What to know about the Grand Prix of Long Beach – NBC Los Angeles

The roar returns to the Southern California shoreline this weekend when IndyCar, IMSA racers, high-flying trucks, power-sliding drifters and more are back on the streets of Long Beach.

The Grand Prix of Long Beach features on-track events — practice, qualifying and races — Friday through Sunday. The weekend is highlighted by the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the NTT IndyCar Series races with Stadium Super Trucks, GT America, Super Drift and a historic Formula 1 exhibition rounding out the weekend of motorsports.

Here’s what to know about the 50th Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Racing series at the 2025 Grand Prix of Long Beach

There are six different types of race cars (and trucks) featured at the 2025 Grand Prix of Long Beach.

• NTT IndyCar Series: Open-wheel race cars that have been part of grand prix weekend in Long Beach for decades.
• IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship: Prototype and production-based racers that offer some of the most competitive racing on the planet.
• SPEED/UTV Stadium SUPER Trucks: Brutally powerful and heavily modified trucks that will soar down Shoreline Drive.
• GT America Powered by AWS: Production-based cars featuring some of the world’s best-known manufacturers.
• Super Drift Challenge: Just follow the tire smoke to see these cars in controlled slides through the corners.
• Historic Formula Exhibition: A nod to 50 years of racing on the streets of Long Beach, featuring historic Formula 1, Formula 5000 and Indy cars.

Grand Prix of Long Beach qualifying and race schedule

The 100-minute IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race is Saturday and the NTT IndyCar Series race is set for Sunday, but there’s almost always something on the 11-turn street course during the three-day event.

Click here for the full weekend schedule.

Qualifying and race schedules are below.

Friday
4:35 p.m. to 4:50 p.m.: GT America qualifying
5:10 p.m. to 6 p.m.: IMSA qualifying
6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.: Super Drift Challenge No. 1

Saturday
10:45 a.m. to 11:05 a.m.: Historic Formula 1 exhibition No. 1
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: NTT IndyCar Series qualifying and Firestone Fast 6
2 p.m. to 4 p.m.: IMSA SportsCar Grand Prix
4:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Stadium Super Trucks Race No. 1
5:20 p.m. to 6 p.m.: GT America Race No. 1
6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.: Super Drift Challenge No. 2
6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.: Saturday Concert Starring FOREIGNER Presented by Cuervo Tequila

Sunday
10:45 a.m. to 11:05 a.m.: Historic Formula exhibition No. 2
11:20 a.m. to 12 p.m.: GT America Race No. 2
1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach (NTT IndyCar Series)
4:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.: Stadium Super Trucks Race No. 2

Grand Prix of Long Beach tickets

General Admission tickets range from $54 to $143 for all three days. Weekend reserve seating ranges from $155 to $215 for adults. Click here for ticket information.

Acura GPLB

Acura GPLB

About the Grand Prix of Long Beach street course

A lap doesn’t take long on the streets of Long Beach. The challenging street course is only 1.968 miles with 11 turns and a long front straight where drivers reach around 185 mph in a blast of sound and adrenaline. The fastest section is along Shoreline Drive and the start-finish line, where fans in the grandstands can watch cars roar past and see what happens when pit lane gets busy.

From there, drivers brake hard into Turn 1, an overtaking opportunity where a race can be won and lost, before the dolphin fountain section and turns 2 and 3. After navigating turns 4 and 5, the track parallels a portion of Shoreline Drive — an exciting viewing area on the dive down into Turn 6.

Drivers set up through here for the run down Seaside Way and entry into another technical section of track that includes a sweeping left into the hairpin Turn 11. This last section of the track is another great place to watch as drivers set up for another launch down Shoreline Drive.

Getting to the Grand Prix of Long Beach

• Metro: The Metro A (Blue) Line drops riders off just blocks from the grand prix entrance.
• Ride-share: The race circuit drop-off point is on First Street between Elm and Long Beach Boulevard.
• Parking: Reserved parking lots require special parking passes. Spaces are limited.

Click here for what to know about getting to the grand prix.

How to watch the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach

IndyCar Series race
Click here for details on how to watch Sunday’s IndyCar race.

IMSA SportsCar Grand Prix
NBC Sports Coverage: USA Network and Peacock from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. (IMSA.com/TVLive, YouTube.com/@IMSAOfficial outside the U.S.)
Live Qualifying Stream: 5:05 p.m. ET (Peacock, IMSA.com/TVLive, YouTube.com/@IMSAOfficial outside the U.S.)
IMSA Radio Coverage: Audio via XM 206, Web/App 996

GT America races
Click here to watch the GT America races.