IndyCar Long Beach start times: It all comes down to this (again) for the NTT IndyCar Series — but never quite this way.
The championship will be decided at the season finale for the 16th consecutive year, but this will be the first and likely only time it happens on the streets of Southern California.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach was moved from its annual April date to late September (after being canceled last year).
Entering Long Beach with a 35-point lead over Pato O’Ward and 48 points over Josef Newgarden, Alex Palou needs only an 11th or better to clinch his first title in his second IndyCar season (and first with Chip Ganassi Racing).
The largest lead blown by a championship leader since 2008 (when IndyCar and Champ Car were unified) was 34 points in 2015 (when Juan Pablo Montoya was passed by Scott Dixon).
The past two IndyCar races at Long Beach both were won by Alexander Rossi from the pole position.
Here are the details and IndyCar start times for the weekend at Long Beach (all times are ET):
Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach
TV: 3 p.m. ET, Sunday, NBCSN (live). Leigh Diffey is the announcer with analysts Townsend Bell and Paul Tracy. Kevin Lee and Marty Snider are the pit reporters.
COMMAND TO START ENGINES: 3:38 p.m. ET
GREEN FLAG: 3:45 p.m. ET
DISTANCE: The race is 85 laps (167.28 miles) on an 11-turn, 1.968-mile road course in Long Beach, California.
PRACTICE (all on Peacock Premium): Friday, 6-6:45 p.m. ET; Saturday, noon-12:45 p.m. ET; Sunday, noon-12:30 p.m. ET (warmup)
QUALIFYING: Saturday, 3:05 p.m. ET (NBCSN/Peacock Premium)
TIRE ALLOTMENT: Seven sets primary, four sets alternate. Teams must use one set of primary and one new set of alternate tires in the race. (Note: An eighth set of primary tires is available to any rookie in the first practice.)
PUSH TO PASS: 200 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 20 seconds per activation. The push-to-pass is not available on the initial start or any restart unless it occurs in the final two laps or three minutes of a timed race. The feature increases the power of the engine by approximately 60 horsepower.
FORECAST: According to Wunderground.com, it’s expected to be 85 degrees with a 6% chance of rain at the green flag.
ENTRY LIST: Click here for the 28 cars entered at Long Beach
Weekend schedule
(All times ET)
Friday, Sept. 24
Noon-12:20 p.m.: Historic Formula Atlanta Challenge practice
12:45-1:45 p.m.: IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship practice
2:10-2:30 p.m.: Stadium Super Trucks practice
3:35-4 p.m.: Global Time Attack practice
4:20-5:35 p.m.: IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship practice
6-6:45 p.m.: NTT IndyCar Series practice, Peacock Premium
7-7:20 p.m.: Historic Formula Atlanta Challenge qualifying
7:45-8:55 p.m.: IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship qualifying
9:15-9:35 p.m.: Super Drift Challenge practice
9:45-11:15 p.m.: Formula D Super Drift Challenge, Race 1
Saturday, Sept. 25
Noon-12:45 p.m.: NTT IndyCar Series practice, Peacock Premium
1:05-1:35 p.m.: Stadium Super Trucks, Race 1
2:05-2:20 p.m.: Global Time Attack, Race 1
3:05-4:20 p.m.: NTT IndyCar Series qualifying, NBCSN/Peacock Premium
5:05-6:45 p.m.: IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race
7:30-7:50 p.m.: Historic Formula Atlanta Challenge, Race 1
8:30-8:50 p.m.: Super Drift Challenge practice
9-10:30 p.m.: Formula D Super Drift Challenge, Race 2
Sunday, Sept. 26
Noon-12:30 p.m.: IndyCar warmup, Peacock Premium
1:10-1:25 p.m.: Global Time Attack, Race 2
1:45-2:05 p.m.: Historical Formula Atlantic Challenge, Race 2
3:38 p.m.: Command to start engines
3:45 p.m.: Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach (85 laps/167.28 miles), NBCSN
6:30 p.m.: Stadium Super Trucks, Race 2
COVERAGE ON NBCSPORTS.COM:
ROUND 1: Alex Palou breaks through with first victory in season opener
ROUND 2: Colton Herta puts on a sublime showing in St. Pete
ROUND 3: Scott Dixon maintains Texas dominance
ROUND 4: Pato O’Ward scores first IndyCar victory
ROUND 5: Rinus VeeKay dazzles to break through for first IndyCar triumph
ROUND 6: Helio Castroneves becomes fourth four-time Indy 500 winner
ROUND 7: Marcus Ericsson scores first IndyCar victory
ROUND 8: Pato O’Ward wins, takes points lead
ROUND 9: Alex Palou takes advantage of Josef Newgarden’s misfortune
ROUND 10: Josef Newgarden ends run of disappointments
ROUND 11: Marcus Ericsson flies from last to first in Nashville
ROUND 12: Will Power dominant in first victory of the season
ROUND 13: Josef Newgarden wins on last oval of the season
ROUND 14: Alex Palou reclaims points lead with comeback victory from pole
ROUND 15: Colton Herta dominates; Alex Palou closes on title
JIMMIE INDYCAR WATCH, RACE 1: A 19th at Barber Motorsports Park
JIMMIE INDYCAR WATCH, RACE 2: Tough day for the No. 48
JIMMIE INDYCAR WATCH, RACE 3: Making progress in a 24th-place finish
JIMMIE INDYCAR WATCH, RACE 4-5: Challenging weekend in Detroit
JIMMIE INDYCAR WATCH, RACE 6: One mistake at Road America
JIMMIE INDYCAR WATCH, RACE 7: A fun day at Mid-Ohio
JIMMIE INDYCAR WATCH, RACE 8: A bump but still having a blast at Nashville
JIMMIE INDYCAR WATCH, RACE 9: Best race of the season at Indy
JIMMIE INDYCAR WATCH, RACE 10: Solid run, winning assist at Portland
JIMMIE INDYCAR WATCH, RACE 11: Best finish, memorable collision at Laguna Seca
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IndyCar at Long Beach: How to watch, start times, TV info, schedules and streaming originally appeared on NBCSports.com