Breaking news
IndyCar Long Beach
Long Beach “exploring options” to save IndyCar Grand Prix
Jim Michaelian, president and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach, has admitted he is “looking at various possibilities” that allow the 46th edition of IndyCar’s famous street race to run in 2020.
David Malsher-Lopez
Published: Mar 12, 2020, 5:12 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
As of Thursday morning there around 200 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in California, 28 of which were in LA County, where Long Beach is located. Last Saturday, Michaelian sounded cautiously optimistic that the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach event – which includes rounds of both the NTT IndyCar Series and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship – could go ahead.
However, the Grand Prix is reputed to draw in 180,000 fans across three days, and over the last two weeks all large gatherings in California have been under pressure to cancel or at least postpone.
This pressure increased on Wednesday when, after talk of playing games in empty stadiums as per the NCAA, the NBA announced it had suspended its 2019-20 season indefinitely following Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert testing positive for COVID-19.
This was just one of several significant decisions taken by event organizers and business leaders both inside and outside California over the last five-day period. With the World Health Organization officially declaring the virus as a pandemic, several west coast education establishments switched from classrooms to online learning, large festivals such as Coachella and Stagecoach were postponed until the fall and St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in several cities were canceled. Then on Wednesday evening, President Trump announced a travel ban between 26 European countries and the US, during a televised message to the nation.
Later that night, California Governor Gavin Newsom backed the state’s Department of Public Health in recommending the cancelation of any gatherings of 250 or more people across the entire state, or any gatherings in venues too small to allow at least six feet of space between individuals.
Michaelian told the Long Beach Press Telegram: “We’re aware of the statement the Governor made last night, and we’re in discussions with the officials here in the city, and also with our various partners in the Grand Prix to see what our options are.
“We’ll be making a decision with regard to the Grand Prix in the near future…
“The situation is very fluid and we’re exploring the various options that are available to us under some rather challenging circumstances.
“We’ll make our decision known to everyone as soon as it’s concluded.”
The 2020 NTT IndyCar Series season-opener in St. Petersburg, FL, is currently under threat of cancelation or postponement.
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article IndyCar cancels general admission at St. Pete, race in doubt
Next article IndyCar will race at St. Petersburg but with no fans allowed
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
David Malsher-Lopez
Alex Zanardi: The man whose name is a synonym for “hero”
IndyCar
IndyCar
Alex Zanardi: The man whose name is a synonym for “hero”
Remembering Michele Alboreto: F1 ace, Le Mans winner and a good man
Formula 1
Formula 1
Remembering Michele Alboreto: F1 ace, Le Mans winner and a good man
IMSA Laguna Seca: Ganassi Cadillac holds off Porsche for victory
IMSA
IMSA
Laguna Seca
IMSA Laguna Seca: Ganassi Cadillac holds off Porsche for victory
Latest news
Spire, Chris Gabehart reject Joe Gibbs Racing premise on deleted texts
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Charlotte II
3 h
Spire, Chris Gabehart reject Joe Gibbs Racing premise on deleted texts
Ricky Stenhouse explains his side of Michael McDowell conflict
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Charlotte II
7 h
Ricky Stenhouse explains his side of Michael McDowell conflict
Barnes: Why IndyCar’s updated licensing system fails its own integrity test
IndyCar
Indy IndyCar 8 h
Barnes: Why IndyCar’s updated licensing system fails its own integrity test
Why NASCAR is not penalizing Stenhouse, McDowell for post-race theatrics
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Charlotte II
9 h
Why NASCAR is not penalizing Stenhouse, McDowell for post-race theatrics
Feature
Discover prime content
Inside AJ Foyt Racing’s transition: Hauger’s arrival, Ferrucci’s future, and the Pierson waiting game
Feature
IndyCar
Feature
IndyCar
By Joey Barnes
Inside AJ Foyt Racing’s transition: Hauger’s arrival, Ferrucci’s future, and the Pierson waiting game
You Ask The Questions: David Malukas
IndyCar
By Joey Barnes
You Ask The Questions: David Malukas
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe