Acura GP of Long Beach: What to Expect This Weekend

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES returns to one of its most storied venues this weekend for the Acura GP of Long Beach, the fifth round of the 2026 season. Set against the Pacific Ocean backdrop on a challenging 1.968-mile, 11-turn temporary street circuit in Long Beach, California, the race promises high drama, tight racing, and potentially season-defining moments. The event runs Friday, April 17 through Sunday, April 19 , with the 90-lap, 177.12-mile main event scheduled for Sunday afternoon.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

This historic track—hosting its 51st auto racing event and 42nd INDYCAR SERIES race—has seen legends like Mario Andretti (first INDYCAR winner here in 1984) and Al Unser Jr. (six victories) etch their names into the record books. Now, a new generation of stars will battle on the clockwise layout that rewards precision, tire management, and strategy.

Championship Battle: Hold or Break Serve?

Early in the season, the fight for the Astor Challenge Cup already feels like a Grand Slam tennis final. Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood arrives with a slim two-point lead over reigning champion Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing (156-154 after four races).

2025 Acura GP of Long Beach winner Kyle Kirkwood takes the checkered flag. Finish photo by Doug Gifford, supplied by the Long Beach GP

Kirkwood has been the model of consistency, becoming the only driver to finish in the top five in all four events so far. He’s also a proven street-circuit assassin: five of his six career wins have come on streets, including two of the last three Long Beach races (both from pole). He also triumphed at Nashville (2023), Detroit (2025), and Arlington (2026). Andretti Global has been a street-course powerhouse, making Kirkwood the clear favorite to “hold serve.”

Palou, however, is built for road and street courses. The two-time champion has 16 road-course wins since 2021 and three street victories, including back-to-back St. Petersburg triumphs. He’s been a Long Beach regular in the top five—fourth, third, fifth, third, and second in his last five starts here. If anyone can break Kirkwood’s serve on the 11-turn layout, it’s Palou.

What Else to Watch For

– It’s Not Where You Start… Pole position has historically been no guarantee of success at Long Beach. Only six drivers have ever won from the front spot, and recent pole-sitters have as many 15th-or-worse finishes as podiums. Expect the usual street-circuit chaos—overtakes, incidents, and strategy gambles.
– …It’s Where You Finish. Beyond Kirkwood and Palou, eight other drivers have recorded three top-10 finishes in the first four races: Marcus Armstrong, Scott Dixon, Marcus Ericsson, Christian Lundgaard, David Malukas, Josef Newgarden, Pato O’Ward, and Alex Palou. Consistency will be key on a track where tire allotment is limited (five sets primary, five sets alternate; rookies get one extra primary set) and teams must use one primary and two alternate sets for at least two laps each in the race.
– Push-to-Pass and Hybrid Strategy. Drivers get 200 seconds of total push-to-pass (max 20 seconds per activation), while hybrid energy deployment is unlimited up to 415 kJ per lap—tools that could prove decisive in traffic on the tight street course.

Historical Nuggets and Local Flavor

Multiple former winners are entered, including:
– Kyle Kirkwood (2 wins: 2023, 2025)
– Scott Dixon (2 wins: 2015, 2024)
– Will Power (2 wins: 2008, 2012)
– Alexander Rossi (2 wins: 2018, 2019)
– Josef Newgarden (1 win: 2022)

Six active drivers have Long Beach poles, led by Will Power (3). Twenty-two of the 25 entrants have prior experience here, with Power holding the most starts (19). Twelve drivers have led laps at the track, headlined by Power (187 laps led).

Two California natives add local flavor: Alexander Rossi (Nevada City) and rookie Nolan Siegel (Palo Alto), who made his series debut here in 2024.

How to Watch

FOX Sports has full coverage:
– Practice 1: Friday, 6 p.m. ET (FS1)
– Practice 2: Saturday, 1:30 p.m. ET (FS2)
– Qualifying (NTT P1 Award): Saturday, 6:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
– Warmup: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (FS1)
– Race: Sunday, 5:30 p.m. ET on FOX (live), with Will Buxton, Townsend Bell, and James Hinchcliffe on the call.

INDYCAR Radio Network (Mark Jaynes, Davey Hamilton, and crew) will broadcast live on SiriusXM INDYCAR Nation 218, indycar.com/leaderboard, and the INDYCAR App. Spanish-language coverage airs on FOX Deportes.

At-Track Schedule (Local Times):
– Friday: Practice 1 (3:05–4:25 p.m., split groups)
– Saturday: Practice 2 (10:35–11:55 a.m., split groups), Qualifying (3:30 p.m.)
– Sunday: Warmup (10:10–10:40 a.m.), Driver intros (12:59 p.m.), Race start (2:57 p.m. after 2:50 p.m. engines command)

With the championship already razor-close and a track that rarely follows the script, the 2026 Acura GP of Long Beach could deliver fireworks. Will Kirkwood extend his street dominance, or will Palou and the rest of the field turn the Long Beach streets into a championship flashpoint? The green flag drops Sunday—don’t miss it.