Race schedules, how to watch and more. What to know about the 2026 Grand Prix of Long Beach

The green flag drops Friday on three days of motorsports featuring six different types of racing at the 2026 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.

IndyCar, IMSA sports cars, high-flying trucks, power-sliding drifters, Porsche Carrera Cup racers and more will supply the roar at this year’s event. The schedule features on-track events — practice, qualifying and races — Friday through Sunday.

The weekend is highlighted by the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship on Saturday and the NTT IndyCar Series races on Sunday.

Here’s what to know about the 2026 Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Racing series at the 2026 Grand Prix of Long Beach

There are six different types of race cars (and trucks) featured at the 2026 Grand Prix of Long Beach.

• NTT IndyCar Series: Open-wheel race cars that have been part of grand prix weekend in Long Beach for decades.
• IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship: Prototype and production-based race cars that offer competitive racing with multiple classes on a crowded track at the same time.
• Stadium SUPER Trucks: Brutally powerful and heavily modified trucks that will soar down Shoreline Drive.
• Porsche Carrera Cup: Production-based Porsche 911 cars in a single-manufacturer field. The series is considered a launch pad for drivers looking to move up the sports car series ranks.
• Super Drift Challenge: Just follow the tire smoke to see these cars in controlled slides through the corners.
• Historic Sports Cars: Exhibition races that turn back the clock to the 1970s through 1991, when manufacturers like AMC, Audi, Chevrolet, Ford, Jaguar, Mercury, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Porsche and more put their cars to the test on the race course.

Sure all major racing circuits have cars that are extremely fast. But do you know the difference between INDYCAR, F1 and NASCAR?

Grand Prix of Long Beach qualifying and race schedule

The 100-minute IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race is Saturday and the NTT IndyCar Series race is set for Sunday, but there’s almost always something on the 11-turn street course during the three-day event.

Click here for the full weekend schedule, including practice sessions and other events.

Qualifying and race schedules are below.

Friday
4:40 p.m. to 5:10 p.m.: Porsche Carrera Cup qualifying
5:25 p.m. to 6 p.m.: IMSA qualifying
6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.: Super Drift Challenge No. 1

Saturday
8:30 a.m. to 8:50 a.m.: Historic Sports Car Challenge Race 1
9:05 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.: Porsche Carrera Cup Race 1
1 p.m. to 3 p.m.: IMSA SportsCar Grand Prix
3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.: IndyCar Series qualifying and Firestone Fast 6
5:15 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.: Stadium Super Trucks Race 1
6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.: Super Drift Challenge No. 1
6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.: Saturday night concert

Sunday
9:20 a.m. to 9:40 a.m.: Historic Sports Car Challenge Race 2
11:20 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Porsche Carrera Cup Race 2
12:15 p.m. to 12:45 p.m.: Stadium SUPER Trucks Race 2
2:45 p.m. to 5 p.m.: Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, IndyCar race

2026 Grand Prix of Long Beach tickets

General Admission tickets range from $58 for Friday to $151 for all three days. Weekend reserve seating ranges from $165 to $228 for adults. Click here for ticket information.

About the Grand Prix of Long Beach street course

A lap doesn’t take long on the streets of Long Beach. The challenging street course is only 1.968 miles with 11 turns and a long front straight where drivers reach around 185 mph in a blast of sound and adrenaline. The fastest section is along Shoreline Drive and the start-finish line, where fans in the grandstands can watch cars roar past and see what happens when pit lane gets busy.

From there, drivers brake hard into Turn 1, an overtaking opportunity where a race can be won and lost, before the dolphin fountain section and turns 2 and 3. After navigating turns 4 and 5, the track parallels a portion of Shoreline Drive — an exciting viewing area on the dive down into Turn 6.

Drivers set up through here for the run down Seaside Way and entry into another technical section of track that includes a sweeping left into the hairpin Turn 11. This last section of the track is another great place to watch as drivers set up for another launch down Shoreline Drive.

Getting to the Grand Prix of Long Beach

• Metro: The Metro A (Blue) Line drops riders off just blocks from the grand prix entrance.
• Ride-share: The race circuit drop-off point is on First Street between Elm and Long Beach Boulevard.
• Parking: Reserved parking lots require special parking passes. Spaces are limited.

Click here for what to know about getting to the grand prix.

How to watch the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach

IndyCar Series race
Watch on FOX Sunday, April 19, at 2:30 p.m. Click here for all viewing options and qualifying and practice coverage.

IMSA SportsCar Grand Prix
Watch on NBC Saturday, April 18, at 1 p.m. Click here for all viewing options and qualifying and practice coverage, including Porsche Carrera Cup events.