Preview – 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach
By Dylan Reynolds, OpenWheel.com
INDYCAR returns this weekend with the NTT INDYCAR SERIES 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on the Streets of Long Beach, California. OpenWheel.com will be covering the action all weekend so stay tuned to this site and our Twitter page @openwh33l for all of the latest news.
Photo from OpenWheel.com
Weekend Schedule – Entry List – Spotter Guide – Circuit Map – Tickets
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Preview: Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach – Sunday, April 16, 2023 12:00PM (ET) NBC – The NTT INDYCAR SERIES hits the track for one of the biggest weekends of the season for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. It should be an exciting weekend of action after a thrilling PPG 375 at Texas Motor Speedway. Previous driver performance at Long Beach shows eight former winners entered in Will Power (2), Alexander Rossi (2), Helio Castroneves (1), Takuma Sato (1), Scott Dixon (1), Simon Pagenaud (1), Colton Herta (1), and Josef Newgarden (1). Newgarden (2022) and Herta (2021) are the two most recent winners. Looking at the box scores from 2022 and 2021, only Newgarden and Alex Palou finished in the Top 5 of both races. If that’s expanded to the Top 10, those two are joined by Power, Dixon, and Rossi. The entered Top 5 laps led at Long Beach are Castroneves (194), Power (172), Rossi (151), Dixon (104), and Herta (71).
My pick to win: Alexander Rossi – Rossi has been excellent at Long Beach historically and absolutely dominant when his car is right. Arrow McLaren has an excellent street course package and Rossi clearly feels comfortable with the team right now. It’s no coincidence he’s a popular pick this weekend and was used for NBC’s promotional commercial for the weekend. It’s a big chance for the American with his new team.
My fantasy.indycar.com picks: Alexander Rossi $28, Romain Grosjean $26, Colton Herta $27, & Augustin Canapino $18 – You know my thoughts on Rossi. Grosjean has qualified P6 for each of his two races at Long Beach and has always looked strong on street courses. He was the fastest driver at the season opener at St. Pete and will be hungry for his first NTT INDYCAR SERIES win this weekend. Herta always puts on a show at this event and the Andretti cars have a great street course program. Canapino has been immensely impressive to start the season and looks to be a smart budget pick to get himself to the finish (famous last words and I apologize in advance).
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