![\"2025](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finish-e1744762032147.jpg\")
2025 Acura GP of Long Beach winner Kyle Kirkwood takes the checkered flag. Finish photo by Doug Gifford, supplied by the Long Beach GP<\/p>\nThe NTT INDYCAR SERIES returns to one of its most storied venues this weekend for the Acura GP of Long Beach, the fifth round of the 2026 season. Set against the Pacific Ocean backdrop on a challenging 1.968-mile, 11-turn temporary street circuit in Long Beach, California, the race promises high drama, tight racing, and potentially season-defining moments. The event runs Friday, April 17 through Sunday, April 19 , with the 90-lap, 177.12-mile main event scheduled for Sunday afternoon.<\/p>\n
\u2013by Mark Cipolloni\u2013<\/p>\n
This historic track\u2014hosting its 51st auto racing event and 42nd INDYCAR SERIES race\u2014has seen legends like Mario Andretti (first INDYCAR winner here in 1984) and Al Unser Jr. (six victories) etch their names into the record books. Now, a new generation of stars will battle on the clockwise layout that rewards precision, tire management, and strategy.<\/p>\n
Championship Battle: Hold or Break Serve?<\/p>\n
Early in the season, the fight for the Astor Challenge Cup already feels like a Grand Slam tennis final. Andretti Global\u2019s Kyle Kirkwood arrives with a slim two-point lead over reigning champion Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing (156-154 after four races).<\/p>\n
2025 Acura GP of Long Beach winner Kyle Kirkwood takes the checkered flag. Finish photo by Doug Gifford, supplied by the Long Beach GP<\/p>\n
Kirkwood has been the model of consistency, becoming the only driver to finish in the top five in all four events so far. He\u2019s also a proven street-circuit assassin: five of his six career wins have come on streets, including two of the last three Long Beach races (both from pole). He also triumphed at Nashville (2023), Detroit (2025), and Arlington (2026). Andretti Global has been a street-course powerhouse, making Kirkwood the clear favorite to \u201chold serve.\u201d<\/p>\n
Palou, however, is built for road and street courses. The two-time champion has 16 road-course wins since 2021 and three street victories, including back-to-back St. Petersburg triumphs. He\u2019s been a Long Beach regular in the top five\u2014fourth, third, fifth, third, and second in his last five starts here. If anyone can break Kirkwood\u2019s serve on the 11-turn layout, it\u2019s Palou.<\/p>\n
What Else to Watch For<\/p>\n
\u2013 It\u2019s Not Where You Start\u2026 Pole position has historically been no guarantee of success at Long Beach. Only six drivers have ever won from the front spot, and recent pole-sitters have as many 15th-or-worse finishes as podiums. Expect the usual street-circuit chaos\u2014overtakes, incidents, and strategy gambles.
\u2013 \u2026It\u2019s Where You Finish. Beyond Kirkwood and Palou, eight other drivers have recorded three top-10 finishes in the first four races: Marcus Armstrong, Scott Dixon, Marcus Ericsson, Christian Lundgaard, David Malukas, Josef Newgarden, Pato O\u2019Ward, and Alex Palou. Consistency will be key on a track where tire allotment is limited (five sets primary, five sets alternate; rookies get one extra primary set) and teams must use one primary and two alternate sets for at least two laps each in the race.
\u2013 Push-to-Pass and Hybrid Strategy. Drivers get 200 seconds of total push-to-pass (max 20 seconds per activation), while hybrid energy deployment is unlimited up to 415 kJ per lap\u2014tools that could prove decisive in traffic on the tight street course.<\/p>\n
Historical Nuggets and Local Flavor<\/p>\n
Multiple former winners are entered, including:
\u2013 Kyle Kirkwood (2 wins: 2023, 2025)
\u2013 Scott Dixon (2 wins: 2015, 2024)
\u2013 Will Power (2 wins: 2008, 2012)
\u2013 Alexander Rossi (2 wins: 2018, 2019)
\u2013 Josef Newgarden (1 win: 2022)<\/p>\n
Six active drivers have Long Beach poles, led by Will Power (3). Twenty-two of the 25 entrants have prior experience here, with Power holding the most starts (19). Twelve drivers have led laps at the track, headlined by Power (187 laps led).<\/p>\n
Two California natives add local flavor: Alexander Rossi (Nevada City) and rookie Nolan Siegel (Palo Alto), who made his series debut here in 2024.<\/p>\n
How to Watch<\/p>\n
FOX Sports has full coverage:
\u2013 Practice 1: Friday, 6 p.m. ET (FS1)
\u2013 Practice 2: Saturday, 1:30 p.m. ET (FS2)
\u2013 Qualifying (NTT P1 Award): Saturday, 6:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
\u2013 Warmup: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (FS1)
\u2013 Race: Sunday, 5:30 p.m. ET on FOX (live), with Will Buxton, Townsend Bell, and James Hinchcliffe on the call.<\/p>\n
INDYCAR Radio Network (Mark Jaynes, Davey Hamilton, and crew) will broadcast live on SiriusXM INDYCAR Nation 218, indycar.com\/leaderboard, and the INDYCAR App. Spanish-language coverage airs on FOX Deportes.<\/p>\n
At-Track Schedule (Local Times):
\u2013 Friday: Practice 1 (3:05\u20134:25 p.m., split groups)
\u2013 Saturday: Practice 2 (10:35\u201311:55 a.m., split groups), Qualifying (3:30 p.m.)
\u2013 Sunday: Warmup (10:10\u201310:40 a.m.), Driver intros (12:59 p.m.), Race start (2:57 p.m. after 2:50 p.m. engines command)<\/p>\n