The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is celebrating its 50th year

For five decades, drivers have sped their race cars through the streets of Long Beach, filling Downtown with the scent of fuel and burning rubber.

Since the first race in 1975, the event has faced myriad challenges — from financial to political — but pushed on, according to Grand Prix Association of Long Beach President and CEO Jim Michaelian. Now, that hard work and perseverance is about to culminate in the 50th anniversary of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, slated to run April 11-13.

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“It certainly is a sense of accomplishment when you look back on some of the challenges … over the years,” Michaelian said Tuesday, giving credit to his staff and volunteers, past and present, for the event’s continued success.

Michaelian has been a key player with the event since its inception with the inaugural Formula 5000 race in 1975, when he served as financial officer. Five decades ago, he said it was impossible to predict the event’s lasting legacy on the streets of Long Beach.

“We were so enveloped in just making it happen those first couple of races,” Michaelian said. “We were working so hard, investing our money and doing the things that were necessary to conduct the event — I don’t think anybody imagined that it would turn out to be quite the production that it is today.”

Michaelian noted that the Long Beach event was the first street race in a modern American city, which presented challenges not faced by others — namely the logistical hurdles of closing down populated areas with appropriate permitting year after year. But the race persisted through track updates and even series changes, having run Formula One races from 1976 through 1983 before switching to CART/Champ Car, which became IndyCar in 2009.

One of the largest events in Southern California, race weekend drew a crowd of 194,000 spectators last year, Michaelian said. This year, he hopes to increase that figure for the golden anniversary.

By and large, the event will run similar to previous years, featuring round three of the 2025 NTT IndyCar Series on Sunday and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship on Saturday as well as Formula Drift, GT America races and, of course, the popular Stadium Super Trucks courtesy of Robby Gordon.

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In previous years, the event has featured historic car races, featuring speedsters from decades past. But this year, Michaelian’s team put together a special bit of race history in honor of the 50th anniversary: cars from all three eras of the Long Beach Grand Prix — Formula 5000, Formula One and IndyCar.

“They’re all going to be out on the track at the same time,” Michaelian said. “So the sight and sounds of those cars reverberating through the canyons of the streets should be something amazing, something that people will probably never hear again on a racetrack.”

In addition to the high-octane action, rock band Foreigner — now in its 49th year — is slated to play at the Saturday night concert at the Terrace Theater plaza. The Lifestyle Expo also will feature an exhibit showcasing the history of the Long Beach race, with glimpses from each of the previous 49 races, Michaelian said.

Prior to the IndyCar race Sunday, Michaelian said there will be a “Parade of the Legends of Long Beach” in which six or seven people who “have been real heroes of this race” will drive the circuit in classic cars. The group will include mostly race car drivers but also two others who have made significant contributions to the event over the years, he said.

“From a personal standpoint, there’s a certain level of satisfaction that comes from being able to go through the myriad of challenges — and successes — that transpired over the years,” Michaelian said. “But probably the most important thing is being able to look back and reflect on the staff that has carried us through tough times, good times, and how much we've enjoyed working together.”

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