382 replies to this topic

[DanicaFan]

Race 3 of 17

Race - Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach

Location - Streets of Long Beach, California

Date - Sunday, April 17th

Time & TV Schedule - 3:30PM Eastern -Green Flag -4:30PM Eastern -Versus

Course Type - 1.968 Mile Street Course

Distance - 85 Laps / 167.28 Miles

Practice Sessions -
Friday, April 15th -1:00PM -1:45PM Eastern (Rookies & Outside of Top 10 Entrants ) & 1:45PM-2:15PM Eastern (All Cars) & 5:25PM-6:25PM Eastern
Saturday, April 16th - 1:25PM -2:25PM Eastern
Sunday, April 17th Warm-Up Session -12:15PM -12:45PM Eastern

Qualifications - Saturday, April 16th -5:30PM -6:50PM Eastern

2010 Pole Sitter - #12 Will Power - Lap Time -1:09.3185 / Speed -102.206

2010 Winner - Ryan Hunter-Reay

** Note - Long Beach, CA is 3 hours behind Eastern Time. All Times Listed in Eastern Time.

[DanicaFan]

Map of the track layout..

[DanicaFan]

2010 Long Beach Race Facts..

Time of Race - 1 hour 47 minutes 12 seconds
Average Speed - 93.619 mph
Lead Changes - 5 among 3 drivers
Caution Laps - 1 caution -5 laps
Fastest Lap - #37 Ryan Hunter-Reay - 100.417 mph - 1:10.5537 lap time

[molive]

LB always brings good memories, from back when Champcar was still around, with guys like Mansell, Emmo, Tracy, Andretti, Unser Jr.

I used to "race"at this circuit in my PC (Indycar racing from Papyrus). Its was one of my faves tracks, along with Toronto.

[Muppetmad]

I hope Danica has better luck here than she has had at the past two races - two front wings coming off at St Petersburg and the tyres falling off a cliff at Barber...

[Ross Stonefeld]

That's kinda what happens when you don't change them.

[Muppetmad]

That's kinda what happens when you don't change them.

You're right, I'll shut up ;)

[billm99uk]

What are they doing about the double file restarts here?

[Bloggsworth]

Any truth in the rumour that Danica is taking a few lads from Kwik-Fit to handle her tyre changes?

[Option1]

What are they doing about the double file restarts here?

At the moment, they're scheduled to go ahead. They may need to install traffic lights at the hairpin. Ahhh the chaos will be.................. freaking annoying.

Neil

[OfficeLinebacker]

What are they doing about the double file restarts here?

They're going to do double file restarts there.

[Ross Stonefeld]

That will be the first properly aligned start at Long Beach in...forever. But also the greatest first turn wreck we've ever seen.

[OfficeLinebacker]

That will be the first properly aligned start at Long Beach in...forever. But also the greatest first turn wreck we've ever seen.

Wasn't Long Beach the location of one of Keke Rosberg's epic drives? That one where he's driving like a nutter and actually spins a full 360 and continues on, undeterred?

[Alfisti]

Man can they go to a half decent track? Always a piss-ant road/street course, are there any proper tracks this year?

[showtime]

Wasn't Long Beach the location of one of Keke Rosberg's epic drives? That one where he's driving like a nutter and actually spins a full 360 and continues on, undeterred?

Yep

And look at this

Edited by showtime, 12 April 2011 - 13:41.

[Watkins74]

LB always brings good memories, from back when Champcar was still around, with guys like Mansell, Emmo, Tracy, Andretti, Unser Jr.

I used to "race"at this circuit in my PC (Indycar racing from Papyrus). Its was one of my faves tracks, along with Toronto.

Ha ha. I am getting old. When I hear Long Beach GP I think of the battle between Keke Rosberg and Gilles Villenueve driving with that crazy double wing. I love the huge rear tires and the way Keke waves good-bye to Gilles at 3:35.

[PayasYouRace]

And look at this

That layout was much better than the current one.

[Flat Black 84]

They're going to do double file restarts there.

Good. IRL has finally made a move that improves their product and I'd hate them to backtrack in the face of all this sissified whining.

As to good tracks, well, I don't know when they'll return to ovals, which are the proper venue for Indy car racing. I can only hope a near fulltime return to ovals is IRL's next big move.

[whitewaterMkII]

That layout was much better than the current one.

Absolutely.
I used to sit at the bottom of Linden's Leap, and the old pits were on Ocean Blvd.
Up until a couple years ago when CART left, I had attended every race from F5000 to the CART DP1
It looks as if I'm not going to miss a thing this year, except for a LOT of yellow flag laps.
The first series of turns is going to take a severe toll with the double wide restarts, the hairpin shouldn't be a problem, only because they will be under a full course yellow by the time they get there...

[Andrew Hope]

I'm looking forward to the first corner of the first lap here more than I'm looking forward to Christmas.

[Ross Stonefeld]

Totally bring back the hilly bit.

[whitewaterMkII]

Track map, circa 1980.
There were two climbs and drops.
Climb up to the old pit straight, in red, and down Linden, then a climb back up to the hairpin and a drop into the shoreline drive straight.

[Ross Stonefeld]

Looooove the double hairpins.

[billm99uk]

They're going to do double file restarts there.

[domhnall]

The final corner here is a disaster, spreads the cars out too much onto the main straight.

[ezequiel]

The final corner here is a disaster, spreads the cars out too much onto the main straight.

And it's so narrow...

[SonnyViceR]

The final corner here is a disaster, spreads the cars out too much onto the main straight.

But last year it did made ALMS's combined LMP class worthwile, when the P1 Lola Aston run away on the main straight, and P2 Highcroft started to catch on those tight & slow corners.

[domhnall]

But last year it did made ALMS's combined LMP class worthwile, when the P1 Lola Aston run away on the main straight, and P2 Highcroft started to catch on those tight & slow corners.

Yes but it made the indycar race bloody boring

[SonnyViceR]

Yes but it made the indycar race bloody boring

So it's Indy's fault, not corner's itself

Interestingly the delayed ESPN2 highlight broadcast of ALMS race goes head-to-head with Versus's Indycar coverage on Sunday. Who's gonna get better ratings?

[domhnall]

So it's Indy's fault, not corner's itself

Interestingly the delayed ESPN2 highlight broadcast of ALMS race goes head-to-head with Versus's Indycar coverage on Sunday. Who's gonna get better ratings?

Lol, indycar should let the indy lights and star mazda at the same time so

I see only 4 prototypes on the entry list this weekend for alms, not good.

[loki]

Track map, circa 1980.
There were two climbs and drops.
Climb up to the old pit straight, in red, and down Linden, then a climb back up to the hairpin and a drop into the shoreline drive straight.

Those were the epic days of the circuit. The irony is that the current circuit is dictated by the revitalization of downtown which the race had a hand in creating. Remember how dodgy downtown LB was back then? Now it's been downright gentrified and the racing has become a victim of its own success.

[SonnyViceR]

I see only 4 prototypes on the entry list this weekend for alms, not good.

P1 and P2 are unofficially dead in the States untit Petit, but at least we have all the works-supported GT2s. The factory Aston Martin should make some one-off appearances in P1 later this year.

edit - entries are also down a bit because of the ridiculously scheduled Le Mans test day next week. For example the Robertson Fords decided to go there instead. Bit of no-brainer if you ask me.

Edited by SonnyViceR, 12 April 2011 - 19:07.

[whitewaterMkII]

Those were the epic days of the circuit. The irony is that the current circuit is dictated by the revitalization of downtown which the race had a hand in creating. Remember how dodgy downtown LB was back then? Now it's been downright gentrified and the racing has become a victim of its own success.

There were XXX Rated bookstores across from the pits, the whole inside of the track had abadoned buildings and they essentially had to chase all the winos out a couple of days before the teams showed up. As for being gentrified, maybe in the immediate vicinity, go a few blocks away from the circuit and it hasn't changed much.
But yes, the success of the Grand Prix for Long Beach resulted in the destruction of a great circuit.

[jonpollak]

Ahh yes..
Jp remembers all those classic F1 races where one could stand a few feet away from Gilles as he flew past in a 4 wheel slide or a mid air turn....THAT'S why we fell in love with this stuff. Fast forward to the late CART heyday where Jp was often found either doing his promotional/babysitting gig for Forsythe or being Ashley's floppy hat roadie..

I shall be watching...no question about it.
Jp

[OfficeLinebacker]

LOL. JP had to baby-sit Lenny Kravitz and Ashley Judd's floppy hat.

[whitewaterMkII]

LOL. JP had to baby-sit Lenny Kravitz and Ashley Judd's floppy hat.

heh
One year there I had to baby-sit Slash, luckily he had Traci Lords with him to keep me interested in the job...

[LoPresti]

So it's Indy's fault, not corner's itself

Interestingly the delayed ESPN2 highlight broadcast of ALMS race goes head-to-head with Versus's Indycar coverage on Sunday. Who's gonna get better ratings?

Not sure if it matters.

IndyCar only pulled a .22 rating on Versus last Sunday. Last year it was a 0.4 and Randy Bernard was looking for a 0.6 this year. NASCAR was the evening before so racing fans were around to tune in if they felt the need to.

Bernard said he's hoping for a 0.6 rating from Barber. Last year's broadcast on Versus drew a 0.4.

He also said he has no problem with the Barber race having to compete for a TV audience with The Masters golf tournament.

"If we can't stand alone and compete with any other sport out there, what are we?" he said. "I'm more excited that NASCAR was last night and we aren't up against NASCAR."

Source

[LoPresti]

Lol, indycar should let the indy lights and star mazda at the same time so

I see only 4 prototypes on the entry list this weekend for alms, not good.

I heard that Peg and Audi will by running the 24 Rolex next year - what does that tell you?

[Ross Stonefeld]

That Grand-Am is dramatically changing its rules?

I hate the US ratings system. .4 doesn't mean anything to me, tell me how many people watched.

[Option1]

It tells me that your source is very suspect, if not actually full of it, given that they run Daytona Prototypes in the Daytona 24hr, so at most all they would be doing would be supplying PETROL engines and even that's EXTREMELY doubtful.

Neil

[SonnyViceR]

I heard that Peg and Audi will by running the 24 Rolex next year - what does that tell you?

Yeah I'm sorry to say that your source is pure BS

Audi might be in with the R8 LMS, but only if Grand-Am finally gets it act together and allows proper FIA GT3 cars to run in the series. But nooo, they have to protect those slow and ugly DPs from actually getting beaten by GTs!

Edited by SonnyViceR, 13 April 2011 - 16:05.

[OfficeLinebacker]

heh
One year there I had to baby-sit Slash, luckily he had Traci Lords with him to keep me interested in the job...

Man, how do I get jobs like you and JP's? I know it's not all glamour but it'd be fun to have a story to tell.

I'll put in my resume "Resident NASCAR thread starter and JPM-radio and strategy relayer on Autosport.com" and under references I'll have

KookyPoster1--Autosport Forum member
WackyDude19-Autosport Forum member
KimiFan4Ever--Autosport Forum member

I'd be a lock to carry Simona De Silvestro's gloves around for a weekend, no?

[DanicaFan]

Here is the entry list..

[Andrew Hope]

Nice to see Paul Tracy on there. Hoping for a good run from Hinchcliffe and Kimball as well, two very likeable guys from what I've seen of them so far this year.

[LoPresti]

That Grand-Am is dramatically changing its rules?

I hate the US ratings system. .4 doesn't mean anything to me, tell me how many people watched.

380,000

[LoPresti]

Some folks at this years Indy 500 may have less view of the track if this happens.

http://www.nytimes.c...s...2&src=busln

Should have made it a screen door!

[DanicaFan]

Here are the pit lane assigments..

[LoPresti]

It tells me that your source is very suspect, if not actually full of it, given that they run Daytona Prototypes in the Daytona 24hr, so at most all they would be doing would be supplying PETROL engines and even that's EXTREMELY doubtful.

Neil

No source - what I *heard* on the internet in more then one place.

[ktsayshi]

Some folks at this years Indy 500 may have less view of the track if this happens.

http://www.nytimes.c...s...2&src=busln

Should have made it a screen door!

I for one welcome any pre-race stunt involving a Hot Wheels-style ramp.;)

[Andrew Hope]

I for one welcome any pre-race stunt involving a Hot Wheels-style ramp.;)

I wouldn't say no to a Loop-the-loop .