The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach will return April 16 to 18, 2027, according to the event’s official site. IMSA lists its sports car race on the Long Beach street circuit for April 16 and 17 of that weekend.
How 2026 played out
Alex Palou won this year’s IndyCar race on April 19 for Chip Ganassi Racing. It was his first win at Long Beach and his third of the season, and it moved him into the championship lead. Felix Rosenqvist of Meyer Shank Racing started on pole and led 51 laps before finishing second. Scott Dixon was third and Kyle Kirkwood fourth, giving Honda engines the top four places.
Honda’s Acura brand also won the IMSA race that weekend. Nick Yelloly and Renger van der Zande started the Meyer Shank Acura ARX-06 on pole and took the win.
Long Beach’s Formula 1 years
Long before the Las Vegas Strip hosted Formula 1, Long Beach proved that an American city could close its streets for international racing. Founder Chris Pook staged the first race in 1975, a Formula 5000 event won by Brian Redman.
Formula 1 arrived the next year and stayed through 1983. Clay Regazzoni won the first one in 1976, and the list of winners that followed includes Mario Andretti, Gilles Villeneuve, Nelson Piquet, Alan Jones, Niki Lauda and John Watson. Andretti’s 1977 win, beating Jody Scheckter and Lauda, remains one of the event’s defining moments.
The IndyCar era
The race switched to CART in 1984, and Andretti won that one too. Al Unser Jr. went on to win six times. After Champ Car’s final race here in 2008, won by Will Power, the event moved to the IndyCar Series in 2009.
Toyota served as title sponsor for decades, and the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race became a fixture of race weekend until its 40th and final running in 2016, won by actor Alfonso Ribeiro. Acura took over as title sponsor in 2019, and Penske Entertainment bought the event in November 2024. Last year’s race marked the 50th anniversary.
For Formula 1’s modern American street race, see our guide to the Las Vegas Strip Circuit and the story of the Caesars Palace Grand Prix.
Sources
- Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach: Track History (accessed Sept. 28, 2026)
- IMSA: 2027 Long Beach Street Circuit
- Honda News: Honda completes Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach sweep with Alex Palou win (April 20, 2026)
- FOX Sports: Alfonso Ribeiro wins final Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race (April 16, 2016)
