One day before they will take to the course for practice, some of the biggest names in motorsports said they were looking forward to participating in the glamour and the history of the Grand Prix of Long Beach.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll the different street courses have different characters, but Long Beach definitely is one of the jewels in the crown of the IndyCar series,\u201d said Dario Franchitti, defending champion of the Grand Prix of Long Beach and the 2007 winner of the Indianapolis 500. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been around longer than probably most \u2013 if not all \u2013 the street courses we run on, and we love coming here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Along with Franchitti, drivers such as Danica Patrick and Helio Castroneves will begin practice on Friday. Others like 2009 runner-up Will Power and Grand Prix of Long Beach veteran Graham Rahal attended a media luncheon on the roof of the Hyatt on Thursday to overlook the track and prepare for their busy weekend.<\/p>\n
The unifying theme among them all was an appreciation for what makes the Grand Prix of Long Beach so special.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love the circuit, I love the place. I always enjoy racing around here,\u201d said Power, who will race for Team Penske along with Castroneves and Scott Dixon.<\/p>\n
The Australian set the fastest qualifying lap in 2009 but then was forced to start the race from the back of the grid. Amazingly, he challenged Franchitti for the checkered flag anyway, finishing in second. Power won the race when it was a Champ Car event in 2008 and has become quite fond of the Long Beach street course.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fact that it’s actually on the ocean, that\u2019s pretty cool,\u201d he said, looking over the railing of the 17-story hotel. \u201cBut I think it\u2019s the people that actually come to the race, and the celebrities, and it\u2019s just a pretty cool event.\u201d<\/p>\n
The oceanic backdrop, high-rise buildings and downtown scenery like the whale mural on the Long Beach Arena are big reasons that drivers enjoy the race. The party atmosphere in downtown Long Beach provides a stark contrast to more traditional IndyCar locations like central Indiana and rural New York.<\/p>\n
But ask them what exactly makes Long Beach stand out and they will almost always answer the fans. Southern California is a hotbed for knowledgeable racing fans, and at the Grand Prix of Long Beach those fans have unprecedented access to the cars and drivers that they admire. Nowhere else during the IndyCar schedule can fans walk right up to a team trailer or casually pass by a driver.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis place is always fun to come to as far as the fanbase that comes out to support the place,\u201d said Marco Andretti, who will race in the main event on Sunday and watched his father Michael be inducted into the Motorsports Walk of Fame on Thursday.<\/p>\n
\u201c[The fans] are really educated and they really know about the sport and the past. There\u2019s a lot of history and [Michael\u2019s induction] means a lot to us.\u201d<\/p>\n
With it\u2019s fan-friendliness, party atmosphere due to the nearby nightclub blowouts and the waterfront scenery, the Grand Prix of Long Beach has earned the moniker \u201cMonaco of the U.S.,\u201d in reference to the famous Formula One race in Monte Carlo that is widely regarded as the most glamorous sporting event in the world. When it comes to American races, many drivers rank the Grand Prix of Long Beach behind only the Indianapolis 500.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love this place, it\u2019s been a lot of fun,\u201d says Rahal, the son of 1986 Indy 500 winner and past Long Beach Walk of Fame inductee Bobby Rahal. <\/p>\n
\u201cI was actually just looking over the railing here at what a great setting this is. I think everybody is extremely eager to do our best here so we can try to pull a good result out of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Some drivers enjoy the entire Long Beach experience so much that they\u2019ve become quite familiar with not just the track, but the city itself. Rahal can easily hold a discussion on the best downtown restaurants, and his favorite dishes at each.<\/p>\n
Others, though, haven\u2019t had the free time that they would like to spend in the city.<\/p>\n
Though Will Power will race his fifth Grand Prix of Long Beach this weekend, he hasn\u2019t had the chance to visit one place in particular.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to go to that aquarium,\u201d Power said, gazing off the Hyatt rooftop and pointing directly at the Long Beach Arena.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs it good?\u201d he asked, looking bewildered when he was told that the aquarium is in the complete opposite direction. Power burst into laughter and chided a Penske Racing colleague for giving him false information. <\/p>\n
Though some drivers know the city inside and out while others learn something new everyday, one thing is for sure:<\/p>\n
They\u2019re all making the most of the experience at Monaco of the U.S.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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