Power Leads Long Beach Practice as Drama Builds

Alex Palou, the series’ lone two-race winner this season, gave Chip Ganassi representation in the top five. Marcus Armstrong, of Meyer Shank Racing, rounded out the fastest five.

Saturday’s second practice is scheduled for 10:35-11:55 PT (1:30-2:55 p.m. ET) and will air live on FS2. FS1 will carry qualifying from 3:30-5 p.m. PT (6:30-8 p.m. ET).

The 90-lap, 177.12-mile race, televised live on FOX, will begin at 2:30 p.m. PT (5:30 p.m. ET) Sunday.

Rasmussen surprised at end of ‘disappointing’ practice

Christian Rasmussen, eighth in the order Friday, said that he was “a little disappointed on where we were on balance” on the Long Beach streets. But he certainly wasn’t disappointed with what happened afterward.

The Copenhagen native was presented a trophy for being named Motorsports Driver of the Year by the Danish Automobile Association along with cash donations in his name to the karting camp he attended as a youngster and to the Danish Red Cross.

“I didn’t expect to get a trophy before the weekend,” Rasmussen said.

“The journey to get here has been so long. You’re a child, you’re a little kid just dreaming big. I am very convinced that my parents believed I had more talent than I thought I did myself growing up ’cause you don’t really know what the references are, who to beat, where you really are in the world ’cause you’re just young, naïve. You just want to race, you just want to win. Obviously to be here now, look back on those times, is very fulfilling in many ways,” he said.

St. James tapped for Hall of Fame induction

Former Indy Car driver and longtime advocate for the sport Lyn St. James was attending Friday’s Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (MSHFA) press conference Friday at Long Beach, representing Women In Motorsports North America (WIMNA).

But MSHFA President Daren Lucas, IndyCar/Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles, and IMSA President John Doonan joined forces to surprise St. James that she will be inducted into the Daytona Beach-headquartered Hall along with Gary Bettenhausen, Harry Hartz, and seven other racing stars.

Penske Entertainment: Chris Jones

The 2027 Induction class includes three-time NHRA drag-racing champions Ron Capps (Funny Car) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle); Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Robert Yates (Stock Cars); Herb Fishel (Business); Rob Dyson (Sports Cars); and Steve Hinton (Aviation). They’ll be inducted next March at a ceremony at the museum at Daytona International Speedway.

“Is this really happening?!” an emotional and genuinely stunned St. James asked as she was called to the stage with a standing ovation from the audience. “I’m overwhelmed,” she said. “This means I’m part of the family. I’ve not won championships. I’m not Scott Pruett. I’m not Tom Gloy. I’m not Mario. Those are the people who win championships and are in the Hall of Fame. I worked really hard, and I tried. I love this sport so much. This is the most extraordinary thing that ever happened.”

St. James, the first woman to earn Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year honors in 1992, has worked for many years to open doors for women at the highest levels of American racing. She excelled in sports-car racing, claiming IMSA GTO victories at Sebring in 1990 and the Rolex 24 At Daytona in 1987 and 1990. She also competed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Her career-best finish of eighth in 1996 at Walt Disney World was among her 16 IndyCar starts. In 1985, she became the first woman to lap an oval course at more than 200 mph. One of the foremost women drivers of her era and an inspiration to others, St. James was named one of the Sports Illustrated Top 100 Women Athletes of the Century.

Gary Bettenhausen awarded trophy after winning the USAC Champ Car race as part of the unusual Twin Bill for stock and open wheel racers at Michigan International Raceway in 1970.Alvis Upitis - Getty Images

Bettenhausen was elected in the Open Wheel category, while St. James earned induction in the At Large category and Hartz in the Historic category.

Bettenhausen, son of 1997 inductee Tony Bettenhausen, was one of the greatest sprint car drivers of his generation and dominated the 1972 Indianapolis 500. He led 138 laps before engine failure with 24 laps remaining robbed him of a victory at the Brickyard. His Penske teammate Mark Donohue took the victory.

Bettenhausen was also fastest qualifier for the 1991 Indianapolis 500—but the pole position went to Rick Mears because Bettenhausen’s time came on the second day of qualifying. He did win four times, and in 21 starts at Indianapolis, his best finish was third in 1980. He won the 1969 and 1971 USAC Sprint Car championships. Despite a badly damaged left arm in a 1974 crash, Bettenhausen earned the 1980 and 1983 USAC Silver Crown titles.

Hartz won the Indianapolis 500 twice as a car owner (with Billy Arnold in 1930 and Fred Frame in 1932) and finished second three times as a driver. He also won the AAA national championship as a driver (1926) and owner (1930). Hartz began as a riding mechanic before moving behind the wheel full-time with a Duesenberg in 1922. He retired from driving after a 1927 accident sidelined him for two years but returned to motorsports, building the Miller-powered, front-wheel drive cars that Arnold and Frame drove to Indianapolis 500 glory.

California native Rossi has a lot on his mind this weekend

Alexander Rossi, who won in back-to-back visits to Long Beach (2018-19), was inducted Thursday into the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame. Former two-term Long Beach mayor Bob Foster was honored posthumously along with the Ed Carpenter Racing (ECR) driver and Nevada City, California, native.

Travis Hinkle

Both Rossi and Kenny Foster, Bob Foster’s son, recognized Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach founder/organizer Jim Michaelian, a former sports car racer and the event’s CEO from 2001 until his passing March 21 at age 83.

It was an enjoyable moment in the weekend for Rossi, who on a more serious and focused note has concentrated on the fact he has a new engineer starting this weekend in Jack Ruskell. In the offseason, Matt Barnes moved up from chief engineer to vice president of competition for ECR. Quentin Montigaud fill the role of Rossi’s race engineer but has moved to an unspecified position in the organization.

“I want to be clear. I didn’t request it,” Rossi said of the move. “It’s just internal changes. Quentin I not going anywhere. He’s still an important part of the organization. We’re going to evaluate Jack now. It’s really as simple as that.”

Rossi declined to elaborate on the reason for the switch.

Ruskell is a former football player (2017-2021) at the University of Florida, where he earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. He then earned a masters degree at the University of Michigan. He served as an intern and later was hired as an engineer for Rossi’s No. 20 Java House Chevrolet.

At the Walk of Fame ceremony, Rossi said, “This is something that’s going to be here forever. When you’re in your career, you don’t really get a chance to actually reflect on things you’ve done, but I’ve been fortunate to be a part of this race and accomplish so much.”

Jim Michaelian.Greg Doherty - Getty Images

Rossi remembered Michaelian as “such an amazing supporter of every one of us as drivers. The success of what this event is now wouldn’t exist without him (and) how the entire city has always embraced this series and all of us. Being from California, this place is right up there [with Indianapolis, where Rossi won 10 years ago as a series rookie] in terms of fondness and the memories that I have of being able to have success here and be a part of history on the series. When you look at what this race means, outside the Indianapolis 500, and this is the flagship event of IndyCar. You don’t have to poll the paddock to know that the response will be that this is our favorite race, our favorite street circuit that we get the chance to compete on.”

O’Gara IndyCar’s New VP-Competition, Race Engineering

Longtime race-team engineer Mike O’Gara has been named IndyCar’s Vice President of Competition, Race Engineering, and will serve as the senior technical authority for IndyCar. He’ll lead all aspects of vehicle performance strategy, race engineering, and technical governance for the NTT IndyCar Series and INDY NXT by Firestone.

According to an IndyCar press release, O’Gara “also will be charged to define and drive IndyCar’s long-term technical roadmap, research and development initiatives, and the development of next-generation technologies, including the new 2028 NTT IndyCar Series race car.” He has been in executive leadership at Chip Ganassi Racing for the past 12 years and has headed championship-winning programs in IndyCar, IMSA, and the World Endurance Championship. He built Ganassi’s endurance effort that has produced victories at the 12 Hours of Sebring (2014) and the Rolex 24 At Daytona (2015) and a class-win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (2016).

On the IndyCar side, O’Gara had a hand in championships with Scott Dixon and Alex Palou, and Indianapolis 500 triumphs with Marcus Ericsson (2022) and Alex Palou (2025). His resume includes Director of Operations at Sarah Fisher Racing (2010-14) and race engineer at Chip Ganassi Racing (2004-10) and Dreyer & Reinbold Racing (2000-04).