Pony cars are coming to Grand Prix of Long Beach

Ford Mustang Pony Car

The tradition of competition between vintage Ford Mustangs, Chevrolet Camaros and other pony cars is set to continue during this year’s Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Plans to bring pony cars to the shoreline street race is a new development for the race, set to take place for the 44th time, on the weekend of April 13-15. Billed as the Historic Trans Am Challenge, the race is a successor event to last year’s Can-Am Challenge, another showcase for vintage machines that took the place of the long-held Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race.

“It will be really exciting to see them run here in Long Beach," said Parnelli Jones, winner of the 1963 Indianapolis 500 and a 2008 inductee to the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame.

“Keep them off the wall," Jones continued in a nod to the possibility of crashes (and the historic value of the cars that can be expected to be included in the race).

Jones and Jim Michaelian, chief executive of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach, appeared at the race course construction site Tuesday morning alongside a modern open-wheel IndyCar racer and the 1970 Ford Boss 302 Mustang that Parnelli drove during the 1970 Trans Am season.

Last year’s Can-Am Challenge also featured a vintage lineup. The drivers who rushed their way through the Long Beach course during that race controlled the likes of vehicles from the 1966-74 period of Canadian-American Challenge Cup. The 2016 entry list included a 1967 McLaren M6A, three 1969 Lola T163s and two 1974 Shadow DN4s.

By comparison, Grand Prix organizers are touting the Trans Am race as a matchup between drivers behind the wheels cars like AMC Javelins, Chevrolet Camaros and Ford Mustangs. The Camaro-versus-Mustang rivalry is a long-running dispute, but Michaelian wouldn’t say which vehicle he favors.

“My preference doesn’t matter," he said. “Excitement does."

Spectators who attend future Grand Prix of Long Beach events beyond this year’s may see different selections of classic cars. Race organizers want to add a historical component each year, Michaelian said.

The competition among Verizon IndyCar drivers is once again scheduled to be the main event for the Grand Prix of Long Beach. Additional races and entertainment are scheduled for the three-day tradition.

Other races on schedule:

The Bubba Burger Sports Car Grand Prix at Long Beach, open to Daytona Prototype and GT Le Mans cars.
Motegi Racing Super Drift Challenge
Speed Energy Stadium Super Trucks Race
Pirelli World Challenge Championship, which is open to GT and GT-A class sports cars from such manufacturers as Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini and McLaren

Race organizers have also signed Los Angeles’ Ozomatli to headline the Fiesta Friday concert set for April 13, and the Grand Prix Foundation of Long Beach has scheduled a 5K run on the race course itself to take place on April 8. The annual Roar in the Shore festivities that take place along Second Street in Belmont Shore is set for April 11.

Long Beach Construction Begins

Parnelli Jones with GP boss Jim Michaelian

The “Roar by the Shore" is less than two months away! Construction has begun on the iconic Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach race circuit in preparation for the April 13-15 race weekend.
Over the next 53 days, more than 2,400 concrete blocks that anchor the safety system around the 1.97-mile, 11-turn racing circuit will be placed along with 14 large grandstands that line the race course. The schedule reflects a reduced construction time frame that was agreed to between the City of Long Beach and the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach in their new contract.

“As construction begins, we are excited about this year’s event," said Jim Michaelian, president and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach. “With the addition of the Historic Trans Am on-track as well as our lineup of family activities off-track, our fans will enjoy non-stop action from Friday morning right through to the close on Sunday afternoon."

“The Grand Prix is the largest special event in the City of Long Beach," said Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia. “Not only does it bring thousands of people to our beautiful downtown and waterfront – and millions more watching on national and international television – it brings a significant economic impact to the City and the region. As a City, we look forward to hosting a successful Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach in April."

In total, Grand Prix Association of Long Beach Director of Operations Dwight Tanaka and his staff will put in more than 33,000 working hours installing the safety system – more than 14 million pounds of concrete blocks, four miles of fencing and 17,000 bolted-together tires – along with grandstands, six pedestrian bridges and eight giant vision boards for full-circuit TV coverage. More than 180,000 fans are expected during race weekend.

Tanaka’s staff will also install 44 high-end hospitality suites, three hospitality clubs, tents, electrical lines and equipment, phones, porta-johns, trash containers and a myriad of other items around the track from now through race weekend.

The eastern portion of the racetrack (Turns 9, 10 and 11) will also be used for the traditional first race of the 2018 season for Formula Drift on April 6-7.
All businesses along the race circuit, which includes Shoreline Drive, Aquarium Way and Pine Ave., will remain open during construction of the racetrack.

The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach will be headlined by the third round of the 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series, as well as the BUBBA burger Sports Car Grand Prix, featuring the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. In addition, the weekend will include the Motegi Racing Super Drift Challenge under the lights on Friday and Saturday nights; SPEED Energy Stadium Super Trucks, the powerful sports cars of the Pirelli World Challenge and the new-for-2018 Historic Trans Am Challenge. There will also be concerts, free to race ticket holders, on Friday night, featuring Ozomatli, and Saturday night.

Fans can select and pay for their Grand Prix seats, parking and paddock passes online at gplb.com. Ticket orders can also be placed by calling the toll-free ticket hotline, (888) 827-7333. Also featured on gplb.com is the latest Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach news and racetrack information, photos and ongoing announcements of special race week activities.

Ticket prices range from $33 for a Friday General Admission ticket to $147 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, Verizon IndyCar Series Paddock passes, Super Photo tickets and a wide variety of hospitality packages.

Fans can also follow the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on Facebook, Twitter @ToyotaGPLB (#TGPLB), Instagram @ToyotaGPLB and Snapchat at ToyotaGPLB.