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IndyCar Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach preview, predictions

By Brittany Frederick

Verizon IndyCar Series driver Alexander Rossi prepares for qualifying at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Photo Credit: Chris Owens/Courtesy of IndyCar
Verizon IndyCar Series driver Alexander Rossi prepares for qualifying at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Photo Credit: Chris Owens/Courtesy of IndyCar /
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Will Alexander Rossi get his second Verizon IndyCar Series win on Sunday? Here’s what you should watch for in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

The Verizon IndyCar Series returns from an almost month-long break with the 2017 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, the league’s most beloved street race. And under the Southern California sun, there are plenty of drivers looking to be the second winner of the year.

Helio Castroneves won the pole position on Saturday for the third straight time. But surprisingly, he has never won the race. The Team Penske driver finished third last year, and second the year before. He’s certainly due to get over the hump, and it’s possible.

Just ask Scott Dixon, who’ll roll off next to Castroneves—despite everything that the four-time champion has done in his IndyCar career, he didn’t win at Long Beach until 2015. And he could have won in 2016 if not for a pit exit by Simon Pagenaud that was so talked about it prompted IndyCar to change how it records pit lane departures.

But there are some wolves at the door. Alexander Rossi wants to prove he’s not just a one-race wonder, and he’ll start fifth on Sunday while teammate Ryan Hunter-Reay begins the day third. Andretti Autosport could certainly use a victory to prove that it’s just as powerful as the Penske and Ganassi squads, and Long Beach is the perfect place for them to do it.

WEATHER FORECAST:

You’re kidding, right? This is Southern California, notorious for sun and lovely temperatures, and race day will be no exception. Sunday will be partly cloudy with a pleasant high of 71 degrees and absolutely zero chance of rain.

THREE THINGS TO WATCH:

  • Team America: People who say IndyCar needs more American stars ought to look at the starting grid for the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Three Americans are in the first three rows—Ryan Hunter-Reay (3rd), Alexander Rossi (5th) and Graham Rahal (6th). There might be a hometown hero in Victory Lane on Sunday.
  • Andretti Autosport: Three of the four Andretti cars qualified within the Top 10. While the team spent last year struggling to keep up with Penske and Ganassi, they were the only squad to have multiple drivers in the Firestone Fast Six. Could this be the day an Andretti car gets back to Victory Lane? How about Hunter-Reay, for whom Long Beach holds a special place in his heart? Or Marco Andretti, who’s been fighting for that second IndyCar win?
  • Worst to first again?: Can Simon Pagenaud make it two races in a row that a driver has started last and finished first? Pagenaud was assessed a costly qualifying interference penalty on Sunday that dropped him all the way to the back of the grid. Logic says that there’s no way another massive comeback happens at Long Beach, but if anyone can try it’s certainly the defending series champion. (You can read our interview with Pagenaud about the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach here.)

PREDICTION:

Truly anything is possible at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Last year’s race was decided by the pit lane blend line. The year before that, everyone talked about how Dixon had never been able to win at Long Beach—just before he won at Long Beach. This track always seems to make the most unlikely things happen.

If you’re looking for a favorite up front, both Dixon and Hunter-Reay own wins at Long Beach. Dixon has now qualified second in back-to-back races and had the track record until Castroneves swiped it in the last round. He’s also coming off a runner-up finish in last month’s Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

Mid-pack keep your eye on rookie Ed Jones, who announced his presence in the Verizon IndyCar Series with a Top 10 result in his debut. Jones and his teammate Bourdais will start together in the running order, with Bourdais 12th and Jones 13th.

And then don’t forget that Simon Pagenaud is lurking in the rear; he may not win, but he can certainly get up high enough to make life interesting for anyone in front of him. Pagenaud could be a spoiler on Sunday.

We’ll take Dixon to rack up his second Grand Prix of Long Beach win, followed by Castroneves and either Hunter-Reay or Rossi as Andretti puts themselves back on the map.

Next: Josef Newgarden discusses challenges of Team Penske

The 2017 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach takes place Sunday, April 9 at 4 p.m. ET from the streets of Long Beach. The race will be nationally televised on NBCSN. For the latest IndyCar news all weekend, follow the Motor Sports category at FanSided here.