What to know ahead of the 2026 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach:
This weekend from the 17th to the 19th of April, the Long Beach, California downtown transforms into a racetrack, attracting some of the top talent from racing series worldwide. The NTT Indycar Series, IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship, and Porsche Carrera Cup come together with several other partnering series to create three days of on-track action.
Marking over 50 years of racing, the event is historic and attracts thousands of fans every year, both in person and through television viewership. From drift cars to the world’s top raceteams, there is much to take in.
Main Events and where to watch them on TV:
The main event of the weekend is Sunday’s 90-lap Indycar race at 5:30pm EST and 2:30pm local time. The fastest cars of the weekend, this event marks the last race before all Indycar teams start preparing for the Crown Jewel Indy 500 in late May. Look for the race on the Fox Sports channel and supporting streams.
There are several drivers to watch, from defending series champion Alex Palou to last year’s race winner Kyle Kirkwood. Christian Lundgaard is coming off the back of a phenomenal drive in the race at Barber, with many other drivers having a competitive chance at winning.
The other event of note is the International Motorsport Sportscar Association’s (IMSA) Sportscar Championship, with an 100-minute long race taking place at 4:00pm EST and 1:00pm local time. This multi-class series features the Grand Touring Prototypes (GTP) and the Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) class. Look for the race on Peacock, IMSA TV, and other partnering streams.
Multi-class racing:
The GTP cars are just as extraordinary as an Indycar, with all but one team running hybridized systems that rival the lap times of the fastest cars in the world. The GTD cars are similar in that several manufacturers compete, but they must take a production model car and base their car on that. For example, BMW uses their M4 model while Ford their classic Mustang body style.
With the prototypes being much faster than the GTD cars, the two different cars race at the same time, creating naturally exciting traffic filled racing.
Long Beach is a Spectacle.
Also featured on Saturday and Sunday is the North America Porsche Carrera Cup (PCC) with races on both days; The Formula Drift championship, Historic Sports Car Racing, and Stadium Super Trucks that hit pre-built jumps during their race.
Qualifying is very important around Long Beach, with passing coming at premium in the tight walls of the street circuit. Pay attention to pit strategy as teams will use the chance to beat their rivals through timing and effort.
The Long Beach GP is a spectacle that is worth watching both in person and on television.
