By: Spencer Neff
April 11, 2025
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES returns to action this weekend at the historic Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. It will be the 41st time INDYCAR has competed on the California street circuit. This weekend also marks the 50th anniversary of the Grand Prix (1975 was a Formula 5000 event and 1976-1983 were Formula 1 Grands Prix).
After being an 85-lap event since 2015, the race on the 1.968-mile, 11-turn temporary street circuit will be 90 laps. It is the longest scheduled distance for this race since 2003, which was run under CART/ChampCar sanctioning.
Before cars hit the track for the weekend, here’s a look at the major stories around the series.
Headlines
Three weeks ago, Alex Palou won the inaugural Thermal Club INDYCAR Grand Prix for his second consecutive win to begin 2025. Now, Palou looks to become the first driver to win the opening three races of an INDYCAR season in five years, when teammate Scott Dixon did so in 2020.
Last year, Dixon’s savvy fuel conservation propelled him to a second win at Long Beach, with 2021 race winner Colton Herta of Andretti Autosport in second and the aforementioned Palou in third.
In four previous starts at Long Beach Palou has finished no worse than fifth. If he were able to make it three consecutive victories, it would be his third win on a street course (Detroit 2023 and St. Petersburg 2025).
Despite winning pole for each of the first two races with Scott Mclaughlin of Team Penske at St. Petersburg and Pato O’Ward of Arrow McLaren at Thermal, Chevrolet has not converted those into race victories. Since 2016, a Chevrolet-powered car has only won once watt Long Beach (Josef Newgarden-2022).
2008 and 2012 Long Beach winner Will Power of Team Penske also ties Mario Andretti this weekend, making his 19th start in the race. Power also extends his record of consecutive starts to 19. He is also the only driver to win the race under ChampCar and IndyCar sanctioning.
Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Fast Facts
Race weekend: Friday, April 11 – Sunday, April 13
Track: 1.968-mile, 11-turn temporary street course (clockwise) in Long Beach, California
Race distance: 90 laps / 177.12 miles
Push-to-pass parameters: 200 seconds of total time, with a maximum time of 20 seconds peractivation
Hybrid energy deployment parameters: Unlimited activation, with a maximum deployment of415 kilojoules (kj) per lap
Firestone tire allotment: Five sets primary (hard) and five sets alternate (soft) to be used duringthe event weekend. Teams fielding a rookie driver may use one additional set of primary tires.Teams must use one set of primary and one set of new (sticker) alternate tires for at least twolaps in the race.
X: @GPLongBeach, @INDYCAR, #AGPLB, #INDYCAR
Instagram: @GPLongBeach, @INDYCAR, #AGPLB, #INDYCAR
Facebook: @GrandPrixLB, @INDYCAR, #INDYCAR
TikTok: @grandprixlongbeach, @INDYCAR, #INDYCAR
YouTube: @INDYCAR
Event website: http://www.gplb.com
INDYCAR website: http://www.indycar.com
2024 race winner: Scott Dixon (No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda)
2024 NTT P1 Award: Felix Rosenqvist (No. 60 AutoNation/SiriusXM Honda), 1:06.0172,107.317 mph
Qualifying lap record: Colton Herta, 1:05.3095, 108.480 mph, April 9, 2022
FOX Sports telecast: Practice 1, 6 p.m. ET, Friday, FS1 (live); Practice 2, 11:30 a.m. ETSaturday, FS1 (live); Qualifying, 2:30 p.m. ET Saturday, FS2 (live); Warmup, Noon ET Sunday,FS1 (live); Race, 4:30 p.m. ET Sunday, FOX (live). Will Buxton is the play-by-play announcer forFOX’s coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and JamesHinchcliffe. Kevin Lee and Jack Harvey are the pit reporters. A Spanish-language telecast of therace will be available on FOX Deportes.
INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside driver analystDavey Hamilton. Jake Query, Nick Yeoman and Michael Young are the turn announcers. Ryan Myrehn, Jonathan Grace and DJ Clark are the pit reporters. The Acura Grand Prix of LongBeach race (4 p.m. ET on April 13) and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES practices and qualifying sessions air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM INDYCAR Nation 218, indycar.com/leaderboardand the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.
At-track schedule (all local times):
Friday, April 11
3:05-4:25 p.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice 1 (split group format), FS1 (live)
Saturday, April 12
8:30-9:30 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice 2 (limited green flag guarantee of 45 minutes),FS1 (live)
11:35 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (three rounds of knockout qualifying), FS2 (live)
Sunday, April 13
9:02-9:27 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES warmup, FS1 (live)
12:59 p.m. – Driver introductions
1:30 p.m. – FOX on air
1:45 p.m. – Start engines command
1:52 p.m. – Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach (90 laps/177.12 miles), FOX, FOX Sports app,INDYCAR Radio Network (live). Spanish telecast on FOX Deportes (live)
Header Image By Chris Owens/INDYCAR
IndyCar1909.com 