Dixon, O’Neill, Michaelian to be Inducted into Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame

The City of Long Beach, in partnership with the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach, announced today the honorees for the 2025 Motorsports Walk of Fame, Scott Dixon, Jim Michaelian and Beverly O’Neill. The honorees will be inducted during a public ceremony taking place Thursday, April 10, ahead of the 50th Anniversary Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, April 11-13.

“As the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach turns 50, we are not just celebrating the spirit of the racing world—we are honoring the legends who helped shape it,” said Mayor Rex Richardson. “It is a privilege to welcome this year’s esteemed honorees to the Motorsports Walk of Fame and pay tribute to their incredible achievements and the lasting impact they have had on Long Beach and the racing community.”

Dixon, Michaelian, and O’Neill will be inducted into the Walk of Fame during a free, open-to-the-public ceremony at 11 a.m. in front of the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center on South Pine Avenue. During the ceremony, each honoree will unveil a 22-inch bronze medallion featuring renditions of their iconic cars and descriptions of their major achievements, enshrining their contributions to motorsports on the Walk of Fame.

“We are honored to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach by recognizing Scott, Jim and Beverly for their wonderful contributions to the world of motorsports,” said First District Councilwoman Mary Zendejas. “With these beautifully crafted medallions in the heart of our scenic Downtown shoreline, their legacies will live on and inspire the racing community for generations to come.”

“What Scott, Jim, and Beverly have accomplished inspires us all,” said Second District Councilwoman Cindy Allen. “With this prestigious honor, we are proud to celebrate their exceptional achievements and recognize their lasting impact on the motorsports community and beyond.”

Six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES Champion and defending Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach winner Scott Dixon is entering his 25th season racing in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, the past 24 of which have been with Chip Ganassi Racing, the longest tenure for a driver in team history. Dixon has 58 career wins, second in series history behind only A.J. Foyt (67). His six championships are also the second-most, trailing only Foyt (seven).

Nicknamed “The Iceman,” Dixon produced another impressive season in 2024 winning at Long Beach and Detroit and scoring his 142nd career podium finish – an INDYCAR record. He won a race for the 20th consecutive season and the 22nd season overall. That extended his series records in both categories.

The New Zealand native became part of British Commonwealth royalty when he was honored by Queen Elizabeth II on the 66th anniversary of her Coronation as Queen of the United Kingdom. Her Majesty the Queen appointed the Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit to him in recognition of his services to motorsports in 2019.

“It’s an honor to be added to the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame,” said Dixon. “The first time I came here was 1999 in Indy Lights. It’s always a marquee event. There are not many events on any schedule that people can celebrate like this. I think what we really enjoy as drivers and teams is the atmosphere. This place is wild. It’s got a lot of energy. It’s a lot of fun. Hopefully the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda team can get another victory there this season.”

President and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach, LLC (GPALB) since 2001, Jim Michaelian has been involved with the organization since its inception in 1975, serving in a number of functional areas including finance, operations and marketing.

In his current capacity, Michaelian is responsible for the overall management of the annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach as well as its subsidiary, Grand Prix Special Events, which specializes in temporary structure rentals for such events as the Academy Awards, Rose Parade, Electric Daisy Carnival, Emmy Awards and various other events.

A graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles with a B.S. in Physics and an M.B.A., Michaelian also serves on the board of directors of the Grand Prix Foundation, Los Angeles Sports Council and Visit Long Beach. He holds a competition driver’s license and has participated in a number of endurance races, including Daytona, Sebring, Watkins Glen, Spa and Dubai.

“It truly was a surprise and an honor to be included in this year’s Motorsports Walk of Fame,” said Michaelian. “When we started this event back in 2006, it was for the purpose of recognizing those who had achieved success here in Long Beach as well as at other major racing venues around the world. I’m very humbled to now be included with these venerable icons of the racing world.”

Beverly Lewis O’Neill was born and raised in Long Beach, the city she often said she loved. After a 31-year career in education culminating in five years as president/superintendent of Long Beach City College, Beverly was elected Mayor of Long Beach in 1994. She was the first big city mayor to win a third term through a write-in campaign, serving 12 years.

Mayor O’Neill led the remaking of the city’s economy after the U.S. Navy’s departure, including rebuilding of the downtown waterfront, with the Grand Prix of Long Beach at its center. She was directly involved in adjusting the course to accommodate redevelopment while keeping the spotlight on the Grand Prix.

In her 12 years as mayor, Mayor O’Neill never missed opening ceremonies for the Grand Prix event, addressing the crowd in her trademark black and white checkered scarf. She embraced the role of biggest cheerleader, for the city and the race.

After the ceremony, the honorees will sign autographs for those in attendance. For more information, visit lbmotorsportswof.com.

The Motorsports Walk of Fame is a joint project of the City of Long Beach and the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach. It was created in 2006 to honor key contributors to the sport of auto racing, with Dan Gurney and Phil Hill as the inaugural honorees, both of whom greatly contributed to the success of the early days of the Grand Prix of Long Beach. Since then, 37 honorees have been recognized. The Walk of Fame is located in front of the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment building, across from The Pike at Rainbow Harbor entertainment complex on South Pine Avenue. New members are inducted every year as part of the week-long series of events leading up to the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.

The induction ceremony kicks off the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach weekend which brought more than 194,000 people to Downtown Long Beach in 2024. For more information, visit gplb.com, call 888.827.7333, or follow the race on Facebook at GrandPrixLB, X @GPLongBeach (#AGPLB), Instagram @GPLongBeach and YouTube @GPLongBeach.