The main event is hours away — but there’s plenty to keep racing fans occupied until then.
The third and final day of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach has begun. The titular IndyCar Series race is set to begin at 12:45 p.m. Sunday, April 16, and will last until about 3 p.m.
But before then, visitors to the downtown Long Beach event can also enjoy the second Historic F1 Challenge Race, an exotic car parade and, as had been the case the previous two days, plenty of diverse, creative food options, an eclectic array of retails at the Lifestyle Expo, adult beverages at a couple of party spots and, for those with kids, age-appropriate activities at the Family Fun Zone.
“I thought it was cute that they had remote-controlled cars for the kids, it was fun to see,” Cerritos resident Kassidy Barcellos said on Day 2 about the Family Fun Zone. “We’re definitely getting ready to explore more today and eat some food.”
Racing fans — and even folks who just enjoy a good party — have converged on Long Beach from across the Southland this weekend, from Venice to San Diego to Riverside.
More than 180,000 people were expected to attend the Grand Prix’s three-day run, with organizers saying previously that ticket sales were trending above last year’s record number.
Day 1, on Friday, is typically slower than the rest of the event because it’s a work day and most of the motorsports action is composed of practice and qualifying runs. Day 2 is typically bigger, while the final day is the most crowded, with folks eager to see the headlining race — the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.
That trend held true on Friday and Saturday this year.
But either way, visitors have made the most of the myriad activities available to them at the Grand Prix concourse.
On Sunday, besides the Historic F1 race and the Grand Prix, folks can also enjoy the final Stadium Super Trucks and Porsche Carrera Cup races to close out the action. The Acura NSX Hot Laps is set for the morning.
And the Grand Prix itself will come with plenty of pomp and circumstance ahead of time, including the iconic announcment — “Drivers, Start Your Engines!” That is set for 10 minutes before the green flag.
And it’s the moment Grand Prix fans have been waiting for all weekend — and since last year.
“I’m either going to be rooting for Helio Castroneves or Simon Pagenaud,” Deena Michael, of Riverside, said on Saturday. “It always is a good experience here,”
Source: Orange County Register
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