Racing legends Mario Andretti and Al Unser Jr. will serve as co-Grand Marshals for the 50th anniversary of the Long Beach Grand Prix in April.
Fittingly, both drivers are members of the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame on South Pine Avenue, with Andretti inducted in 2008 and Unser in 2009.
Andretti participated in the first-ever Long Beach race in 1975.
“The Formula 5000 race was hugely successful, paving the way for Formula One officials to place Long Beach on the 1976 schedule just six months after the inaugural race,” Andretti said in a statement.
His son, Michael, got his first career IndyCar win in Long Beach in 1986. Michael also got his 42nd and final career IndyCar win at the Long Beach track in 2002.
“This track obviously is a family favorite,” Mario Andretti said.
Michael was inducted into the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame in 2010.
The elder Andretti also boasts victories in the Indianapolis 500, Daytona 500, 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 1978 Formula 1 World Championship.
Al Unser Jr., of the Unser racing family out of New Mexico, is the winningest driver in Long Beach Grand Prix history.
He won six times in eight years from 1988 to 1995, earning him the nickname King of the Beach. Unser or one of the Andrettis won the race every year from 1984 through 1991.
“I’m extremely honored to be Co-Grand Marshal at Long Beach with Mario Andretti,” Unser said in a statement. “It’s always been one of my most favorite races, and certainly it’s the most popular race on the circuit next to the Indianapolis 500.”
Over 190,000 people are expected to attend this year’s race in Downtown Long Beach over the three-day weekend from April 11-13.
The race’s 50th iteration will culminate with an 11-turn, 85-lap NTT IndyCar Series race on the 1.968-mile race course surrounding the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday.
“It’s an incredible honor to have Al and Mario as part of this historic celebration,” said Jim Michaelian, President and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach. “Their accomplishments on and off the track are legendary, and their presence will make the 50th-anniversary event truly unforgettable for fans and participants alike.”
Penske Entertainment purchased the race series this year from longtime owner and auto racing mogul Gerald R. Forsythe. The event will be aired and marketed on a new platform this year: Fox 11 Los Angeles. Last year, it aired on USA Network and it was on NBC the year prior.
Tickets for this year’s event are on sale now, with general admission starting at $97.
For more information head to gplb.com.