{"id":277654,"date":"2026-04-21T00:10:34","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T00:10:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/277654\/"},"modified":"2026-04-21T00:10:34","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T00:10:34","slug":"the-well-oiled-chaos-that-is-the-long-beach-grand-prix","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/277654\/","title":{"rendered":"The well-oiled chaos that is the Long Beach Grand Prix"},"content":{"rendered":"

Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach<\/a><\/p>\n

Scenes of speeding cars, flying trucks and more from the third and final day of race weekend.<\/p>\n


\n \"Brandon
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

\"Photos:
\n McLaren Racing mechanics work on the team’s three cars ahead of the 51st Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Photo by Brandon Richardson.<\/p>\n

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If you\u2019ve ever been to the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, you know it’s pure chaos. Hundreds of thousands of people flock to Downtown, the smell of burning rubber and high-octane gasoline fills the air and the beer flows like wine.<\/p>\n

Wrecks, wins and losses, family fun and memories to last a lifetime \u2014 it’s chaos but it’s well orchestrated chaos that runs smoother than the IndyCars themselves.<\/p>\n

This year was no different in terms of production, but it was bittersweet following the death of longtime Grand Prix Association of <\/a>Long Beach<\/a> CEO Jim Michaelian<\/a> after a heart attack one month ago.<\/p>\n

But, as GPALB spokesperson Chris Esslinger said before race weekend, Michaelian would have wanted the show to go on as normal. And it did.<\/p>\n

\"\u00c1lex Palou is showered in confetti after winning the 51st annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Palou drives for Chip Ganassi Racing. Photo by Brandon Richardson.<\/p>\n

\u00c1lex Palou won for the first time in Long Beach. Felix Rosenqvist and Scott Dixon finished second and third, respectively.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcf8<\/p>\n

Brandon Richardson is an editor, photographer and reporter for the Watchdog. If this work is important to you, please thank him.<\/p>\n

Soaring through the air, Stadium Super Trucks wowed the estimated record-breaking crowd of more than 200,000 people \u2014 and they didn\u2019t even need a spectacular crash<\/a> to do it (though it couldn\u2019t have hurt).<\/p>\n

The Watchdog was only able to make it out Sunday for the main event and, while other newsrooms and agencies had full teams of photographers out there covering the event, we only had one. So we did miss a couple things (Porsche Carrera Cup and the exotic car parade, specifically), but we did still manage snap nearly 2,400 photos.<\/p>\n

Here are the ones we liked best:<\/p>\n

\"ARobby Gordon drives the track on two wheels after placing second in the final Stadium Super Trucks race of the weekend at the 51st annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Photo by Brandon Richardson.\"ASantino Ferrucci drives past the historic Villa Riviera during practice ahead of the 51st annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Photo by Brandon Richardson.\"AnDenver Guzman, 4, watches IndyCars warm up in Downtown ahead of the big race at the 51st annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Photo by Brandon Richardson.\"TwoA safety crew pushes a car out of harms way after it broke down during the Historic Motor Sports Association race on the final day of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Photo by Brandon Richardson.\"ThreeFrom left: \u00c1lex Palou, Felix Rosenqvist and Scott Dixon drink champagne after placing first, second and third, respectively, in the 51st annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Photo by Brandon Richardson.\"AA fan sits in the back of a two-seater IndyCar as it speeds through the streets of Downtown ahead of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Photo by Brandon Richardson.\"AThe U.S. Army Golden Knights does a spiral as they parachute toward the track at the 51st annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Photo by Brandon Richardson.\"AWarren Morelli has his picture taken in front of a massive Hot Wheels display inside the Lifestyle Expo at the 51st annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Photo by Brandon Richardson.\"ThreeStadium Super Trucks fly through the air during their final race of the weekend at the 51st annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Photo by Brandon Richardson.\"AA historic race car speeds around Downtown on the final day of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Photo by Brandon Richardson.\"AA fan waves to drivers at the start of NTT IndyCar Series race at the 51st annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Photo by Brandon Richardson.\"AShylah Bowman, 7, races around a kids track inside the Family Fun Zone area of the Lifestyle Expo at the 51st annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Photo by Brandon Richardson.\"ABill Hynes holds his steering wheel out the window as he does donuts after finishing seventh in the final Stadium Super Trucks race of the weekend during at the 51st annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Photo by Brandon Richardson.\"AA worker struggles to unplug a piece of equipment during the 51st annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Photo by Brandon Richardson.\"ThreeIndyCar drivers speed past palm tree shadows during the 51st annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Photo by Brandon Richardson.\"AA historic race car speeds around Downtown on the final day of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Photo by Brandon Richardson.\"AKrag Oglesby, a mechanic for McLaren Racing, examines the engine of Pato O’Ward’s car ahead of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Photo by Brandon Richardson.\"AA young race fan sits on the shoulders of their dad as they walk through the crowd at the 51st annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Photo by Brandon Richardson.\"AA camerama gets footage of IndyCars driving near the Aquarium of the Pacific during the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Photo by Brandon Richardson.\"TwoThe U.S. Army parachute team, known as the Golden Knights, wowed race-goers ahead of NTT IndyCar Series race at the 51st annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Photo by Brandon Richardson.\"ColorfulStadium Super Truck drivers jockey for position in their final race of the weekend at the 51st annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Photo by Brandon Richardson.\"TheFrom left: \u00c1lex Palou takes a selfie with Scott Dixon, left, and Felix Rosenqvist, center, after winning the 51st annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Rosenqvist and Dixon finished second and third, respectively. Photo by Brandon Richardson.\"FansRace fans gather at a small cut-out during the NTT IndyCar Series race at the 51st annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Photo by Brandon Richardson.\"ATim Harper wipes down tire rims for the Chip Ganassi Racing team ahead of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Photo by Brandon Richardson.\"PeopleRace fans line the top level of the Pike Outlets parking structure to watch IndyCars race around Downtown during the 51st annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Photo by Brandon Richardson.\"AFelix Rosenqvist takes the hairpin turn during practice ahead of the 51st annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Rosenqvist went on to finish second in the race. Photo by Brandon Richardson.\"PeopleA couple watches IndyCars race around a corner from atop the Pike Outlets parking structure during the 51st annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Photo by Brandon Richardson.\"RaceIndyCar drivers speed along the streets of Downtown during the 51st annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Photo by Brandon Richardson.\"ARobby Gordon drives the track on two wheels after placing second in the final Stadium Super Trucks race of the weekend at the 51st annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Photo by Brandon Richardson.\"ThreeFrom left: Felix Rosenqvist, \u00c1lex Palou and Scott Dixon spray each other with champagne after placing second, first and third, respectively, in the 51st annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday April 19, 2026. Photo by Brandon Richardson.<\/p>\n

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