By snoadmin
Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines – the 34th Annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach is racing into town this weekend.
The TGPLB will begin this Thursday and run through Sunday. The events and track run along Shoreline Drive and the Pike, circling the downtown Long Beach Convention Center and Long Beach Arena.
Acting as grand marshal this year is Bobby Rahal, a former Champ Car racer who drove in the TGPLB 15 times from 1984 to1998, according to a statement from TGPLB.
This year’s event will include a number of activities for race fans, their offspring and anyone looking for entertainment.
Festivities begin Thursday at 11 a.m. with the third annual Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame induction ceremony where Mario Andretti, Parnelli Jones and Gary Gabelich will be honored. The ceremony will take place on South Pine Avenue, in front of the Convention Center.
Later on Thursday, people can see practices for the American Le Mans Series and Formula Drift/Super Lap competitions.
The Aquarium of the Pacific will be granting free admission to its “Shark Lagoon” from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday’s events are free of charge.
Engines will be revving early Friday morning with practices starting as early as 8 a.m. Qualifying sessions will take place in the afternoon, along with a chance to get autographs from Champ Car drivers in the Champ Car Paddock.
Friday night hosts the Tecate Light Fiesta Friday Concert, which will feature Aleks Syntek, a Mexican singer, songwriter and producer.
Saturday continues the fast-paced action with more qualifying races, but if watching cars speed around a track isn’t your style, there will also be the EZ Lube Team Drift Challenge/Super Lap competition Saturday afternoon.
The Tequila Patrón American Le Mans series at Long Beach Race will take place Saturday in the early evening.
The Tecate Light Miss Toyota Grand Prix Pageant will end Saturday’s activities, starting right after the Tecate Light Rock-N-Roar Concert, with punk-rock band Pennywise as the headline performance.
Sunday hosts the Imperial Capital Bank Atlantic Series Race in the morning, the Champ Car World Series Race and the EZ Lube Team Drift Challenge/Super Lap Competition in the afternoon, and the SPEED World Challenge GT in the evening.
Going on all four days is the Lifestyle Expo, which will be open Thursday afternoon and all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Ticket prices vary depending on the day and the access clearances. Check for more information and schedules at www.gplb.com.
