The field streams through Turn 10 during the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach — Photo by: Chris Owens

John Sturbin, Raceday San Antonio

Christened by INDYCAR royalty Mario Andretti on April 1, 1984, the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is celebrating an historic milestone this weekend.

Sunday’s NTT IndyCar Series event will mark the 50th auto race conducted on the street circuit that has morphed into domestic open-wheel racing’s equivalent of Formula One’s crown jewel, the Monaco Grand Prix. Indeed, entrepreneur Chris Pook’s vision for an event that debuted on the Formula 5000 schedule in 1975 and quickly transitioned into an FIA-approved Formula One race triggered a business, travel and financial renaissance at a heretofore hard-scrabble, Navy “port town.”

Long Beach, CA – during the INDYCAR Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Travis Hinkle | IMS Photo)

Andretti’s victory in the No. 5 Lotus/Ford on April 3, 1977 in the United States Grand Prix West _ Race No. 4 of the globe-trotting FIA World Championship _ clearly was pivotal to survival. Driving Colin Chapman’s revolutionary ground-effects Lotus 78, Andretti held off Ferrari superstar Niki Lauda to become the only American to win an F1 race on home turf.

“Mario’s victory really changed the whole image of the race,” said Jim Michaelian, president/CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach and the race’s financial officer in 1978. “We made the New York Times, Sports Illustrated and the race was all over the local and national news.”

By 1983, however, F1’s ever-increasing purses, sanctioning fees and shipping charges prompted Pook to align with the Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART), which made its Long Beach debut in 1984. On cue, Andretti prevailed _ scoring the first of his three wins (1984, 1985, 1987) _ with son Michael completing an Andretti Sweep in 1986.

“The fondest memories I have racing on the Streets of Long Beach are my four victories,” Andretti said in an interview with indycar.com. “I won the second Formula One race at Long Beach in 1977. In 1984, when the event switched from Formula One to INDYCAR, I won for the second time (No. 3 Budweiser Lola/Cosworth). That began a run of three victories in four years. On top of that, my son Michael had his first and last career INDYCAR wins at Long Beach. This track is obviously a family favorite.”

Long Beach, CA – during the INDYCAR Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Travis Hinkle | IMS Photo)

CART sanctioned the event from 1984 to 2003, followed by Champ Car (2004-2008), Tony George’s fledgling Indy Racing League (2009-2010) and INDYCAR (2011-present).

“We weren’t exactly sure if the Champ Cars would have the same mystique for race fans,” Michaelian said on the event’s website. “But we didn’t miss a beat.”

Led by Al Unser Jr., Americans dominated the event during the 1980s and 1990s. “Little Al” prevailed six times, including a remarkable run of four consecutive victories from 1988-1991. Danny Sullivan _ famous for his “spin-and-win” victory in the 1985 Indianapolis 500 _ won at Long Beach in 1992. And native Californian Jimmy Vasser won in 1996 en route to his CART championship.

Still, the race has retained an international flavor. Italy’s Alex Zanardi won back-to-back in 1997-1998. Flamboyant rookie Juan Pablo Montoya of Colombia won in 1999 on his way to a fulltime Formula One ride, while fan-favorite Helio Castroneves led an all-Brazilian 1-2-3 finish (with Cristiano de Matta and Gil de Ferran) in 2001.

Brash Canadian Paul Tracy drove into Victory Circle on four occasions _ 1993, 2000, 2003 and 2004. And Frenchman Sebastien Bourdais won three consecutive Long Beach races from 2005 to 2007.

In June 2005, race team owners Kevin Kalkhoven and Gerald Forsythe purchased the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach, ensuring the event’s future. On April 20, 2008, the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach staged the final race in Champ Car’s long history, with Australian Will Power taking the checkered flag.

Long Beach, CA – during the INDYCAR Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Joe Skibinski | IMS Photo)

In May 2008, the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach signed a long-term agreement with INDYCAR beginning in 2009. Scotsman Dario Franchitti won the inaugural event of the INDYCAR era. In 2010, Ryan Hunter-Reay became the first American to win the race since “Mikey” in 2002.

Japan’s Takuma Sato took the checkered flag in 2013 for legendary driver/team-owner A.J. Foyt Jr. “Taku” became the first Japanese-born driver to win _ and stand on the podium _ in the race’s history.

In 2015, native New Zealander Scott Dixon _ then a three-time series champion _ won his first Long Beach race in his ninth attempt. That began a streak of four consecutive first-time winners, including France’s Simon Pagenaud (2016), Canada’s James Hinchcliffe (2017) and American Alexander Rossi (2018).

On Feb. 5, 2019, the Grand Prix Association entered into a multi-year title sponsorship agreement with Acura. Rossi went on to become the first back-to-back Long Beach winner since Bourdais. The 2020 event was cancelled due to the worldwide COVID pandemic. The 2021 Grand Prix subsequently was run in September for the first time since 1975, with Valencia, Calif., native Colton Herta winning his first Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Dixon, Power and Rossi are the only entered drivers with multiple Long Beach wins. Dixon won in 2015 and 2024; Power prevailed in 2008 and 2012 and Rossi won in 2018 and 2019. In addition to Herta, other former race-winners scheduled to compete are Josef Newgarden (2022) and Kyle Kirkwood (2023).

First practice on the 1.968-mile/11-turn layout is scheduled for Friday at 3:05 p.m. (PDT) on FS1. Sunday’s race is scheduled for 90 laps/177.12 miles.

Veteran racing industry executive Kirk Dooley has been appointed director of INDY NXT by Firestone, the developmental series of INDYCAR.

Dooley will oversee all operations and competition for INDY NXT, the series that prepares drivers, engineers and other team personnel for the NTT IndyCar Series.

Indiana native Dooley, 51, assumes his new role in a return to INDYCAR after serving as Chief of Staff in 2015-16, when he helped coordinate key series financial initiatives and evolve technical regulations. In 2016, Dooley was named director of event operations at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he was responsible for the management and execution of all IMS events including the Indianapolis 500.

In 2020, Dooley became chief operating officer of the renowned Skip Barber Racing School, where he supported and helped implement efforts to expand business operations to include multiple training teams at simultaneous venues. While at Skip Barber, he also managed a four-car pro race team that won the 2021 SRO TC class championship and placed second in the TCA Class during the team’s inaugural season.

“I could not be more thrilled to return to INDYCAR and assume this crucial developmental role with INDY NXT by Firestone,” Dooley said. “With rising interest from drivers and teams and a new and powerful platform on FS1 and FS2 thanks to INDYCAR’s new partnership with FOX, it is clear that this series is more relevant and important than ever.

“I look forward to leading this continued growth as INDY NXT looks to advance drivers, engineers and personnel to the NTT IndyCar Series.”

Dooley is a 24-year Marine Corps officer who spent the majority of his time in the intelligence and special operations community. Dooley most recently served as the owner of Indianapolis-based Torque Lab, LLC, which provides a wide range of engine management software and racing services to affiliated performance shops, race teams and personnel.

“Kirk’s vast experience will be a tremendous asset for INDY NXT by Firestone,” INDYCAR President J. Douglas Boles said. “His important work developing talent with Skip Barber, combined with his history at INDYCAR and IMS, will prove invaluable for a series one step away from the premier open-wheel series in North America. We are delighted to welcome him back to the INDYCAR family.”

The 2025 INDY NXT by Firestone season continues on Sunday, May 4, at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Ala. Coverage of the 35-lap race will be available at 11:30 a.m. (EDT) on FS1, with audio coverage on SiriusXM channel 218 and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA via the award-winning INDYCAR Radio Network.

Brit Toby Sowery has been hired as a reserve and development driver for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s NTT IndyCar Series program for select events.

Sowery, 28, made three INDYCAR starts in 2024 with Dale Coyne Racing, gaining a combined 19 positions before the checkered flag at races in Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Streets of Toronto and Portland (Ore.) International Raceway. He recently showcased his versatility in endurance racing in both LMP2 and GT3, with wins in the prestigious Asian Le Mans Series and the Dubai 24 Hours in January.

“We’re excited to have Toby join RLL,” said Bobby Rahal, team founder/co-owner and the 1986 Indy 500 champion. “He’s shown exceptional talent, resilience and maturity, not just in INDYCAR but also with his recent endurance racing success. Winning a prestigious race like the Dubai 24 Hours highlights his adaptability and mental toughness _ qualities we deeply value at RLL. Toby’s experience and versatility will undoubtedly strengthen our team as we aim for competitive excellence this season.”

Sowery will serve as an R&D development driver on Honda’s Driver-in-the-Loop (DiL) simulator, assist the team’s engineering department by trialing and providing feedback regarding hybrid deployment strategies on the simulator and will provide feedback from the DiL regarding RLL vehicle models.

“The opportunity to join Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing as a reserve and test driver allows me to expand and build on my INDYCAR debut last year while contributing directly to the team’s continued growth and success,” Sowery said. “I’ve been in talks with RLL for a couple of years now so getting to work closely with a team that’s been a cornerstone of INDYCAR racing for over three decades is a huge privilege.

“I’m committed to pushing myself, learning from some of the best in the sport, and becoming a driver who can truly make a difference. I’d like to thank the whole team at RLL for working hard to make this happen and both Bobby and Mike (Lanigan) for believing in me.”

All on-track NTT IndyCar Series action can be seen live on FOX and the INDYCAR Radio Network. For more information about the series or team, visit www.indycar.com and www.rahal.com.

NTT IndyCar Series Point Standings _ 1, Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing, 102; 2, Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren, 63; 3, Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing, 61; 4, Christian Lundgaard, Arrow McLaren, 60; 5, Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing, 56; 6, Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global, 54; 7, Josef Newgarden, Team Penske, 53; 8, Colton Herta, Andretti Global, 47; 9, Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing, 43; 10, Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske, 41;

11, Marcus Ericsson, Andretti Global, 37; 12, Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 37; 13, Rinus VeeKay, Dale Coyne Racing, 35; 14, Will Power, Team Penske, 33; 15, Marcus Armstrong, Meyer Shank Racing, 33; 16, Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing, 33; 17, Santino Ferrucci, A.J. Foyt Racing, 32; 18, David Malukas, A.J. Foyt Racing, 29; 19, Kyffin Simpson, Chip Ganassi Racing, 27; 20, Conor Daly, Juncos Hollinger Racing, 27;

21, Devlin DeFrancesco, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 18; 22, Robert Shwartzman, Prema Racing, 18; 23, Nolan Siegel, Arrow McLaren, 16; 24, Callum Ilott, Prema Racing, 16; 25, Sting Ray Robb, Juncos Hollinger Racing, 16; 26, Jacob Abel, Dale Coyne Racing, 12; 27, Louis Foster, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 11.