By: Spencer Neff
April 19, 2026

2026 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Results

A well-executed final pit stop allowed Chip Ganassi Racing and Alex Palou to inherit the lead on a late restart and pull away to his first win on the streets of Long Beach. The four-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES Champion started third and won the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on Sunday, his third victory of 2026.

Palou led the final 32 laps and held off Meyer Shank Racing’s Felix Rosenqvist by 3.9663 seconds for his 22nd career INDYCAR victory, tying Emerson Fittipaldi and Tony Bettenhausen for 23rd all-time. CGR also earns their 148th victory, including a record-breaking eighth at Long Beach after being tied with Andretti Global and Team Penske.

Rosenqvist started on the pole and led a race-high 51of 90 laps behind his quasi-teammate with Scott Dixon in third, giving CGR and technical alliance partner MSR a sweep of the podium.

Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood started and finished win fourth. He trails Palou by 17 points in the standings with five of 18 races completed.

Pato O’Ward started outside front row in second and finished today’s race in fifth as the best Chevrolet in his Arrow McLaren entry. Dale Coyne Racing’s Dennis Hauger finished 11th and leads Rookie of the Year standings by 17 over A.J. Foyt Racing’s Caio Collet (22nd) and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Mick Schumacher (17th).

Recap

Rosenqvist held the lead from the pole during the opening stint of the race, pushing his first pit stop until Lap 32. After opting for an early pit stop, Newgarden would cycle to the lead of the race once the leaders had stopped. He would finish the 90-lap race where he started in 14th after leading five laps.

Utilizing the alternate strategy, Newgarden held the lead until Lap 46, when Rosenqvist made his way back to the front. On Lap 58, a piece of debris fell on track near the fountain. adjacent to Turns 2 and 3, prompting the first caution of the afternoon.

Palou was able to find his way to the lead after getting out of pit road ahead of Rosenqvist. Despite leading two laps during the opening pit sequence, Andretti Global’s Will Power fell back to 19th after being penalized for hitting equipment during the final stop.

From the Lap 62 restart, Palou would drive away from Rosenqvist and into Victory Lane.

Slowed by the singular caution lasting four laps, the race was run with an average speed of 97.356 mph. The lead changed hands four times between four drivers.

Up Next

Preparations for the month of May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway begin in earnest next week as the Open Test for the 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge will be held on April 28-29.

From 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 on April 28, veteran drivers will be on-track. ROP (Rookie Orientation Program) and refresher courses will be held from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. All cars will be allowed on track from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m.

On April 29, all cars will have the 2.5-mile oval for testing from 10:00 a.m to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES YouTube channel with timing and scoring on indycar.com/leaderboard.

The next race will be the Sonsio Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course. Opening practice at the 2.439-mile, 14-turn permanent road course in Speedway, Indiana is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. ET on May 8 (FS2). Second practice will be at 1:30 p.m. (FS1) with qualifying at 5:30 p.m. ET (FS2).

On Saturday, May 9, a 30-minute warmup its set for 11:30 a.m. ET (FS1). The 85-lap race will air on FOX at 4:30 p.m. with an expected green flag time of 4:57 p.m. IndyCar1909.com will be on-site and credentialed for the Sonsio Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. Stick with us and our social media platforms for the latest on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

Header Image By Joe Skibinski/INDYCAR