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By Justin Tatsuki Lee
Sunday 19 April 2026
Long Beach Grand Prix
LONG BEACH, CA- Sunday arrived with the energy that only a race day in Long Beach can bring. Clear skies, temperatures sitting around 70 degrees, and a track surface hovering near 110 — the kind of conditions that put tires and strategy front and center. The US Army Golden Knights parachuted onto the circuit during pre-race festivities, setting the stage for what would become one of the more memorable afternoons in the 51st edition of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.
Before the main event, the supporting card had plenty to offer.
Chris Hines completed the sweep in the Historic Sports Car Challenge, winning Race 2 to claim both victories on the weekend. In his post-race interview, Hines spoke warmly about the camaraderie that defines the series — local garages and businesses coming together to support one another and keep these historic machines alive and on track. He closed by expressing his hope that Roger Penske invites the group back to Long Beach next year.
The Porsche Carrera Cup ran cleanly from start to finish — no yellow flags, just one mechanical retirement from Alex Pratt — and Tom Sargent made it a perfect weekend, sweeping both races for GMG Racing and earning his third career Carrera Cup win overall. Sargent said he wants to carry the momentum forward, pointing to the confidence he has built over his recent run of strong performances.
The Stadium Super Trucks signed off the weekend with exactly the kind of chaos the series is known for. Matt Brabham led for the bulk of the nine laps, but the final two laps produced a three-wide battle through Turns 10 and 11 between Shaun Richardson, Max Gordon, and Robby Gordon — the kind of side-by-side, door-to-door racing that makes the trucks a fan favorite every year. Brabham held on for the race win with Robby Gordon in P2, but it was Max Gordon who claimed the overall Stadium Super Trucks title for the weekend, combining his first place finish from Saturday’s opener with a third place result Sunday.
Then came the race everyone had been waiting for.
The IndyCar Grand Prix opened with Felix Rosenqvist holding his pole position through the first stretch of laps, defending the front cleanly while the field sorted itself out behind him. Alex Palou made an early and unsolicited move on Pato O’Ward for P2 — no instruction from his team over comms, just pure instinct from the championship contender. Josef Newgarden made the first pit call of note, ducking in after lap eleven to switch onto softs and immediately posting the fastest times on circuit, biding his time and waiting for the race to come to him.
Through laps 25 to 30, Palou cut the gap to Rosenqvist to just under a second before both drivers pitted together on lap 31, cycling Will Power and Newgarden temporarily to the front. The race reshuffled, Newgarden eventually taking the lead ahead of Rosenqvist with Palou applying pressure from behind. Then on lap 38, Newgarden dove back to the pits — committing to a three-stop strategy while the bulk of the field aimed for two. A locked front left and a potential tire puncture had complicated his race before that decision was even fully made.
Marcus Ericsson was not as fortunate, limping to the pits with electrical issues that knocked his hybrid offline — his afternoon was over. Christian Lundgaard, who had shown promise through the middle stages, lost tire pressure just past the halfway point and was forced to pit, effectively taking himself out of podium contention.
The race’s defining moment came around lap 58. A piece of carbon fiber debris brought out the first caution flag at Long Beach since 2024, and the pit lane became a chess match in real time. Rosenqvist came in and switched to hard tires. Palou followed — and his crew delivered. A 7.3-second stop versus Rosenqvist’s 8.4 seconds. One second. That was the margin that decided the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. Palou emerged from the pit lane just ahead of Rosenqvist as the green flag waved on lap 60, and he never looked back. Will Power, meanwhile, was handed a drive-through penalty for making contact with a crew member during the caution pit cycle — another costly moment in what had been a difficult afternoon for the Team Penske veteran.
His first ever victory at this circuit. His 22nd career win. And a result that moves him past Kyle Kirkwood in the championship standings. In victory lane, Palou was effusive in his praise for his crew, crediting their composure under pressure during the caution cycle as the moment that made the difference, “They got the job done”. The saving grace his team credited was the caution on the track which gave them a chance to re-evaluate after the pit to continue to push ahead with the advantage flipped around.
Felix Rosenqvist crossed in P2 for the best finish of his season, remarking in the press conference that he had fallen short of what he called a grand slam — acknowledging the big picture success of the weekend while carrying the quiet sting of coming so close. Scott Dixon rounded out the podium in P3, noting that understeer had been a persistent balance issue throughout the race, but credited a clean, damage-free weekend overall — one where he simply could not find the extra pace needed on the long runs.
Long Beach has delivered once again. A weekend of sweeps, anniversaries, bucket list moments, and a champion who earned every inch of his victory lane celebration.
The IndyCar Series continues May 9th at Indianapolis for the Sonsio Grand Prix, with coverage beginning at 1:30pm PST on FOX.
