Jim Michaelian, the race car driver who helped launch the annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, has died. He was 83.<\/p>\n
The Grand Prix Asson. of Long Beach confirmed his death on Saturday, just weeks before this year’s race, which is scheduled for April 17-19.<\/p>\n
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Michaelian joined the Grand Prix Assn. of Long Beach<\/a> in 1975, a then-fledgling competitive race, and grew it into one of the most popular street racing events in the world. The annual three-day event draws thousands of race car enthusiasts and brings tens of millions of dollars into the city of Long Beach.<\/p>\n Read more: Why the Grand Prix of Long Beach is on IndyCar’s Mt. Rushmore<\/a><\/p>\n “Jim was a leader of a small, passionate group who believed in the concept of bringing elite open-wheel competition to Long Beach in the 1970s,” said Roger Penske, Penske Corporation chairman, in a statement. “His vision and energy surrounding this great event remained boundless for 50 years.”<\/p>\n Penske Entertainment acquired the Grand Prix Assn. of Long Beach in 2024.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Michaelian was a competitive sports car racer for more than 25 years, competing in endurance events at tracks including Le Mans, Daytona Beach, N\u00fcrburgring, Dubai and Sebring in Florida. He told The Times in 2019 <\/a>that he was still racing sports cars at 76.<\/p>\n \u201cAs long as I can achieve some level of success, I\u2019m going to continue doing it until they tell me I can\u2019t anymore,\u201d he said then.<\/p>\n A native of Monterey Park, Michaelian (pronounced meh-KAY-lee-un) graduated from UCLA with a bachelor’s degree in physics. But he turned his attention to business and went on to earn an MBA there. Driven by a love of motor racing, Michaelian eventually talked his way onto the staff of the Long Beach Grand Prix.<\/p>\n He served as the association’s controller and chief operating officer before being appointed president and chief executive in 2001. During his 51-year tenure, Michaelian transformed Long Beach into an iconic stop in the world of motor racing. <\/a><\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n A variety of races<\/a> are run during the three days on the city\u2019s seaside streets, culminating with a big-league IndyCar Series\u00a0race Sunday. The races feature different types of cars, and one is for trucks, to appeal to a broad audience.<\/p>\n But the Long Beach Grand Prix is more of a festival that\u2019s been built up around the racing. There are concerts, a lifestyle expo, a kids\u2019 zone with go-karts and other activities, along with an array of food and drink spots, all centered on the Long Beach Convention Center and Shoreline Drive.<\/p>\n Michaelian said he kept the pulse of the crowd by constantly walking the track to monitor how the grand prix\u2019s fans were enjoying the activities. He would survey for problems that might need fixing or whether changes needed to be made for the following year.<\/p>\n \u201cMany young people don\u2019t want to sit in the seats now,\u201d he told The Times in 2019<\/a>. \u201cThey\u2019re out taking selfies, they\u2019re chronicling their experience at Long Beach, and the only way to do that is for them to get around.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n “So, if they\u2019re moving around, I\u2019m moving around\u201d by creating more places where they can gather, listen to music and having food options nearby, he said then.<\/p>\n Last year, Michaelian was inducted into the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame<\/a>.<\/p>\n “Jim was a racer\u2019s racer and a dear friend to IMSA and the motorsports community at large,” John Doonan, president of International Motor Sports Assn., said in a statement. “We will sorely miss his presence at Long Beach and racetracks everywhere.”<\/p>\n The Grand Prix Assn. of Long Beach did not release his cause of death.<\/p>\n Michaelian is survived by his wife, Mary, and his sons, Bob and Mike.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Former Times staff writer James F. Peltz contributed to this report.<\/p>\n