With packed grandstands and people walking around the concourse throughout the weekend, attendance for the 51st annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is anticipated to have reached or surpassed last year’s record numbers.
Crews began working to dismantle the downtown Long Beach track on Monday, April 20, after the three-day racing event took over the area from Friday to Sunday, April 17-19. Overall, the 51st iteration of the legendary street race was a success, Grand Prix and local officials said.
Preliminary reports show the event’s attendance is trending upward over last year’s 50th anniversary event, said Jim Liaw, new president and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach.
Workers dismantle Grand Prix fencing along Shoreline Drive in Long Beach, CA, on Monday, April 20, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Workers dismantle grandstands in front of businesses along Shoreline Drive after the Grand Prix in Long Beach, CA, on Monday, April 20, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Ronald Robles walks along cement barricades as he dismantles Grand Prix fencing along Shoreline Drive in Long Beach, CA, on Monday, April 20, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Bernardo Lopez climbs along fencing on Shoreline Drive near Pine Avenue to dismantle the Grand Prix walls in Long Beach, CA, on Monday, April 20, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Ronald Robles walks along cement barricades as he dismantles Grand Prix fencing along Shoreline Drive in Long Beach, CA, on Monday, April 20, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Workers dismantle grandstands in front of businesses along Shoreline Drive after the Grand Prix in Long Beach, CA, on Monday, April 20, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Workers dismantle grandstands in front of businesses along Shoreline Drive after the Grand Prix in Long Beach, CA, on Monday, April 20, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Workers dismantle Grand Prix fencing along Shoreline Drive in Long Beach, CA, on Monday, April 20, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
“We’re looking at things like our Friday attendance was definitely bigger than it had been before; our Saturday attendance was very strong — full grandstands, all the stuff on track had tons of people there in person watching,” Liaw said in an interview on Monday. “Both concerts, Friday and Saturday night, were great. And our concession numbers looked higher.”
Liaw added: “(Ee are) just looking at all those as initial indicators, as we do the final tally, and making sure that we have all our numbers straight,” he said. “I’d say in comparison to last year, those are things I say that give us an early indicator that we’ll be at minimum very similar to last year, if not, slightly better.”
Last year’s Grand Prix, the event’s 50th anniversary, broke attendance records for the third year running, with around 197,000 people from all over the region enjoying the golden anniversary. The 2025 Grand Prix also generated nearly $100 million worth of economic impact in Long Beach and the Southern California region at large, officials said.
“Record numbers mean that the impact will be large,” Liaw said about the economic impact for this year’s event. “Visually and seeing the busyness of post-race and pre-race, I think those are all good signs and good indicators that we will continue to make a positive impact on Long Beach and on the region.”
The Grand Prix of Long Beach not only has an economic impact during race weekend, but after as well.
Two of the Grand Prix of Long Beach Grand Marshals, Brenna Huckaby, Paralympic snowboarder and Audrey Crowley, Paralympic alpine skier visit with Long Beach Grand Prix President and CEO, Jim Laiw and Long Beach Mayor, Rex Richardson during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Long Beach Grand Prix President and CEO, Jim Laiw during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026 (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Indycar driver Alex Palou sprays champagne after winning the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
United States Army paratroopers desend with the American Flag during prerace ceremonies prior to the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Indycar driver Felix Rosenqvist leads the field down Shoreline Drive after taking the green flag to start the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Stadium Super Truck driver Robby Gordon rides on two wheels following a race during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
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Two of the Grand Prix of Long Beach Grand Marshals, Brenna Huckaby, Paralympic snowboarder and Audrey Crowley, Paralympic alpine skier visit with Long Beach Grand Prix President and CEO, Jim Laiw and Long Beach Mayor, Rex Richardson during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
“This race is big for the city economically, but it’s also a huge opportunity for us to bring more investment to the city,” Mayor Rex Richardson said on Monday, “because during this time we host a number of conventioners, site selectors who are looking to bring conventions here, companies here, and other opportunities for the city.”
During the Grand Prix, Visit Long Beach and Meet Long Beach teams work to secure business at the Convention Center throughout the year, and the city’s Economic Development team hosts companies and works to secure those clients as well, the mayor said.
“My job as the mayor is to build those relationships, close those deals, which were widely successful,” Richardson said, “with the new opportunities that are presenting themselves to the city based on just the experience that was presented here this weekend.
“By every standard, every metric,” Richardson added, “this was our most successful Grand Prix.”
Thousands packed into the grandstands and stood along the race track on Sunday to see this year’s titular race. Alex Palou won, snagging his first Long Beach checkered flag – with help from a nearly perfect pit stop. Palou beat Fast Six pole winner Felix Rosenqvist by about 4 seconds, and maintained his lead for the final 30 of the 90 laps.
Winning Indycar driver Alex Plaou, center, celebrates alongside second place finisher, Felix Rosenqvist, left and third place finisher Scott Dixon during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Alex Palou (#10) and Pato O’Ward (#5) lead a group of cars heading into the first turn off Shoreline Drive early in the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Pit lane is filled with race fans prior to the IndyCar race during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Indycar driver Felix Rosenqvist celebrates after finishing second in the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
A United States Army paratrooper desends with the American Flag during prerace ceremonies prior to the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Stadium Super Truck driver Robby Gordon rides on two wheels following a race during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Motorsport fans watch as sports cars roll past during the CARnival Car Parade for the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Motorsport fans attend the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Indycar driver Felix Rosenqvist (60) leads the field on the formation lap before the start of the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Indycar driver Scott McLaughlin heads towards turn 11 during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Race fans view the Exotic Car exhibit during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Winning Indycar driver Alex Plaou, center, celebrates alongside second place finisher, Felix Rosenqvist, left and third place finisher Scott Dixon during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
This year, for the first time, the Long Beach race was the fifth in the IndyCar season – straying away from its traditional spot as the third stop on the circuit. This is because the series added two new stops, at Phoenix International Raceway and in Arlington, Texas, as lead-ins to the iconic Long Beach race.
Besides the titular race on Sunday, this year’s Grand Prix of Long Beach was packed with both on- and off-the-track activities throughout the weekend – and even before the start of the event.
Thunder Thursday kicked off the Grand Prix festivities, offering the community a chance to experience the Grand Prix for free at the Pike Outlets. Earlier on Thursday, two-time winner of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Alexander Rossi, and the late former mayor Bob Foster were inducted into the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame.
The race weekend also featured the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the Super Drift Challenge, and Robby Gordon’s SPEED/UTV Stadium Super Trucks, as well as the Porsche Carrera Cup and Historic Sports Car Challenge.
Before the titular race on Sunday, the Grand Prix also paid tribute to its longtime leader, Jim Michaelian, who died only weeks before the event on March 21. He was 83.
Michaelian had served as the president and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach since 2001, and had been involved in every race since its inaugural edition in 1975. He was set to lead the city’s biggest annual event one final time this year, then would essentially retire, taking up an undefined role with the Grand Prix’s new owner, Penske. He would then hand over the reins to Liaw.
The tribute included a video that featured photos of Michaelian’s life and career, from 1975 to last year, the celebration of the Grand Prix’s golden anniversary.
“He didn’t want and he never had wanted to make it about him,” Liaw said on Monday. “I thought it was a great balance of needing to give him recognition and tribute to him, as well as continue with the positive and the high energy of what the event is and getting people really excited and ready to get the race started.”
Liaw added that, personally, it was a moment of mixed emotions. It felt surreal to be on stage in his new role and he is looking forward to what’s next, but also somber that it happened without Michaelian.
“But the support of all our partners, like IndyCar and IMSA, having the Michaelian family there, made it an indescribable moment,” he added, “and it helps provide some sense of assurance and comfort that we are doing this transition as thoughtfully and in honoring him and also putting on what’s an exciting and entertaining weekend for people that come to see us.”
Thousands of people who attended this year’s event, indeed, had a lot to experience and explore. The Lifestyle Expo and Family Fun Zone, at the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center, were crammed all weekend, and the Food Truck Village served myriad hungry racing fans as well.
This year’s musical acts also drew crowds to the Terrace Theater Plaza. On Friday, rapper and singer Lupe Fiasco got the party started with a show that had a West Coast hip-hop vibe, and on Saturday, Kings of Chaos returned to the Grand Prix to rock the crowd after another day of exciting racing.
“It comes down to the fan experience, and I feel like the fans and the people that came out had a really good time,” Liaw said. “We were able to provide on-track action, off-track entertainment, and what’s not in our control is the great weather, and all that combined together made for a really successful event weekend.”
The response from fans, partners and community was tremendous, he added, and it made for a memorable weekend in Long Beach. It was made possible through the efforts of the Grand Prix team, volunteers, sponsor partners, and city staff, he added.
With the adrenaline-fueled weekend coming to an end, there is still much to look forward to for next year’s Grand Prix, Liaw said. As new enhancements were made this year – such as 10,000 new grandstand seats, a new double-decker premium pit row suite complex, and a Southern California-style car show, Mornings CARnival – there is more to come to improve racegoers’ experience, he said.
“The fact the changes that we made — and obviously Jim’s fingerprints were all over it — the changes that we made to how the grandstands looked to the new structures that were built and to the little touches that we did for customers during the weekend, I think were noticed,” Liaw said, “and I’m most excited about that because if they noticed that, what we’ve done for this race, I’m really excited for them to notice, feel, and be even more excited for some of the new things that we are looking to do to continue to enhance and grow this race.”
Race fans can mark their calendars for next year’s Grand Prix of Long Beach, which is set to return on April 16-18, 2027.