733 replies to this topic

[Peat]

This week our intrepid NTT IndyCar Series pilots head to the 7^th most populous city in California - Long Beach!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

There has been racing in Long Beach since the beginning of time. The indigenous Tongva people were known to race stones in the sand. After them, the Spanish would race marbles on a slight slope. Then after them, the Americans came along and called it a 'Big Prize' (or 'Grand Prix' for short) and replaced the marbles with cars. 

 

The inaugural GP of LB was a Formula 5000 event, then Formula One came and took centre stage from ‘76 to ’83. Every year since then*, it has played host to IndyCar under it’s various guises.

For more colourful history of this great event, I highly recommend the Dinner with Racers documentary (How to build a street circuit) on how the race came to be.

 

 

*not 2020 because:

 

 

For many veterans, The Grand Prix of Long Beach is evocative of high performance race cars winding their way through an area of tawdry adult delights/disappointments.

 

But in more recent times, I’m sure we can all agree that when we think of Long Beach, we think: PINK AUTONATION CAR IN THE FOUNATION

  ???????????????????

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Championship
As this is only Round 3, it’s hard to start to put together a narrative. The usual suspects are there or thereabouts. Have McSchmidt finally turned the corner to become a consistent threat? Does the Sneaky Swede have what it takes to string a championship tilt without Indy double points? Will there ever be a boy born who can swim faster than a shark?
There are just too many unknowns. 

As it stands:

1. Ninja Hands – 82 pts
2. Personality Vacuum – 75 pts
3. Inevitability – 67 pts
4. BusBro1 – 66 pts
5. Better Call Palou – 60 pts
6. Lil’Dave – 53 pts

Your Schedule:

FRI
FP1 – 1800 ET / 2300 BST
SAT
FP2 – 1145 ET / 1645 BST
Q –     1505 ET / 2005 BST
SUN
GP – 1530 ET / 2030 BST

Your Weather (as of Wednesday)

Your Elite Sports Pilots:

 

Also on track this weekend: IMSA

Edited by Peat, 14 April 2023 - 06:40.

[Beri]

I have always wondered, Long Beach did have a different layout in the 70s with that big downhill part. When was this last used? Was it also used by USAC, CART, Indycars at one stage? And wouldnt it be a great addition to add this once more?

 

And Personality Vacuum... love it!   

[Peat]

I have always wondered, Long Beach did have a different layout in the 70s with that big downhill part. When was this last used? Was it also used by USAC, CART, Indycars at one stage?

 

All the iterations can be found here: https://www.racingci...long-beach.html

 

The last time the hilly bit was used was 1982. So before IndyCar's tenure. 

Edited by Peat, 12 April 2023 - 09:22.

[PayasYouRace]

I have always wondered, Long Beach did have a different layout in the 70s with that big downhill part. When was this last used? Was it also used by USAC, CART, Indycars at one stage? And wouldnt it be a great addition to add this once more?

And Personality Vacuum... love it!

The uphill/downhill to Ocean Boulevard was last used for the 1982 Grand Prix which Niki Lauda won. For 1983, the straight on Seaside Way as used instead, and has been since.

[B Squared]

Was it also used by USAC, CART, Indycars at one stage?

 

USAC had nothing to do with IndyCar in 1984 when Mario won in the first CART-sanctioned LBGP.

[Beri]

Thanks for the answers! And Brian, I genuinely do not know when the first Long beach race was held and who sanctioned said race then or what the series was called back then. I just made an estimated guess that USAC perhaps was a right one to mention as well 

[FLB]

USAC had nothing to do with IndyCar in 1984 when Mario won in the first CART-sanctioned LBGP.

 

Not in 1984, but the first Long Beach F5000 race in 1975 was co-sanctionned by the SCCA and USAC:

 

Source: IndyCar -- Long Beach a long time success story (espn.com) (John Oreovicz article)

 

 

 

The inaugural LBGP -- run Sept. 28, 1975, to test the circuit and event infrastructure prior to a full-fledged F1 Grand Prix to be held in the spring of 1976 -- was staged as the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and the United States Auto Club (USAC) were completing their second year of co-sanctioning the U.S. Formula 5000 Championship.

[B Squared]

Thanks FLB, USAC never sanctioned IndyCars at Long Beach - I stand by that statement.

 

And Peat, thanks for the thread, but Jimmy Johnson in the photo is a bit puzzling. Al Unser, Jr. won at Long Beach 6 times - Jimmy may have spun 6 times over the weekends he raced there.

[paulb]

Unusually cool weather, but that never keeps the LBGP weekend from being great.

[jonpollak]

A few weeks ago it was SNOWING so thank yet lucky stars for 60+degreesF.

Peat: This is the best looking OP my iPhone has ever seen.
It loves you. One day you’ll have to share your secret !!

I promise not to mention the house of I’ll repute on the bottom floor of the old building in your hilly foto (room106 next to the fire escape).

Jp

[LolaB0860]

Racing schedule (Local times)

 

FRIDAY

6:30 PM - 8:30 PM Super Drift Challenge #1

 

SATURDAY

11:20 AM - 11:40 AM Historic F1 Challenge Race #1

2:00 PM - 4:00 PM IMSA SportsCar Grand Prix (100 min)

4:30 PM - 5:00 PM Stadium SUPER Trucks Race #1

5:15 PM - 5:55 PM Porsche Carrera Cup North America Race #1

6:30 PM - 8:30 PM Super Drift Challenge #2

 

SUNDAY

10:45 AM - 11:05 AM Historic F1 Challenge Race #2

12:45 PM - 3:00 PM Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach (85 Laps)

3:30 PM - 4:00 PM Stadium SUPER Trucks Race #2

4:20 PM - 5:00 PM Porsche Carrera Cup North America Race #2

Edited by LolaB0860, 12 April 2023 - 15:54.

[PayasYouRace]

I promise not to mention the house of I’ll repute on the bottom floor of the old building in your hilly foto (room106 next to the fire escape).

Jp

We’d rather hear stories from more reputable establishments.

[Risil]

Like that big car park full of Toyotas

[paulb]

Like that big car park full of Toyotas

Thanks for making me miss the Pro-Celebrity Challenge.

[Afterburner]

Like that big car park full of Toyotas

If it’s a dealership I question the idea that it’s a more reputable establishment.

[PayasYouRace]

Like that big car park full of Toyotas

 

If that's a story of mine, it's highly disreputable.

[jonpollak]

I mean it IS Long Beach.
It’s a container port fer cryinoutloud.
The bar was never staying up that long.
Jp

[Frood]

L E N G T H Y  S E A S I D E

 

 

(for context)

 

[ARTGP]

I’m in.

[Jim Thurman]

We’d rather hear stories from more reputable establishments.

Mid-70s Long Beach was run-down and seedy enough that it almost seemed like there were more places like jp's than reputable ones. I recall the marquee of the Pussycat Theater in some LBGP shots.

 

It was the kind of place where dismantling of the former amusement park (Nu-Pike) could turn up the mummified body of an outlaw.

 

There was Acres of Books though.

[H0R]

I am a simple man. I always look forward to the inevitable hairpin mishaps at Long Beach. 

[LolaB0860]

Thanks for making me miss the Pro-Celebrity Challenge.

 

Toyota should have never canned that race, it was the best part of the event (besides the ALMS race)

[Jim Thurman]

Toyota should have never canned that race, it was the best part of the event (besides the ALMS race)

They moved their headquarters to Texas from nearby Gardena. So, I guess it was collateral.

 

EDIT: Torrance. Just across the line.

Edited by Jim Thurman, 16 April 2023 - 16:49.

[LolaB0860]

They moved their headquarters to Texas from nearby Gardena. So, I guess it was collateral.

 

Yes I know but it was a weird decision not to give support for it given how popular it was

 

And they retained the event sponsorship for few years after that anyway

[PayasYouRace]

I had to check the OP to see the race isn’t sponsored by Toyota.

Obviously Toyota have played it well. Free advertising.

[Afterburner]

@H0R: This should be at the top of any “Bullshit Moments in Racing” highlight reel:

[Peat]

OP updated with Spotters Guide. 

Does anyone know what the xxx.xxx numbers mean next the cars? Has the IndyCar points system evolved to decimals now?

[PayasYouRace]

I think they’re the team radio frequencies.

[jonpollak]

Correct.

Palou has refused the xxx.666 for this race I’m told.
Jp

[Risil]

I wonder if Chip suggested that one

[Risil]

Of course 666 is the number of the Antichrist rather than Judas

[jonpollak]

More shenanigans… Rossi this time.



Jp

[jonpollak]

While I’m here….
I was recently sent a Paul Haney piece from Long Beach (way back when) on my favorite engineering person !!! Tony Cicale.

http://insideracingt...om/lbcicale.htm

Jp

[Jim Thurman]

Yes I know but it was a weird decision not to give support for it given how popular it was

 

And they retained the event sponsorship for few years after that anyway

They were a lot of fun, but considering the field now would be made up of YouTubers and Tik Tok "influencers", I'd say it died about the right time   I mean the D-listers were enough, we didn't need the bar being lowered to the point of crashing through the floor.

 

They used to take the celebrities to Willow Springs for some schooling. It was interesting to see the Toyotas sitting around, both prior to, and after, the event. If one visited Willow Springs at the right time, they'd see the names on the cars and get a preview of who was going to be in the celebrity race at Long Beach. 

[Risil]

You can't convince me that a 2023 celebrity race wouldn't still be brilliant. The random booking and the somewhat borderline nature of some of the celebrities is part of the charm.

[Frood]

You can't convince me that a 2023 celebrity race wouldn't still be brilliant. The random booking and the somewhat borderline nature of some of the celebrities is part of the charm.

I asked Bard about it (as I wanted to try an alternative to ChatGPT) and gave it the following prompt:

Give me the names of 20 random b-list American celebrities for an amateur car race held at Long Beach, and then give me a simulated race report.

Unfortunately, as you will see, "b-list" was aiming too high. I'll also point out that some of them aren't American. However, with one of the celebs, Bard obviously somehow knew the target audience was the Autosport forum...

Sure, here are 20 random b-list American celebrities for an amateur car race held at Long Beach:

Brendan Fraser
Jason Bateman
Elizabeth Olsen
Anthony Mackie
Karen Gillan
Sarah Paulson
Zendaya
Tom Holland
Lili Reinhart
Michael B. Jordan
Jennifer Lopez
Amy Adams
Timothée Chalamet
Keke Palmer
Bella Thorne
Colton Haynes
Rita Ora
Blac Chyna
Jacob Sartorius
Millie Bobby Brown

Here is a simulated race report:
The 2023 Long Beach Amateur Car Race was a thrilling event that saw some of Hollywood's biggest stars compete for the checkered flag. The race was held on a 1.97-mile street circuit that winds its way through the streets of Long Beach, California. The race was a close one, with the lead changing hands several times throughout the 50-lap event. In the end, it was Brendan Fraser who emerged victorious, crossing the finish line just ahead of Jason Bateman and Elizabeth Olsen.
The race was a great success, and it was clear that the celebrities were having a lot of fun. There was plenty of camaraderie and sportsmanship on display, and the fans were treated to some great racing action. The 2023 Long Beach Amateur Car Race was a great event, and it's sure to be back next year.
Here are some highlights from the race:

Brendan Fraser started on pole position and led the early laps.
Jason Bateman made a bold move on lap 10 to take the lead.
Elizabeth Olsen passed Bateman on lap 20 to take the lead.
Fraser regained the lead on lap 30 and held on for the win.
Bateman finished second, and Olsen finished third.
The race was incident-free, with no major crashes or injuries.
The fans were treated to some great racing action, and they enjoyed the event immensely.

The 2023 Long Beach Amateur Car Race was a great success, and it's sure to be back next year.

[Frood]

I will also say that was the second attempt, as I hadn't introduced the qualifiers "at Long Beach" or "b-list" the first time. It initially generated a 200-lap race at Fontana, which was won by Ariana Grande.

 

Interestingly it did generate one name who actually has been in the celeb race (and is now a racing driver anyway) in Frankie Muniz.

[Risil]

This bit feels unlikely:

The race was incident-free, with no major crashes or injuries.

It did jog my memory though: was Bill Goldberg (he of the pro wrestling 173-0 win/loss record) injured while competing in one of the events? Or has my memory of it merged with the time he punched through a limousine window and cut an artery.

[LolaB0860]

Around quarter of those "b-list American celebrities" are more or less a-list, so the Chatbot already lost me there...!

[Afterburner]

I asked Bard about it (as I wanted to try an alternative to ChatGPT) and gave it the following prompt:

Give me the names of 20 random b-list American celebrities for an amateur car race held at Long Beach, and then give me a simulated race report.

Unfortunately, as you will see, "b-list" was aiming too high. I'll also point out that some of them aren't American. However, with one of the celebs, Bard obviously somehow knew the target audience was the Autosport forum...

OK, now you’ve made me wish this was actually happening.

[Frood]

Meanwhile ChatGPT generated a more realistic scenario, in terms of the level of celeb and, surprisingly, an expected outcome if this was the actual race:

 

 

Sure, here are 20 random B-list American celebrities who might participate in an amateur car race held at Long Beach:

1. Joey Fatone
2. Tiffany Haddish
3. Rob Schneider
4. Frankie Muniz
5. Pauly Shore
6. Christina Milian
7. Mario Lopez
8. Jonathan Lipnicki
9. Taryn Manning
10. Kathy Griffin
11. Erik Estrada
12. Vivica A. Fox
13. Jaleel White
14. Ali Landry
15. Lou Ferrigno
16. Carnie Wilson
17. Chazz Palminteri
18. Kate Gosselin
19. Vanilla Ice
20. Kevin Sorbo

And now, here is a simulated race report:

It was a beautiful day at Long Beach, as 20 B-list American celebrities took to the track for an amateur car race. The crowd was buzzing with excitement as the drivers revved their engines, eager to show off their skills behind the wheel.

At the start of the race, it was Tiffany Haddish who took an early lead, followed closely by Joey Fatone and Rob Schneider. However, it wasn't long before Frankie Muniz made a move to take the lead, weaving his way through the pack with ease.

As the race progressed, the drivers jockeyed for position, with Pauly Shore and Christina Milian making a move to catch up to the leaders. But it was Mario Lopez who really made a splash, pushing his car to the limit and overtaking several competitors in a daring move.

In the end, it was a nail-biting finish, with Frankie Muniz crossing the finish line first to take the checkered flag. Joey Fatone came in a close second, with Tiffany Haddish taking third place. Rob Schneider finished fourth, while Mario Lopez rounded out the top five.

It was a thrilling race, filled with excitement and drama, and the crowd cheered as the drivers celebrated their hard-fought victories. For these B-list American celebrities, it was a chance to prove that they had what it takes to compete on the track, and they didn't disappoint.

 

 

I'm done now, promise.

 

Meanwhile, to bring us back to reality, Scott Dixon has been inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame America. Other IndyCar interest includes Paul Newman, and that guy at the back of most of the races for the past two seasons. No, not Dalton Kellett.

[Risil]

I love how the report keeps calling them B list celebrities.

[jonpollak]

Jason Bateman IS an actual race fan.

 

Anywoo...We almost Practice 1 NAO

 

Any of you yUK's still awake?

 

Jp

[jonpollak]

Was that PT sitting in the stands???

Jp

[ArchieTech]

Surprisingly few cars on track at the moment. Or they're not on screen anyway.

[paulb]

Who caused the red flag?

Edited by paulb, 14 April 2023 - 22:56.

[ArchieTech]

Who caused the red flag?

Helio stalled in the process of avoiding a crash, or as he recovered from it - it wasn't quite clear.

[jonpollak]

Rockin’ session !!
Jp

[paulb]

Helio stalled in the process of avoiding a crash, or as he recovered from it - it wasn't quite clear.

Thanks.

[loki]

Looks like they’ve repaved Pine recently.