Covering the Grand Prix of Long Beach was fascinating, a real gas – Orange County Register

This weekend, I will bring back my 15th Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, which will take place for an incredible 50th time. I was a writer of the NBA, a writer Beat MLB, a Beat NHL writer as well as a 25 -year -old boxing columnist.

However, this is my favorite event of all time. I found it fascinating. A real gas.

Like competitors. I have spoken to many over the years and a driver, they all said that this event was the jewel of crown n ° 2 of the NTT Indycar series behind Indianapolis 500.

Scott Dixon won twice in the streets of Long Beach – last year and in 2015. It may give the best synopsis as to what makes it so special.

“I think you are looking at the story of the race first, whether it is the Grand Prix or the One or Indycar formula in sports car races, you know, the people who won there,” said Dixon, who in 2024 was inducted from the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. “Then you look at this year, they celebrate the 50th birthday.

“Very few events have these criteria.”

It’s more than that.

“And then it’s just the festive atmosphere and, as, everyone, there is a pleasure, whether they are in the race or not,” said Dixon, of New Zealand. “Then, just the size of it, nearly 200,000 people. Like, it’s just a cool event that will resist the time test.

“I hope that in 50 years, they will celebrate the 100th. But, yes, I think that is what they did this event. It’s almost indestructible, you know?”

Indeed, from Mario Andretti to Al Unser Jr. to Helio Castroneves via Paul Tracy to Sébastien Bourdais in Dario Franchitti to walk around Dixon – and many other – the biggest names in the sport have won in the streets of Long Beach.

Covid-19 threw a key into the 2020 race, which was canceled because of the pandemic. This also affected the 2021 race, which was executed as the final of the season instead of the start of the season.

This led to Spain Alex Palou to win the title of the series in Long Beach with a fourth place to become the first Spanish to win an Indycar title. It was cool to see this story.

In one way or another, there always seems to be a bewitching element in the race.

I met a story on the Indycar website this week on long beach memories of drivers and team owners such as Chip Ganassi. His pilot, Alex Zanardi, won the 1998 race for his second consecutive victory at Long Beach.

“My favorite emblematic moment of the race is 1998,” said Ganassi in the story of Eric Smith. “(Alex) Zanardi was running last. It was so far that our sponsors were starting to leave already because they did not think we had a chance, but he returned and won the race. … It was a magical moment, a magical moment of his career in the history of our team – a magical moment that I will never forget. “

Jim Michaelian, long -standing CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach.

“I do not remember if he had died last or other, but he came entirely through the field and it was his victory,” said Michaelian. “To direct you throughout the field and emerge as a winner is a very rare feat. The only other moment of similar nature was when John Watson, in the last Formula 1 race here in 1983, was literally on the back, last row of the race, and came and won the race. These are two very remarkable achievements.”

Alexander Rossi, Auburn, California, won this race in 2018 and 2019.

“Long Beach is one of the events that I look forward to the most with each year,” said Rossi. “It is a great track to drive with an incredible atmosphere and some of the most competent fans of the calendar.”

It is difficult to determine my own favorite element in the event. The pilots were all super cool to manage and when you treated with some of the difficult nuts in the big team sports that I covered, it is refreshing.

I love the fact that Mike Conway won the 2011 race only 11 months after undergoing serious injuries in a frightening wreck in Indy 500, he was lucky to survive. When I told him about this imminent death experience, the details gave me goosebumps.

The week of this event is like being in Manhattan in New York. It is this electric.

One last thing: you think that with 200,000 fans who cross the turnstiles during the three days of racing, there would be one or two worries between fans. I have never seen that. People are too busy having a good time.

Now it’s magic.