K-Pax Racing Number 9 Kevin Estre in his McLaren 650S
Southern California is often seen as the hub of the car culture in the US. The weather is (usually) a constant seventy degrees and humidity is very low, and this makes it incredibly ideal for car collectors and enthusiasts. Some of the most famous names in the automotive scene as well as collectors live in the area as well. Big names such as Chip Foose (of Foose Design and Overhaulin’), Barry Meguiar (of Meguire’s Products) and Jay Leno (ultimate car collector and personality) are massive car collectors and living embodiments of the scene that exists in SoCal. Jay Leno in particular has a channel on Youtube highlighting cars from all eras and times. It’s a show that I think could only be filmed in SoCal. Every episode highlights a car and more often than not, that car is taken on the open road in and around the area Jay has his garage at. That feeling of open air and uninhibited driving is fully on display there. That is why, there is nothing more exciting than being able to drive the vehicle you love (or admire), and do so in a way that is both free and unrestricted. And, be able to do so without the worry of your car rusting out in a short amount of time as well. If you live in SoCal, then, you also know that in order to get anywhere (efficiently), or do anything, then, having a car not only becomes a luxury, but, is in fact a necessity. Not only does one need one to get around, but, what one drives ends up becoming part of that person. In a lot of ways, what a person drives says a lot about them. From an early age, cars become not only a part of the scenery, but, a way of life. Southern California sets up this scene for car enthusiasts, and having a vehicle to get around opens up options for drivers to enjoy in its many locales.
One of those hot spots in SoCal is Long Beach. Located near the largest Port in the United States, Long Beach is always on the up and up when it comes to activity. The streets of Long Beach are often teeming with people and packed with some of the hottest clubs and restaurants. With some of the finest restaurants and establishments along the coast, it’s pretty easy to see the draw of the area. Whether you are on a date, checking out new breweries or really just want to enjoy the waterfront, there is plenty there to see. But, once a year, downtown Long Beach is turned upside down, and the craziness gets dialed up to 11. In April, around the third weekend of the month, the Long Beach Grand Prix comes to town, and residents of Long Beach become witness to their city collide with one of the giants of professional car racing, the Indy Car Series. When this happens, car enthusiasts and lovers alike are able to enjoy not only the setting, but, the pinnacle of car racing in the US.
Long Beach is beautiful, and the organizers of the Indy Car Series know this. Perhaps that is why there is no more iconic, and scenic track in the world, than this one. Sure, you have Monaco, but, that’s on the other side of the planet, and with the crowd that goes there, seemingly less attainable to attend than Long Beach. Long Beach has a feel that is a lot more personal, and it shows when you The track has been around since the mid-seventies, and was originally used in Formula One. The track (while I may call it a track, it is in fact, a portion of the downtown area that has been closed off and used for driving on) is just under two miles long, and twists and turns along Shoreline Drive and up and around some of the most scenic areas in Long Beach. It feels as though this area was perfectly made for the Grand Prix, and the many iconic drivers it has hosted. In fact, one of the few American Formula One drivers that has raced (during a Formula One sanctioned race) here, and won, was none other than Mario Andretti. He raced at that track in 1977 and is the only American driver to have ever won that race for that series. That doesn’t even count the numerous Grand Prix wins for Champ Car. So, needless to say, Mario has carved out his place in history at this track, and is always a fixture in American racing. To see him there just happened to be one of our highlights of attending the race this year, and I am sure, that was for many others just as well.
Getting the cars ready for the race
The winners of the Long Beach Celebrity/Pro Race
After being part of the landscape for over forty years, the Long Beach Grand Prix has not only transformed the idea of racing in the US, it is also as much a part of the people there as it is iconic. That is why, year after year, the Grand Prix is an event that brings in hundreds of thousands of people to it. For one week a year (and even more so if you count the other racing series that have joined Indy Car), the Grand Prix shuts down the normality of downtown Long Beach, and makes it a party. This year, we were excited to see what the race would bring, and were, as usual, not disappointed. This year, unlike any other time before it, we were fortunate enough to be able to see what the race would hold not just as a spectator, but, from the other side of the fence as part of the press. We would be closer to the action, and in the middle of the chaos that is the Grand Prix. This year’s Grand Prix was even more exciting than the ones before, but, by no means less important. The anticipation going into the race was through the roof, and we were so excited to be a part of it.
This race weekend started out pleasantly with cool skies and just a hint of an ocean breeze. Those skies would quickly clear up as the marine layer would burn off, and the day would be transformed into another pleasant Southern California weekend. I think that the organizers knew when they had were scouting a location and time of year to hold this event that they knew what they were looking for. Even if I was going there to just enjoy the scenery, I would have done so. Throw in this crazy event, and there’s even more reason to go. One of the things I have always found exciting, and the one thing that gets my juices flowing, is the sound of the cars. You see, every year I have gone to the show, the sound of the cars whipping around the track is the first thing I notice. I am sure that the residents notice it as well. But, the sound bounces around the high rises, and it tends to make an echo unlike anything else you would hear at an open track. The crescendo of the turbo charged (Indy car) engines wailing as they scorch up the track is pure music to this motor heads’ ears. It is enough to peak a persons’ curiosity, and enough invite everyone around to come through its gates. With two cameras in hand, and with our lovely reporter Daynie, there to help cover the event, that enchanting music of metal and gasoline would prove to be more inviting as it has ever been. This time, we knew that we would be in for a real treat.
Meeting a legend of racing. Mario Andretti
We were pretty excited to see everything that was coming from that weekend, especially the last Celebrity Car Race. This year would mark the 40th anniversary of the Celebrity/Pro Car race in Long Beach. Sadly, though, after all those years, that mark would be the last ever for this race. Toyota had announced a back in 2014 that they were moving their North American headquarters from Torrance (California) to Plano (Texas). While this move was not surprising, what was, were the implications that it had on something so unrelated. And, that was the Celebrity/Pro Race at Long Beach. Because of that move, Toyota had announced that they could no longer support the celebrity race from their new location. It was unfortunate to say the least. There have been so many racing series that have come and gone at Long Beach (hell, even the actual title races had changed from when Champ Car switched to Indy), but, the Celebrity/Pro Race had been one of the few consistent things that has been there. In fact, it has been there almost as long as Long Beach has hosted the races (40 out of the 42 years that Long Beach has hosted the Grand Prix). It was sad to see it go, and this time around we were more than thrilled to see who was going to show up.
Supercars all lined up for the parade
The drivers for that race were a nice mix of well-known talent. And, considering it was the last race we would see, it was great to see it go out in style. Needless to say, everyone that drove in that race were past winners. So, the ante was definitely upped for this one. If you ask me, it was great to see out of the past winners (from both celeb and pro sides), who was the best of the best. Just like last year, they would be driving a Toyota FR-S and it would be, for the most part, a straight from the factory car. On the Pro side, you have drivers such as Al Unser Jr. (Champ Car legend and the so-called King of the Beach), Eddie Lawson (motorcycle hall of famer) and Jimmy Vasser (former Indy Car driver and champion) to name a few. On the Celebrity side, you had the winner from last year Alfonso Ribeiro (best known as Carlton from the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air), Dara Torres (12-time Olympic winner in swimming) and Will Fichtner (star of Ninja Turtles, Blackhawk Down and many more films). There were many more names on that roster, and it was definitely impressive to see them go at it on the track. The winners ended up being Alfonso Ribeiro on the celebrity side (of which, this would make it a back to back wins and his fourth title overall) and Max Papis on the pro side. It was a battle unlike any we had seen before. Cars were constantly changing position and battling at every possible turn. While there were a few crashes, spinouts and tussles here and there, the moment that stood out was seeing one of the track personnel get inadvertently hit by Sean Patrick Flanery (from the celebrity side). It was the first time I had ever seen a red flag waved at a race, and it was scary to say the least. Thankfully, that track worker was able to get up and had only minor injuries. It was a scary moment, and the crowd reflected that when the accident happened, and had all let out a collective gasp. But, not long after that, the race continued and things went back to normal. For being the last race of its kind, it was without a doubt the most memorable one. Hopefully, there can be another sponsor that will pick it up in the future, and we’ll be able to see this race come back.
More supercars about to roll out
The following races would prove to be just as impressive, and this time, even more so, having been able to see it from the front lines. The races were fast, and the battles intense. Something that we have come to expect from every race out in Long Beach. While this was going on though, it was in the pits where there was even more action going on (for more information on the other races, check out our adjacent article highlighting those races and what happened there). The beauty of race weekend is seeing what you don’t expect. Nothing is scripted, and at every corner, there are things going on and people walking by that you probably never have seen coming. I think that has a lot to do with the way that the race organizers have let fans get up close and personal to the race teams themselves. Just walking around the Indy Paddock I inadvertently ran into Gyasi Zardes and the members of the LA Galaxy. We also happened to walk by Bryan Austin Green (who competed in the Celebrity/Pro Race) and his wife Megan Fox. And all day we would also get a glimpse of the drivers zipping around to and from the paddock areas. Being able to spot celebs conjure up images of Hollywood and race car driver royalty. As a matter of fact, we happened to run into the king of Long Beach himself and a legend in American motorsports, Mario Andretti. I don’t often get flustered, but, as a massive racing fan, and Mario fan in general, I did not expect to run into him. I knew one of his teams was going to be racing in the Indy Series (Andretti Autosport), and that his grandson was racing, but, it was nice to see him take to the track, let alone get to meet him up close. But, we were very fortunate to run into him, and our reporter Daynie was able to snap a picture with him. For people (such as myself) not expecting to see all of this, especially in the way, it was a real treat. And for fans of racing, an added bonus on top of an already action-packed weekend.
Pirelli World Challenge Cars coming to Turn 11 at Long Beach
One thing that often gets over looked, or at least, not mentioned very much is the Lifestyle Expo that happens alongside the races on the track. This expo showcases some fine show cars, race cars (of which includes the paddock for the Pirelli World Challenge) and lots of new products for sale. I think, it’s a nice change of pace to be able to walk into the convention center hall and see the other side of the racing going on just outside its doors. Indy has a nice booth set up inside and areas where fans can get up close to some of the cars, learn about Indy, meet the drivers and have an opportunity to try out one of the cars in a simulator. There’s are also multiple booths scattered throughout the convention hall that sell racing merchandise, and a variety products. However, one of my favorite sections in the Lifestyle Expo is the Pirelli World Challenge Paddock. In there, the cars from that series are held up being worked on by the mechanics for their teams. Having been a crew chief myself (in the military), I can appreciate all the hard work that goes into keeping those cars running. In a lot of ways though, it’s even more impressive, considering they have to work with people looming over their shoulders watching their every move. But, that’s why they’re the professionals. Able to work, no matter the situation, and always with a sense of purpose. And, in some cases, they do interact with the fans, and let the line between fan and team blur just a bit. The Lifestyle Expo is one of the surprise additions to the Grand Prix. As far as I know, it has been there since its inception, but, has been a great bonus to the visitors.
The Million Dollar Supercar. The Koenigsegg Agera at the Long Beach Grand Prix
The Always Evolving GTR from the Pirelli World Challenge
With so much going on, and so many people packed into the circuit, it’s easy to see why this race has the popularity it does. With something for everyone, and so much to see, the Grand Prix is an affair that anyone can get in to. Perhaps that is why the residents of Long Beach (and in a lot of cases, visitors from around the world) hold this race in such high regard. It is something that takes more than one day to see and experience, but, as a fan of this event, I don’t think we would have it any other way. The 42nd annual LBGP was an event for the record books, and something we won’t long forget. Even writing this has made me smile, just remembering the events of that weekend. Just when I thought that I had finished writing about what I had seen, I began to think of another event or person that we came across from those days. But, maybe that’s what it’s about. Those memories, and the sensation of being a part of something bigger than oneself. I know the drivers sure feel it, as do the crew chiefs that work with them, and without a doubt so do the fans. The Long Beach Grand Prix is an event that is in a lot of ways is just as big as what it has set itself to be. And in that sense, we have to thank the people that put it all together. This one may have passed, but, the 43rd annual race is just around the corner. We are sure that it will be just as amazing as this last one.
Behind the track walls as a team
Life Behind the Walls. Behind the fences capturing the races
Words and Photos By Daniel Navarrete
With Additional Photos by Daynie Rivera
-Spektrum Magazine
For more information on The Long Beach Grand Prix, check out their website at Long Beach Grand Prix Homepage
This article was prepared or accomplished by Daniel Navarrete in his personal capacity. The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Spektrum Magazine, or its affiliates.
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