / 1:12.7809 / 97.344 / 22
16. #4 Dan Wheldon / 1:12.8060 / 97.311 / 21
17. #34 Alex Tagliani / 1:13.3121 / 96.639 / 10
18. #23 Darren Manning / 1:13.4413 / 96.469 / 16
19. #14 Vitor Meira / 1:13.5154 / 96.372 / 24
20. #7 Danica Patrick / 1:13.8488 / 95.937 / 20
21. #20 Ed Carpenter / 1:13.8651 / 95.915 / 31
22. #98 Stanton Barrett / 1:14.1921 / 95.493 / 27

[Speedblood]

Woop, go Dario

[nickyf1]

Danica! Great performance

Nice one Dario, cant wait for the race! Hopefully its getting streamed on Justin.tv, or Race Control has commentary.

[DanicaFan]

Well, the 2nd practice session is in the books. Unfortunately again, Danica didnt move up in position. Still at 20th. The speeds were up in this session. Kudos to Will Power.

Here are the results of Practice Session 2...

Rank / Car # & Driver / Time / Speed / Best Lap

1. #3 Will Power / 01:10.5486 / 100.424 / 21
2. #9 Scott Dixon / 01:10.6678 / 100.255 / 19
3. #2 Raphael Matos / 01:10.8247 / 100.033 / 29
4. #4 Dan Wheldon / 01:10.9033 / 99.922 / 24
5. #24 Mike Conway / 01:10.9981 / 99.789 / 28
6. #10 Dario Franchitti / 01:11.0218 / 99.755 / 16
7. #21 Ryan Hunter-Reay / 01:11.0263 / 99.749 / 17
8. #11 Tony Kanaan / 01:11.1238 / 99.612 / 19
9. #6 Ryan Briscoe / 01:11.1416 / 99.587 / 16
10. #02 Graham Rahal / 01:11.1768 / 99.538 / 17
11. #13 EJ Viso / 01:11.2220 / 99.475 / 18
12. #18 Justin Wilson / 01:11.2319 / 99.461 / 21
13. #23 Darren Manning / 01:11.2441 / 99.444 / 21
14. #06 Robert Doornbos / 01:11.2545 / 99.430 / 12
15. #5 Mario Moraes / 01:11.2702 / 99.408 / 4
16. #27 Hideki Mutoh / 01:11.5538 / 99.014 / 8
17. #34 Alex Tagliani / 01:11.5771 / 98.981 / 15
18. #26 Marco Andretti / 01:11.7980 / 98.677 / 24
19. #14 Vitor Meira / 01:12.1896 / 98.142 / 10
20. #7 Danica Patrick / 01:12.2254 / 98.093 / 14
21. #20 Ed Carpenter / 01:12.5171 / 97.698 / 9
22. #98 Stanton Barrett / 01:14.073 / 95.645 / 18

[nickyf1]

Thats Power just got the call about Helio then??

[gomick]

7 tenths between the top 15 is great on a road circuit - go Will...

[gttouring]

unvelievable will penske be forced to field 3 cars?

[Tim Northcutt]

Originally Posted by gttouring

unvelievable will penske be forced to field 3 cars?

They held a news conference within an hour of Helio's acquittal to announce that helio will drive #3 and Power will drive a third entry, the #12 car, sponsored by Verizon. Power also will drive #12 at Indy, but not at Kansas.

[Alwaysfirst]

^^^^^^

Maybe not at Kansas. They said it was on a race by race basis & that anything was possible (from how I understood it).

[Dutton]

Practice 3

1 Dario Franchitti (10) 1:10.2789
2 E.J. Viso (13) 1:10.3158
3 Will Power (12) 1:10.3667
4 Scott Dixon (9) 1:10.5889
5 Justin Wilson (18) 1:10.5897
6 Graham Rahal (02) 1:10.6381
7 Helio Castroneves (3) 1:10.6763
8 Mike Conway (24) 1:10.9066
9 Tony Kanaan (11) 1:10.9846
10 Danica Patrick (7) 1:11.0542
11 Dan Wheldon (4) 1:11.1232
12 Raphael Matos (2) 1:11.1797
13 Hideki Mutoh (27) 1:11.2015
14 Darren Manning (23) 1:11.3388
15 Robert Doornbos (06) 1:11.3767
16 Ryan Briscoe (6) 1:11.4604
17 Ryan Hunter-Reay (21) 1:11.5848
18 Mario Moraes (5) 1:11.6394
19 Vitor Meira (14) 1:11.6590
20 Marco Andretti (26) 1:11.7303
21 Alex Tagliani (34) 1:11.8993
22 Ed Carpenter (20) 1:12.1573
23 Stanton Barrett (98) 1:14.4918

Qualifying could be rather interesting if it is as close as this.

I bet Stanton is last, though, .

[MCWB]

Originally Posted by Dutton

I bet Stanton is last, though, .

Yeah, wow. I know he's new to this, but that's just slooow.