2008 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach
Encyclopedia
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 miles (3.2 km) street circuit in Long Beach, California
. 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 race was broadcast on ESPN2 using ABC's IndyCar Series broadcast crew, who also broadcast the 2008 Indy Japan 300
from Long Beach. Several IndyCar personalities had flown back from Japan to see at least part of the race, including Japan winner Danica Patrick
.
Long Beach Grand Prix
The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach is an open-wheel race held on a street circuit in Long Beach, California. Christopher Pook is the founder and promoter which began as a vision while working at a travel agency in downtown Long Beach. It was the premier circuit in the Champ Car from 1996, and...
was the third round of the 2008 IndyCar Series season
2008 IndyCar Series season
The 2008 IndyCar Series season was the 13th season of the IndyCar Series. Its premier event was the 92nd Indianapolis 500 on May 25. The first race was held March 29 at Homestead. It was the 97th recognized season of top-level American open wheel racing....
, for teams who competed in the Champ Car World Series in 2007
2007 Champ Car World Series Season
The 2007 Champ Car season was the 29th and final season of the Champ Car World Series, however only its fourth season under the Champ Car title. It began on April 8, 2007 and ended on November 11 after 14 races...
. This was because the 2008 Indy Japan 300
2008 Indy Japan 300
The 2008 Indy Japan 300 was the third round of the 2008 IndyCar Series season, for drivers who competed in the series in 2007 and teams that had entered for 2008 who were not former Champ Car teams that were in transition...
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 miles (3.2 km) street circuit in Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
. The race was historic in that Will Power
Will Power
William Steven Power is an Australian motorsport driver, who currently competes in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series, driving for Team Penske.-Australian Racing:...
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
Panoz DP01
The Panoz DP01 is an open-wheel car that was produced by Élan Motorsport Technologies near Road Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It was developed for use in the 2007 Champ Car World Series season, replacing the aging de facto-spec Lola chassis. The DP01 was introduced to the world at the 2006 Grand...
-Cosworth
Cosworth
Cosworth is a high performance engineering company founded in London in 1958, specialising in engines and electronics for automobile racing , mainstream automotive and defence industries...
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
Kansas Speedway
Kansas Speedway is a tri-oval race track in Kansas City, Kansas. The speedway was built in 2001 and currently hosts two annual NASCAR race weekends. The IndyCar Series also raced at the speedway until 2011...
, 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 race was broadcast on ESPN2 using ABC's IndyCar Series broadcast crew, who also broadcast the 2008 Indy Japan 300
2008 Indy Japan 300
The 2008 Indy Japan 300 was the third round of the 2008 IndyCar Series season, for drivers who competed in the series in 2007 and teams that had entered for 2008 who were not former Champ Car teams that were in transition...
from Long Beach. Several IndyCar personalities had flown back from Japan to see at least part of the race, including Japan winner Danica Patrick
Danica Patrick
Danica Sue Patrick is an American auto racing driver, model and advertising spokeswoman. She is the most successful woman in the history of American open-wheel racing, being the only woman to win in the IndyCar Series as well as holding the highest finish by a woman at the Indianapolis 500 of 3rd...
.
Results
| Finish | Car No. | Driver | Team | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid | Laps Led | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 |  Will PowerWill Power William Steven Power is an Australian motorsport driver, who currently competes in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series, driving for Team Penske.-Australian Racing:... |
KV Racing | 83 | 1:45:25.415 | 4 | 81 | 53 |
| 2 | 7 |  Franck MontagnyFranck Montagny Franck Montagny is a French motor racing driver. He briefly raced for the Super Aguri Formula One team in 2006.-Early career:... (R) |
Forsythe/Pettit Racing | 83 | +5.094 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | 96 |  Mario DomínguezMario Domínguez Mario Domínguez is a Mexican racing driver. He has competed in the CART and CCWS Champ Car series and later the IndyCar Series.-Early career:Domínguez first began racing in 1987 driving go-karts... |
Pacific Coast Motorsports Pacific Coast Motorsports Pacific Coast Motorsports was a racing team owned by Tyler Tadevic. It was founded by Tadevic in 2003 and has competed in the American Le Mans Series, Champ Car Atlantic Series, and Rolex Grand-Am series. In 2007 it moved to the Champ Car World Series, one of America's premier open-wheel racing... |
83 | +15.516 | 10 | 0 | 35 |
| 4 | 36 |  Enrique BernoldiEnrique Bernoldi Enrique Antônio Langue e Silvério de Bernoldi is a Brazilian racing driver who raced for the Arrows Formula One team... (R) |
Conquest Racing | 83 | +25.677 | 8 | 0 | 32 |
| 5 | 5 |  Oriol ServiàOriol Servia Oriol Servià i Imbers is a race car driver in the IndyCar Series, originally from Catalonia, Spain. He holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia.-Early career:... |
KV Racing | 83 | +26.276 | 12 | 0 | 30 |
| 6 | 34 | Franck Perera Franck Perera Franck Perera is a race car driver who has competed in a number of international open wheel racing championships.-Career:... (R) |
Conquest Racing | 83 | +28.067 | 3 | 0 | 28 |
| 7 | 15 |  Alex TaglianiAlex Tagliani Alexandre Tagliani is a Canadian auto racing driver from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He currently competes in the IZOD IndyCar Series, driving the #77 entry for Sam Schmidt Motorsports.-Champ Car career:... |
Walker Racing Walker Racing Walker Racing is a racing team founded by Derrick Walker in 1991 racing originally in the CART Championship Car series. Presently the team competes in the Firestone Indy Lights series.-Early success:... |
83 | +36.518 | 2 | 0 | 26 |
| 8 | 37 | David Martínez David Martínez David Martinez is a Mexican racing driver. He holds the record for the best debut ever by a Mexican driver in a premiere open-wheel series with his 9th place finish at the 2006 Gran Premio de Mexico.-IndyCar 2012:Martinez is currently in negotiations to become the only Mexican driver in the... (R) |
Forsythe/Pettit Racing | 83 | +37.127 | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | 33 |  E. J. VisoE. J. Viso Ernesto José Viso Lossada is a Venezuelan race car driver. He is commonly referred to as Ernesto Viso or, since his move to American racing, E. J. Viso.... (R) |
HVM Racing | 83 | +44.944 | 14 | 1 | 22 |
| 10 | 12 |  Jimmy VasserJimmy Vasser Jimmy Vasser is a retired American racing driver and current co-owner of KV Racing Technology. Vasser won the 1996 IndyCar season championship with Chip Ganassi Racing, and scored ten victories in the series... |
KV Racing Technology | 83 | +48.635 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | 3 | Paul Tracy Paul Tracy Paul Tracy is a professional automobile racer who has competed in CART, the ChampCar World Series and the IndyCar Series... |
Forsythe/Pettit Racing | 83 | +55.956 | 5 | 0 | 19 |
| 12 | 18 | Bruno Junqueira Bruno Junqueira Bruno Junqueira is a Brazilian race car driver that most recently competed in the IRL IndyCar Series. He is a former Formula 3000 champion and three-time runner-up in the Champ Car World Series.-Early career:... |
Dale Coyne Racing Dale Coyne Racing Dale Coyne Racing is a motorsports team in the IndyCar Series owned by former driver Dale Coyne. It was founded in 1986 with Chicago Bears great Walter Payton as Payton/Coyne Racing. The team fields the No. 18 Acorn Stairlifts and No... |
83 | +1:07.553 | 11 | 0 | 18 |
| 13 | 06 | Graham Rahal Graham Rahal Graham Rahal is an American race car driver. He currently participates in the IZOD IndyCar Series. He is the son of 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal.-Early racing:... |
Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing Newman/Haas Racing was a motor racing team competing in the IndyCar Series. The team operations were based in Lincolnshire, Illinois. Newman/Haas Racing was formed when actor Paul Newman and long-time racer Carl Haas, competitors in the Can-Am championship, each began looking to Champ Car racing... |
82 | +1 Lap | 9 | 0 | 17 |
| 14 | 29 | Alex Figge Alex Figge Alex Figge is an American race car driver born in Boulder, Colorado. He started racing professionally in the Star Mazda Championship, capturing one victory at Portland International Raceway in 2000 while driving for World Speed Motorsports.He competed in the US Formula Ford 2000 championship in... |
Pacific Coast Motorsports Pacific Coast Motorsports Pacific Coast Motorsports was a racing team owned by Tyler Tadevic. It was founded by Tadevic in 2003 and has competed in the American Le Mans Series, Champ Car Atlantic Series, and Rolex Grand-Am series. In 2007 it moved to the Champ Car World Series, one of America's premier open-wheel racing... |
82 | +1 Lap | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | 4 | Nelson Philippe Nelson Philippe -Early career:Philippe raced go-karts from 1998-2002. In 2003, he raced in the Barber Dodge Pro Series, finishing the season with one podium, and four top five finishes.... |
Minardi Team USA/HVM Racing | 80 | +3 Laps | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | 9 | Antônio Pizzonia Antônio Pizzonia Antônio Reginaldo Pizzonia Júnior is a Brazilian racing driver who has raced in Formula One and the Champ Car World Series.He is nicknamed "Jungle Boy", a reference to his native Amazonas... (R) |
Rocketsports Rocketsports Racing Rocketsports Racing is a motor racing team from the United States based in East Lansing, Michigan.Rocketsports was founded in 1985 by racing driver Paul Gentilozzi to compete in the Trans-Am series. It competed in Trans-Am until 2004, when the championship was cancelled, and achieved 57 outright... |
80 | +3 Laps | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | 14 | Roberto Moreno Roberto Moreno Roberto Pupo Moreno , usually known as Roberto Moreno and also as Pupo Moreno, is a racing driver from Brazil. He participated in 75 Formula One Grands Prix, achieved 1 podium, and scored a total of 15 championship points. He raced in CART in 1986, and was Formula 3000 champion before joining... |
Minardi Team USA/HVM Racing | 63 | Mechanical | 17 | 1 | 0 |
| 18 | 10 |  Juho AnnalaJuho Annala Juho Annala, born in Lapua, is a Finnish race car driver. After starting in karting, Annala moved to Swedish, Finnish, and Nordic Formula Ford in 2004, winning the Nordic championship and coming second in both the Swedish and Finnish championships. In 2005 he moved to the British Formula Three... (R) |
Rocketsports Rocketsports Racing Rocketsports Racing is a motor racing team from the United States based in East Lansing, Michigan.Rocketsports was founded in 1985 by racing driver Paul Gentilozzi to compete in the Trans-Am series. It competed in Trans-Am until 2004, when the championship was cancelled, and achieved 57 outright... |
42 | Mechanical | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | 02 | Justin Wilson | Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing Newman/Haas Racing was a motor racing team competing in the IndyCar Series. The team operations were based in Lincolnshire, Illinois. Newman/Haas Racing was formed when actor Paul Newman and long-time racer Carl Haas, competitors in the Can-Am championship, each began looking to Champ Car racing... |
12 | Engine | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| 20 | 19 | Mario Moraes Mario Moraes Mario Ermirio de Moraes Filho is a Brazilian professional race car driver. Moraes started his career in minor youth motorsports. In 2003 Moraes competed in American Formula Renault with and won races against some competition such as Marco Andretti. In 2005 he drove for the Bassan Motorsport team... (R) |
Dale Coyne Racing Dale Coyne Racing Dale Coyne Racing is a motorsports team in the IndyCar Series owned by former driver Dale Coyne. It was founded in 1986 with Chicago Bears great Walter Payton as Payton/Coyne Racing. The team fields the No. 18 Acorn Stairlifts and No... |
5 | Accident | 19 | 0 | 12 |
| Race average speed: 92.964 mi/h | ||||||||
| Lead changes: 3 between 3 drivers | ||||||||
| Cautions: 3 for 9 laps | ||||||||