Teams and drivers will be challenged with navigating the streets of Long Beach, as the legendary street circuit hosts the Round 2 of the 2024 VSCA SportsCar Championship.
A grid of 54 cars are expected for the one-hour and forty-minute event, with the GT PRO making headlines of offering a full grid for the first time this season.
“We’re very happy to see the influx of new teams joining the grid after Daytona. I think having the season opener broadcast on GreenFlag TV and with the amazing racing that we’ve seen at Daytona, the series gains in popularity and exposure, which is a great thing.”, said series director Benjamin Fischer.
Mayer Simspeed Performance leading GTP class into Long Beach
Spearheading the grid, the GTP class grid at Long Beach will feature 14 cars, led by 24 Hours of Daytona champions #3 Mayer Simspeed Performance. Brazil’s Bravo Snow Schatten team planned on expanding to a second entry, but made a short notice announcement over the weekend, the #72 entry will be withdrawn and will not attend Long Beach.
Meanwhile, rumors swirled around the paddock going into Long Beach, that Daytona runners-up #19 Trading Paints Racing could possibly see some changes during the season, including the scenario of possibly planning to change back to the LMP2 class or moving some of its drivers to a new #019 LMP2 class entry. The team was unavailable for comment, whether there was any merit to the rumor.
In LMP2, Gowin Racing will try to follow its name once again
In LMP2, a full grid of 12 cars will tackle the street course on Saturday. Tri-State Racing have added a second entry, the #321 Dallara while Vice Motorsport make their return to the series, entering their #91 Dallara for the first time this season.
Daytona winners #18 Gowin Racing are off to the best possible start of the season and will look to keep the momentum going into the second of ten championship rounds. But Daytona runners-up #14 Fischer Motorsport and #123 Tri-State Racing who sit third in the championship, surely will have other ideas.
GT PRO sees full grid at Long Beach, joined by three BMW M4 GT3
GT PRO Daytona winners #992 DS Racing eSports Team will look to do the same and follow up their win with another at Long Beach. Last season Kinetic Racing started out the season winning the first three races of the year - will the Portugal team be able to follow suite?
RPM Racing’s #911 Porsche looked like strong contenders for the win late at Daytona, but after a late incident and post-race penalty, lost out on a shot at the top step on the podium. For the team, who has had a major impact atop the leaderboards since joining the series in January, Long Beach offers the next opportunity to put the competition on notice and perhaps break through to the winner’s circle this time around.
There was no BMW on the GT PRO grid at Daytona, but Texas Speed Sim Racing is a new name on the entry list for Long Beach, entering the #31 and #32 BMW M4 GT3. They will be joined by World Of SimRacing Team’s #151 BMW M4 GT3, who return from a one-race suspension, making for a more diverse GT PRO class in the second race of the year.
Screeching Moose Motorsports headlining GT AM - looking to roll on
In GT AM, all eyes will be on Screeching Moose Motorsports. After sweeping Daytona, winning both the Roar and the 24 Hours, everybody wonders: How will the competition react? Will the other GT AM teams step up to the plate or will Screeching Moose repeat as winners?
Vulture Motorsports have added a second entry, the #017 Ferrari 296 GT3, expanding to a two-car operation in the VSCA SportsCar Championship.
Missing from the grid will be the #53 KC Racing Ferrari. In their place, will be the #41 Lamborghini of Rookie Esports, as only the second Lamborghini on the entire grid.
Long Beach street circuit a mixture of unforgiving and alluring
With its unique flair, a street circuit in sunny California and Los Angeles area, with the alluring scenery of yachts lined up nearby, Long Beach is always a special race for many drivers, teams and fans.
At the same time, the narrow circuit with its hard concrete walls is brutally unforgiving and will punish even the slightest of mistakes.
A total of eleven turns, including turn eleven - the slowest of the entire VSCA calendar - will demand full concentration of all drivers.
If last year’s race is any indication, the MV Skinlab Grand Prix of Long Beach will come down to attrition more than outright speed. With four different classes battling for the same scarce real estate, traffic management is expected to be a critical factor in the race as well. With the shortest race length of only 100 minutes, the race also is unforgiving in that sense, teams will have little to no time to make up for mistakes.
GreenFlag TV will broadcast the event live, from start to finish on Saturday at 1550 GMT.
Related Links