Featured photo by De’Niro Pankey.

A record number of people flocked to the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach this weekend which saw a 26-year-old Northern California native attain his third Verizon IndyCar Series win during the legendary street race.

Alexander Rossi, 26, drove his NAPA AUTO PARTS Honda to victory by crossing the finish line on the renowned 1.986-mile, 11-turn temporary street course that’s hosted the Indy car races for the last 35 years. He maintained a lead in all but 14 of the 85 laps.

“This one, even though it’s not my true home race, it really feels like one,” stated Rossi, whose Nevada City, California, home is closer to Sonoma Raceway, site of the season finale. “The crowds here and just the whole atmosphere is so welcoming and inviting that it’s no surprise that this race has been on the calendar for so long. It’s a pleasure to be able to come here and race, first of all, and to be able to win here is pretty special.”

Organizers said the three-day attendance was more than 185,000, which tops last year’s 183,400.

It included everything from drifting competitions, monster trucks and classic car races to family-friendly activities and live entertainment.

Photos by Jose Cordon:

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Photos by Dave Newell:

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Photos by De’Niro Pankey

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Stephanie Rivera is the community engagement editor. Reach her at [email protected] or on Twitter at @StephRivera88.