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Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach 2019: Preview IndyCar at Long Beach

By Brittany Frederick

AUSTIN, TX - MARCH 23: Alexander Rossi (27) of Andretti Autosport driving a Honda drives hard out of a turn during the IndyCar qualifying at Circuit of the Americas on March 23, 2019 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
AUSTIN, TX - MARCH 23: Alexander Rossi (27) of Andretti Autosport driving a Honda drives hard out of a turn during the IndyCar qualifying at Circuit of the Americas on March 23, 2019 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is the fourth race in the 2019 IndyCar season. Here’s what to watch for when IndyCar is on the streets of Long Beach.

This weekend the NTT IndyCar Series hits the Long Beach streets for one of the most coveted races on the schedule — and one of the most competitive. So what will happen at the 2019 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach?

The race has undergone a facelift, changing title sponsors since 2018. But that doesn’t change that it’s known as the best street race in America, and has volumes of history that make a win here second only to capturing the Indianapolis 500. Where things get complicated, though, is that a lot of people know how to win at Long Beach.

The current IndyCar field features numerous drivers who have found success at Long Beach, on both major teams and smaller ones. Past winners competing on Sunday include Alexander Rossi, James Hinchcliffe, Scott Dixon, Takuma Sato and Sebastien Bourdais. So unlike other tracks where certain drivers or teams have dominated, Long Beach is a wide open competition.

What should IndyCar fans be watching for on Sunday? Let’s break the race down in our Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach preview:

ONE THING TO WATCH:

  • Sponsor change: This race was formerly known as the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, until Toyota—having moved their operations out of California—stopped being the title sponsor in 2018. A name change might not sound like a big deal, but it actually is. The new title sponsor is Acura, which is part of American Honda. Honda, of course, is one of the manufacturers in the IndyCar Series and the reigning manufacturers’ champion. They also sponsor other events on the calendar, including last week’s race at Barber. So how big of a presence will Honda have at this event, both on and off the track?

THREE DRIVERS TO WATCH:

  • Alexander Rossi: Rossi has every reason to win at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. He’s last year’s race winner. He’s from California. He’s driving a Honda in a Honda-sponsored race. And last but certainly not least, the 2018 championship runner-up is still looking for his first win of the 2019 season. Rossi has emerged as one of the best drivers in IndyCar, but he has to start winning, and nobody knows that more than him.
  • Simon Pagenaud: It’s almost becoming a running joke that Pagenaud has had exceedingly bad luck this season. Whether it’s red flags in qualifying or struggling with a less than perfect car on track, the former champion just can’t get going. But he won at Long Beach in 2016, so could this be where he breaks through?
  • Graham Rahal: Rahal was unquestionably screwed by the universe last week, when his very fast car decided to give up the ghost and took away what could’ve easily been a 1-2 finish for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. How will Graham rebound this week? He certainly can, and it’s clear that IndyCar fans haven’t seen the best of him yet.

dark. Next. What IndyCar fans learned from Barber

The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach takes place Sunday, Apr. 14 at 4 p.m. ET. For complete coverage of the 2019 IndyCar season, follow the IndyCar category at FanSided.