One thing we’ve learned over the past 15 months: things can change. Jim Michaelian, President/CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach, knows this as much as anyone. Jim plans, God laughs.
Michaelian, long before COVID drifted into our lives, planned to hold the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach in April 2020, and that year’s race was one of the first major events in Long Beach to be canceled.
He planned to bring the race back this year in April, and again, he had planned too soon and the race was postponed and nudged up to what was predicted to be a safer time to hold the race on the streets of Long Beach on the weekend of Sept. 24-26. That race, says Michaelian, is planned to go as scheduled, with “full fan participation,” which, in the past at least, has meant upward of 180,000 race fans over the three days.
“September is how we started,” said Michaelian. “Our first race was a Formula 5000 race on Sept. 28, 1975. Then we had our first Formula 1 in March before we moved to April.”
COVID may or may not be much of a factor in this year’s race, he said. “We obviously will adhere to whatever protocols might be in place, but if you see how professional baseball is doing, and concerts and festivals, I feel encouraged that we’ll be able to be unmasked and without any social-distancing rules and that people will be able to engage like they have in the past races.”
Adding to the excitement this year, said Michaelian, is the fact that the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach will be the the season finale for the 2021 NTT Indycar Series Season, which wraps up on a three-event coastal series beginning Sept. 12 in Portland, then Sept. 19 at Laguna Seca and winding up in Long Beach. He said it’s probable that the Long Beach race will determine who the champion driver will be.
Things will start to get underway when construction of the track commences on Aug. 2.
Tickets for this year’s race go on sale Monday morning on the Grand Prix’s website. There’s a variety of days and packages available at prices ranging from a $34 Friday-only general admission ticket to a three-day $995-per-person Pit Lane Club pass that includes a close-up view of the pit lane as well as complimentary meals and a full bar.
