2008 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach

2008 Grand Prix of Long Beach

Race details
3rd (B) round of the 2008 IndyCar Series season
Date	April 20, 2008
Official name	Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach
Location	Streets of Long Beach
Course	Temporary street circuit 1.968 mi / 3.167 km
Distance	83 laps 163.344 mi / 262.877 km
Weather	65°F, Sunny
Pole position
Driver	Justin Wilson ( Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing)
Time	1:06.902[1]
Fastest lap
Driver	Antônio Pizzonia ( Rocketsports)
Time	1:08.252 (on lap 68 of 83)
Podium
First	Will Power ( KV Racing Technology)
Second	Franck Montagny ( Forsythe/Pettit Racing)
Third	Mario Domínguez ( Pacific Coast Motorsports)

The 2008 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach was the third round of the 2008 IndyCar Series season, for teams who competed in the Champ Car World Series in 2007. This was because the 2008 Indy Japan 300 occurred on the same weekend and there was no way of changing dates to avoid the clash. It was held on April 20, 2008, at the 1.968-mile (3.167 km) street circuit in Long Beach, California, United States. The race was historic in that Will Power became the last ever winner of a Champ Car-style race. The contingent of former Champ Car teams produced a 20-car field, all utilizing the turbocharged Panoz DP01-Cosworth for the final time. All participants entering other IndyCar races earned points towards the 2008 IndyCar Series championship. All the teams raced together again a week later at Kansas Speedway, and for the remainder of the schedule together. The race was run under Champ Car rules, which included the standing start, option tire, two-day qualifying format, ran on time (1 hour, 45 minutes) rather than a set number of laps. The option tire rule was adopted by the IRL for 2009, as well as standing starts for selected road and street course races in 2013 and 2014 only to be abandoned in 2015 due to safety concerns.

The race was broadcast on ESPN2 using ABC's IndyCar Series broadcast crew, who also broadcast the 2008 Indy Japan 300 the previous evening (7 PM) from Long Beach (with the exception of Jack Arute, who was assigned to Motegi). Several IRL staff and team personnel had flown back from Japan Sunday afternoon (local time) and saw at least part of the race, including Motegi winner Danica Patrick, who had scored her historic win the previous evening.

Results

Finish	Car No.	Driver	Team	Laps	Time/Retired	Grid	Laps Led	Points
1	8	Will Power	KV Racing Technology	83	1:45:25.415	4	81	53
2	7	Franck Montagny (R)	Forsythe/Pettit Racing	83	+5.094	6	0	0
3	96	Mario Domínguez	Pacific Coast Motorsports	83	+15.516	10	0	35
4	36	Enrique Bernoldi (R)	Conquest Racing	83	+25.677	8	0	32
5	5	Oriol Servià	KV Racing Technology	83	+26.276	12	0	30
6	34	Franck Perera (R)	Conquest Racing	83	+28.067	3	0	28
7	15	Alex Tagliani	Walker Racing	83	+36.518	2	0	26
8	37	David Martínez (R)	Forsythe/Pettit Racing	83	+37.127	18	0	0
9	33	E. J. Viso (R)	HVM Racing	83	+44.944	14	1	22
10	12	Jimmy Vasser	KV Racing Technology	83	+48.635	13	0	0
11	3	Paul Tracy	Forsythe/Pettit Racing	83	+55.956	5	0	19
12	18	Bruno Junqueira	Dale Coyne Racing	83	+1:07.553	11	0	18
13	06	Graham Rahal	Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing	82	+1 Lap	9	0	17
14	29	Alex Figge	Pacific Coast Motorsports	82	+1 Lap	16	0	0
15	4	Nelson Philippe	HVM Racing	80	+3 Laps	7	0	0
16	9	Antônio Pizzonia (R)	Rocketsports	80	+3 Laps	15	0	0
17	14	Roberto Moreno	HVM Racing	63	Mechanical	17	1	0
18	10	Juho Annala (R)	Rocketsports	42	Mechanical	20	0	0
19	02	Justin Wilson	Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing	12	Engine	1	0	12
20	19	Mario Moraes (R)	Dale Coyne Racing	5	Accident	19	0	12
Race average speed: 92.964 mph (149.611 km/h)
Lead changes: 3 between 3 drivers
Cautions: 3 for 9 laps

References