The IndyCar circus returns to one of its finest tracks this weekend, as IndyCar will race once again around the streets of Long Beach, California. After 4 rounds of racing, and heading closer and closer towards the Indy 500, the race for the championship is tight at the top.
IndyCar races across the United States and Canada, from Indianapolis to Alabama to Ontario, but the Grand Prix of Long Beach is among the best races on IndyCar’s calendar, watched across the world, especially in the US and Canada. With the Indy 500 drawing closer and closer, the amount of bettors is likely to explode in the coming weeks for IndyCar. Viewers in Canada should check to find the best Ontario sports betting sites if they want to bet on the race.
As we head into IndyCar’s Monaco, here’s everything you need to know ahead of one of the biggest days on the IndyCar calendar.
Long beach and IndyCar’s long history
The Long Beach Grand Prix is often framed as Indycar’s answer to Monaco. It emerged from the mind of a British travel agent, who promoted the race as a replication of the Monaco Grand Prix. In 1975, it held its first race. It held multiple F1 races, the first of which was won by racing legend Mario Andretti, before IndyCar made it its own in the following decades.
Now, the event is expected to host 200,000 people. This year, with the title battle still very much developing, it promises to have huge implications for the title battle.
The circuit, run on the streets of Long Beach, rewards bravery and brutally punishes the overconfident. Like most street circuits, it has no run-off areas and tight concrete walls. Overtaking areas are limited, but the hairpin into the long straight offers a high-quality overtaking opportunity.
The Kirkwood vs Palou duel
Kyle Kirkwood and Alex Palou head into this race almost neck and neck at the top of the standings. Kirkwood sits just 2 points ahead, but a win here would be worth 50 points, and would be a huge statement to make heading towards the Indy 500.
Kirkwood is a two-time winner around Long Beach, in 2023 and 2025, and is the only driver so far this season to finish in the top 4 of every race. His team, Andretti Global, is also deeply embedded in the legacy at Long Beach, and a win there would be special for the team.
Alex Palou also has the experience to challenge Kirkwood. A four-time champion, Palou has the experience and technical knowledge, as well as the best all-round pace, to challenge at every race. Palou was also dominant in the last race at Barber, and looks to be on the ascendancy.
Behind the two title contenders, other potential challengers include Arrow McLaren’s Christian Lundegaard, Scott Dixon, a veteran and experienced head around Long Beach, and 2022 Long Beach winner Josef Newgarden.
