As the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach embarks on its next 50 years racing through the streets of Downtown Long Beach, the 2026 edition feels like a new start in many ways. In that spirit, we sent three of our writers wheeling around the course for the first time–either in an Acura pace car or riding shotgun in a competitive Formula Drift race car.
Eli Aquino, Rasheed Riveroll Castillo, and Matt Simon each shared their perspective on what they experienced zipping around the course during Grand Prix Media Day.
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I rarely find myself on Shoreline Drive. In fact, the last time I was there was on foot, running the 2024 Long Beach Marathon—over 100 mph slower than I found myself going last Tuesday.
I’ve spent my whole life in Long Beach, but there haven’t been many occasions that have called me to that area of the city. The way things have unfolded over the years, a 110-mph pace car ride-along is just about the only excuse I have to be on Shoreline, but even that wasn’t enough to get me all that excited on the drive to Grand Prix Media Day. I take a lot of pride in my city hosting the race, but as much as I’ve tried, I haven’t been able to find the deep appreciation the sport deserves, let alone for the streets they race on every year.
What I did come to appreciate, though, was that a professional was behind the wheel during the ride along and not me. Going triple digits straight at a wall is much scarier in the car than on TV, let alone at the speeds IndyCar drivers will reach this Sunday. Watching my driver downshift while carving through the course was no joke, and I couldn’t imagine the pressure of doing it in a race with thousands watching as you risk your life for the chance to come out on top.
At the same time, the ride gave me a view of the city I hardly ever get, much less from within the confines of a race track. The city looked beautiful, albeit blurry, and my eyes dazzled in the seconds it took to pass the Aquarium Fountain and go under the arch above the Pike Outlets.
I don’t know the next time I’ll be down Shoreline Drive, and as you may have gathered, it probably won’t be soon—but I’ve come to find that maybe I don’t need to be there every day to appreciate what my city has to offer. Similarly, maybe I don’t need to be a superfan of racing to appreciate what goes into the sport my city is so fortunate to host each April.
– Eli Aquino
On my racing simulator at home, I have raced the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach track. However, it lacks the real force and sounds someone experiences when hitting 107 MPH. While the speed might seem modest, carrying it into the tight corners on a street track, hitting the apex just inches away from the barrier, is where the real skill is revealed. The car we used was a pace car, but our driver certainly did not hold back.
Personally, I preferred the Formula Drift ride-along. Media members had the chance to ride with anyone on the PRO driver roster for this season–a series built on style and precision. I had the chance to take photos of it for the first time in the 2024 season and have followed many of the drivers since.
Notably, Aurimas “Odi” Bakchis, who has been drifting since 2009, used to run an iconic Nissan “S14.5”, but during the off season he introduced his new chassis. He posted himself building his new Subaru BRZ, testing it, then finally bringing it to the streets of Long Beach.
I was in Chris Forsberg’s Nissan, doing a chase run with Odi. Chasing is arguably the hardest part, since the cabin gets filled with smoke leaving little to no room for error. Odi was right on our door, side-by-side drifting, before leaving just enough space to transition for the next turn to go tandem once again. Odi is known to have great lead runs and he certainly delivered in his new BRZ. It was very cool to see it all come together, and an amazing experience for the media to truly appreciate their craft.
It’s an exciting time in Long Beach, and I can’t wait to see how these drivers perform and ultimately who wins the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach this year.
– Rasheed Riveroll Castillo
I’ve never been much of a car guy. But, I always seemed to be around them after graduating high school. One of my best friends was a gearhead, so I managed to find myself at random car meets when I was in college and rode shotgun with my friend who loved his Nissan 240.
Those car meets turned into late-night adventures cruising the Glendale Mountain Road with one thing in mind: seeing how far he could push the limits of his chariot. That was my first introduction to high-performance cars.
Fast forward to last Tuesday, I was introduced to the big leagues as we attended the Grand Prix Media Day and had the opportunity to ride along with some of the best drivers in the Formula Drift world.
From outside, the cars fly through the course with pinpoint accuracy as they drift through the course leaving nothing but a cloud of burnt rubber and a scent that’ll stain your nostrils for hours after.
However, when I got my opportunity to ride along with Rome Charpentier in his pink and green car with an anime waifu painted on the side inspired by his wife – there was plenty of adrenaline.
We were the lead car that was set to be chased in the practice run. When he was waved to get started, he floored it, getting ready to make the first turn and that’s the moment that will surprise anyone.
It was calm.
In an action that would seem out of control as the car starts drifting sideways, time seems to slow down as you drift through each turn.
And then it’s over–an experience that will leave you speechless, but also appreciating the precision it takes to make these cars bend at your will.
– Matt Simon
Shoreline Drive will be buzzing all weekend as the 51st Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach caps off the weekend on Sunday afternoon. The green flag is scheduled to drop at 2:45 p.m. local time.
