Photos by Dave Newell.
Hundreds gathered at The Pike Outlets last night for Thunder Thursday, the official kickoff to the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach race weekend.
Freestyle motocross demonstrations and the Verizon IndyCar Series pitstop competition closed off Shoreline Drive while live music, food vendors, a classic car show and more took over The Paseo.
Freestyle motocross on Shoreline Drive for #ThunderThursday @LongBeachPost @ToyotaGPLB pic.twitter.com/YiNdg9ZWax
— Michaela Kwoka (@newsmichaelakc) April 7, 2017
During the Verizon IndyCar Series pitstop competition, Spencer Pigot in the #20 Ed Carpenter Racing Car had a visit from one of his sponsors, Instagram celebrity Loki the Wolfdog. A husky/arctic wolf/malamute mix, Loki’s outdoor adventures have accumulated 1.4 million followers on Instagram.
Our good luck charm is here! #TGPLB @Lokithewolfdog pic.twitter.com/wiQTdlRmsM
— Ed Carpenter Racing (@ECRIndy) April 7, 2017
The recently crowned winners of the 2017 Miss Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach were also mingling among the crowd, taking photos with fans and promoting the race weekend.
The winners of the 2017 Miss Toyota Grand Prix posing with a fan at #ThunderThursday @LongBeachPost pic.twitter.com/xSeZUkMxq6
— Michaela Kwoka (@newsmichaelakc) April 7, 2017
Earlier in the day, racing legends Emerson Fittipaldi and Tommy Kendall were inducting into the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame in front of the Long Beach Convention Center.
The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach continues through Sunday, for more information including race times and ticket prices, click here.
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