LONG BEACH, Calif — The 2026 INDYCAR schedule has some shiny new street venues.
Racing along the streets of Arlington around the home of the Dallas Cowboys. Racing along the streets of Washington, D.C., around some of the most recognizable national landmarks.
And as those shiny new venues create a spotlight, here comes the Long Beach Grand Prix, which can puff out its chest and its iconic fountain turn and scenic Shoreline Drive. This place can boast something the others don’t — 41 years of INDYCAR history.
This event has regularly been recognized as the second-biggest event on the INDYCAR circuit behind the Indy 500. During the years of the split, this was arguably the biggest race on the CART calendar.
“This place has been it for many years,” Graham Rahal, who will make his 19th start at Long Beach, told me Thursday. “On the [CART] Champ Automobile aspect, this race and Surfer’s Paradise [in Australia] have been form of it, and that’s nonetheless the case right now.
“Aside from Indy, this place at all times carries the load. It’s fairly superior for positive.”
Can Kyle Kirkwood pull off the repeat at Lengthy Seashore?
This 1.968-mile, 11-turn road course will see 90 laps of INDYCAR racing Sunday, with FOX protection starting at 5:30 p.m. ET, following the NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway.
There are 5 drivers among the many 25 within the subject who’ve gained at Lengthy Seashore.
“That is nonetheless one of many main … races of the yr,” two-time race winner and six-time INDYCAR champion Scott Dixon advised me Thursday. “[This race] has 40 years of longevity, usually at all times the identical date, and that’s big.
“Arlington set a brand new normal with consideration to element, the observe situation, the hospitality, all that stuff, was undoubtedly subsequent degree.”
Right here’s what to know in regards to the Lengthy Seashore weekend.
Apart from Dixon, who’re the opposite previous Lengthy Seashore winners within the subject?
Dixon, Alexander Rossi, Will Power and final yr’s winner Kyle Kirkwood — who at the moment leads the collection championship standings — have all gained twice on the observe. Josef Newgarden has gained as soon as.
Rossi, notably, was inducted into the observe’s “Stroll of Fame” on Thursday. Rossi — a California native — had a number of relations there for the induction.
The ECR driver, who gained at Lengthy Seashore in 2018 and 2019, admitted it’s a little bizarre to be enshrined like that whereas he nonetheless hopes to race for a number of extra years and add to his variety of wins.
“It’s totally cool [to be honored],” Rossi advised me after the ceremony. “I believe it’s an excellent reminder to place some issues into perspective.
“However in the end, it is also bizarre if you’re nonetheless doing it. So I hope I’ve to make their life tough, they usually have so as to add some years [to the plaque].”
What it has taken to be good at Lengthy Seashore lately is identical as during the last couple of a long time, Rossi mentioned.
“This race has at all times been pretty easy from a tire life and technique standpoint,” Rossi mentioned. “The observe has stayed very constant from a floor structure. It has been resurfaced in some areas, however in the end, however it’s nonetheless the identical racetrack because it was after I gained right here six years in the past.
“So actually, it is as much as me and the crew to execute to be able to get again to Victory Lane.”
Can Former Pole Sitter Felix Rosenqvist Flip Season Round?
Felix Rosenqvist sat on the pole at Lengthy Seashore in 2024, and he’s hoping this observe being an excellent one for him would be the place the place he can have a rebound race in 2026.
Rosenqvist hasn’t completed higher than twelfth within the opening 4 races. He completed fourth at Lengthy Seashore a yr in the past.
“It has been a bit of little bit of a tough begin for us. So good to come back again right here to a observe, the place, usually, after I come right here, I do know that I may be fast,” Rosenqvist advised me Thursday.
The Meyer Shank Racing No. 60 automotive driver, who can have a Inexperienced Day-themed paint scheme as a part of his group’s SiriusXM partnership, mentioned the crew has improved in some areas.
Felix Rosenqvist’s candy trip for Lengthy Seashore.
“We have really improved every thing we wished to enhance — which is pit stops and technique and simply the small particulars have been actually good,” Rosenqvist mentioned. “We simply have not actually had a lot velocity, which has by no means actually been an issue beforehand.”
What are the qualifying guidelines for the ultimate spherical?
Oh sure, the at all times altering guidelines for the Quick Six, the ultimate spherical of qualifying the place the top-six drivers from the second spherical duke it out for the pole.
After the primary road race of the season, INDYCAR experimented with as a substitute of a timed spherical the place drivers may make as many laps as potential to put up a quick time, it opted for single-car, single-lap runs. That labored effectively besides the driving force slowest among the many six within the earlier spherical went out first within the closing spherical and appeared to have a bonus.
[DRIVER’S EYE: How drivers navigate Long Beach’s unique 11-turn track]
So at Lengthy Seashore, INDYCAR will enable the quickest driver from the second spherical to decide on when he’ll exit within the Quick Six, after which the second-fastest will get to decide on his spot and so forth. That makes the place a driver finishes within the second spherical presumably essential as a result of should you may be the quickest (as a substitute of worrying about simply being within the top-six), you’ve the benefit of alternative within the order for the ultimate spherical.
The rest distinctive in regards to the road course guidelines?
Groups and drivers are getting used to the brand new rule this yr that they need to use at minimal two units as a substitute of 1 set of the alternate delicate tires throughout a road race. What have they discovered?
It isn’t at all times clear-cut technique that may work for all drivers.
“It has been very cut up all through the sector who believes within the alternates,” Christian Lundgaard, driver of the No. 7 automotive for Arrow McLaren mentioned throughout a digital information convention this week. “Clearly, I believe that relies upon rather a lot on automotive setup, how your automotive is treating the tires.
“We see vehicles which might be extra abusive to the tires and extra vehicles which might be nicer to the tires. You see totally different methods within the race.”
Christian Lundgaard is aiming for his first win of 2026 as INDYCAR hits Lengthy Seashore.
The technique at Lengthy Seashore probably shall be to come back in and alter tires twice, utilizing two units of the alternate delicate tires and one set of the onerous main tires throughout the race. But when a driver punishes the tires an excessive amount of, a 3rd cease shall be mandatory to make use of 4 units of tires total throughout the occasion.
“The [alternate] must have a better degrade to it,” Dixon advised me. “They’re each fairly constant.
“That might actually change up how this weekend rolls as a result of it now makes the two-stopper very achievable [because the alternates last longer]. As a result of final yr, that simply wasn’t a risk from the longevity of the of the delicate tire. This one may get tremendous fascinating.”
Who’re the favorites?
Kirkwood — who drives the No. 27 automotive for Andretti World, a crew recognized for its street-course prowess — has gained the final two races so he’s going to be the favourite. After which Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou as a result of, effectively, he’s Alex Palou and he’s gained 10 of the final 21 INDYCAR occasions.
If anybody goes to catch these two, it might be Lundgaard, who completed third at Lengthy Seashore a yr in the past behind Kirkwood and Palou. The Arrow McLaren driver additionally completed second to Palou in the newest INDYCAR race just a few weeks in the past at Barber Motorsports Park.
You’ll be able to see extra of my ideas on predictions by studying this on the FOX Sports activities Super 6 contest for Lengthy Seashore.
OK, sufficient about Lengthy Seashore, what about Indy 500 entries?
That shall be a subject of debate within the storage and it’s changing into fairly clear that there shall be 33 entries. There have been 31 introduced entries and the opposite two most definitely shall be Jacob Abel and Katherine Legge.
Legge’s supervisor Klint Briney confirmed that Legge’s entry is feasible.
“We’re working onerous behind the scenes to get Katherine again within the Indy 500 subject this yr after lacking 2025,” he advised me. “She definitely brings a novel story and perspective to the grid.”
Having 33 vehicles is a blended bag as a result of which means no drama on bump day, however for the drivers who might be on the bubble, that’s one thing that at the very least permits them to breathe.
“God bless, I’ll sleep rather a lot higher,” mentioned Rahal, who was the final driver to make it in on the primary day of qualifying final yr and was the final driver to make the 2024 subject, when he was advised it’s going to probably be 33 entries. “I’ve by no means been a fan of assured entries, … however what I hope folks perceive is it isn’t a sign of the place the game is at.
“It’s not straightforward to get vehicles and it’s not straightforward to get engines.”
