IndyCar: Standing start set for Long Beach

IndyCar has announced that it will conduct a standing start for the Toyota GP of Long Beach on April 13. It will mark the first time the California street race has employed a standing start since the final Champ Car World Series race in 2008.

“One of the unique parts of IndyCar racing is its different formulas – racing on short ovals, superspeedways, street and road courses – and standing starts is another one of those components that in the right place at the right time is good to showcase,” said Derrick Walker, IndyCar President of Competition and Operations. “It’s a great location and I think the fans will like it. Long Beach has a history of standing starts, and in its 40th anniversary race this ties in with that tradition.”

The first IndyCar Series standing start was in the second race of a double-header at Toronto last July.

"For me, what defines IndyCar has always been diversity and standing starts has been just one element,” IndyCar Series Race Director Beaux Barfield said.

Under the procedure, drivers will take two formation laps on the 1.968-mile, 12-turn temporary street circuit and then line up according to their starting order. When all cars are in position, a 5-second signal will be given by illuminating one pair of red lights. A countdown to the start will illuminate a pair of red lights every second. After a random delay of between 0.5 and 4 seconds, the race is started by all the red lights being extinguished.

“This is fantastic news for our fans,” said Jim Michaelian, president and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach. “They will love hearing the sounds of the IndyCar engines revving up and then the cars roaring down Shoreline Drive. Thanks to IndyCar and especially to Derrick Walker for granting our request. This is a great addition to all of the other activities we have planned as we celebrate 40 years of racing in the streets of Long Beach.”

In 2013 at Long Beach, Takuma Sato, driving the No. 14 ABC Supply car for A.J. Foyt Racing, became the first Japanese driver to win an IndyCar Series race. The track build began last week with the setting of the first of 14 million pounds of concrete block along the circuit.