IndyCar News: Petersen Museum to Host Long Beach GP Exhibit
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, the Petersen Automotive Museum will host a special exhibit showcasing five legendary race cars that have left an indelible mark on the event’s rich history.
The exhibit will be open to the public from March 20 through April 8 in the museum’s lobby, giving visitors an up-close look at machines that once roared through the streets of Long Beach. There is no admission fee to see the historic cars in the museum lobby.
This exclusive display will feature five historic race cars spanning the three iconic racing eras – Formula 5000, Formula 1, and IndyCar – representing the evolution of open-wheel racing at North America’s premier street race. The cars will later take to the track during the Historic Formula Exhibition on race weekend, providing fans with a thrilling glimpse into motorsports history with the three types of cars racing together for the first time.
The five cars on display at the Petersen will include the 1974 Formula 5000 Dan Gurney All-American Racers Eagle 755, winner of the 1975 Long Beach pole position with Vern Schuppan at the wheel, which was also the first car ever to turn a wheel on the streets of Long Beach. The car is currently owned by local businessman Tom Malloy.
Representing Long Beach’s Formula 1 era, 1976-83, will be the 1976 March 761 currently owned by Richard Griot and driven by Italy’s Vittorio Brambilla in 1976 at Long Beach, along with the 1980 McLaren M30, most notably driven by Alain Prost during the 1980 F1 season and currently owned by Sean Allen.
The IndyCar era will be represented by the 1981 All-American Racers Eagle 8100, owned by Dennis Firestone and driven by Firestone himself in-period. In addition, the 1999 Reynard driven that season by Bryan Herta and currently owned by Erich Joiner, will be on display.
“Racing in Long Beach has been an important part of American motorsports for five decades, and this exhibit at the Petersen Automotive Museum offers a rare opportunity to celebrate its legacy,” said Grand Prix Association of Long Beach President and CEO Jim Michaelian. “Fans will not only be able to witness these legendary machines up close but also experience them in action during race weekend.”
The Petersen Automotive Museum, located on Los Angeles’ famed Miracle Mile, is renowned for its world-class automotive exhibits and dedicated to showcasing the history and future of the automobile through immersive displays and educational programs. With a collection spanning over a century of automotive innovation, the museum provides a dynamic environment for car enthusiasts and history buffs alike. To learn more about the Petersen Automotive Museum and its exhibits, visit www.petersen.org.
The 2025 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach will take place April 11-13 and be headlined by the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, as well as the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. In addition, the weekend will include the Super Drift Challenge under the lights on Friday and Saturday nights, plus doubleheader action from Robby Gordon’s SPEED Energy Stadium Super Trucks, GT America Powered by AWS and the Historic Formula Exhibition.
Acura Grand Prix ticket prices range from $54 (“all-in” pricing) for a Friday General Admission ticket to $215 for a three-day ticket that includes Sat./Sun. reserved seating in grandstand upper levels. Pre-paid parking packages are also available, along with handicapped seating, NTT INDYCAR SERIES Paddock passes, Super Photo tickets and a wide variety of hospitality packages.
Fans can select and pay for their 2025 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach seats, parking and paddock passes online at gplb.com. Ticket orders can also be placed by calling the ticket hotline, (888) 827-7333.
Fans can also follow the 2025 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on Facebook at GrandPrixLB, X at GPLongBeach (#AGPLB50), Instagram at GPLongBeach and YouTube at GPLongBeach, as well as via the official Grand Prix app available on Google Play and the Apple App Store.