The main event didn’t disappoint.
The finale of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach built upon the moment of its first two days, with thousands milling about the downtown concourse, cooling off inside the air-conditioned lifestyle expo on a sunny Southern California day and packing the grandstands.
The Sunday crowds added to what was a record 194,000 visitors total over the three-day event, according to the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach.
“The weekend turned out to be a very successful one,” said association President and CEO Jim Michaelian, “with great weather, competitive races and a variety of off-track activity, which is what resulted in our record attendance.”
Those in the grandstands or standing behind chainlink fencing around the iconic street course got a thrilling Grand Prix of Long Beach on Sunday, the climax of the city’s “200-mph beach party.”
Related: For more Grand Prix of Long Beach coverage, click here.
New Zealander Scott Dixon, won of the most-accomplished IndyCar Series competitors, won the 49th iteration of the Grand Prix of Long Beach in thrilling fashion, having to conserve fuel for about the final 30 laps while those behind him made strong pushes to overtake him.
This was Dixon’s second time claiming the checkered flag in Long Beach, with his first win here coming in 2015. Santa Clarita native Colton Herta came in second and he’s now finished in the top five each time he’s driven in his local race. Alex Palou, from Spain, came in third.
“It was fun,” Dixon, with Chip Ganassi racing, said during a post-race press conference. “I think it was definitely sketchy in the fact that the pressure was coming hot and strong. We thought they were going to tie us off pretty quickly.
“The stress level was pretty high.”
During the final three laps, fans were glued to the action on the track, watching on big screens when the cars were out of sight or peering down at Long Beach’s streets as they zipped by. There was certainly…
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