How to watch Long Beach’s IMSA sports cars: schedule, TV information, streaming, start times, and more

For Ricky Taylor, the conclusion of the IMSA Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach last year was very forgettable.

The No. 10 Acura ARX-06 driver, however, is excited to be back on Southern Californian streets for the race this Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET (USA and Peacock), owing to the enduring power of memory.

“I’m really excited to be going back because I remember my first feeling after the race last year was, “Gosh, I wish I could try this again,” said Taylor, who crashed with two laps remaining while trying to chase down the lead. “And you don’t get a second chance in motorsports. So going back this year, it’s like I’ve been thinking about that moment for a year now and finally get a chance to go erase it from my memory — hopefully this year.

Perhaps the most aggressive move last year was the pit stop of the winning No. 6 Porsche 963. After the sixth qualifying round, the duo of Mathieu Jamiento and Nick Tandy completed his 100-minute race without changing tires, giving Porsche Penske the victory. Motorsport since the German automaker returned to the top class of prototypes.

With another win comes another milestone for Porsche (Porsche is aiming for 600 IMSA wins, Team Penske is aiming for 100th pole position and 100th sports car victory).

But with Michelin returning to Long Beach with softer tires, Porsche Penske Motorsports Managing Director Jonathan Diouguid said the team’s strategy for 2023 “less likely. I’m not going to say it’s completely off the table because in the previous two years, Long Beach has been relatively caution-free.

“But I think with the street course, and we have two additional GTP cars relative to where we were last year, so it’s up to 10, and more GT cars than we had last year, so I think the traffic is going to be more of a concern, but I think anything’s on the table, and you’ll see people deploying whatever they can to get track position at a tight circuit. So I wouldn’t say it’s off the table. I think cars completing the race on one set of tires is probably unlikely, but I think there’ll be other tire strategies at play.”

Through the first two races of this season, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is developing into a Porsche vs. Acura fight, much like the last laps of Long Beach last year.

After winning the season-opening Rolex 24 at Daytona, another Porsche Penske Motorsports entry, the No. 7 963 of Felipe Nasr and Dane Cameron, ranks in the Grand Touring Prototype points standings. Lined up with Wayne Taylor Racing Andretti’s No. 7 963. Louis Deletraz and Jordan Taylor’s 40 ARX-06 won the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring with Colton Herta.

Both wins were the first for GTP cars, which introduced hybrid engines to IMSA’s top class last season. Sebring was also the first win since the Taylor-Andretti partnership, and Jordan Taylor’s first win since reuniting with his father and brother after four years in a Corvette GT.

After his five years away from racing prototypes on the extremely grueling 11-turn, 1,968-mile track, Taylor honed his traffic management skills through his simulation races at Long Beach. He also took mental notes while re-watching the final race, noting that in the past few years of LBGP, his only one pit stop required for driver change and refueling was a sprint in his race. We believe that we have also diligently researched strategies that are not so simple.

“If you have a bad qualifying and you’re at the back, it’s so hard to pass that there’s no point in kind of running that simple strategy,” Taylor said. “When you’re at the back, you can take those chances, and sometimes it pays off and sometimes it doesn’t. So hopefully we have a good qualifying, and it’s a simple strategy for us to kind of keep it out front, but you never know. Driver, tires, fuel — everything can make or break it. So yeah, everyone’s been doing their homework ahead of time for this one.”

Ricky Taylor expects more tire wear. “there’s definitely going to be people trying different stuff. There’s quite a bit of room to play. And I think for one stop, it’s going to be pretty exciting what people do. ”

Hopefully not too thrilling for him this time, though he won’t completely rule out making another audacious try to win.

Here are the details for the IMSA Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach (all times are Eastern Time):

2024 IMSA Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach

• When: Saturday, April 20th, 4:35 p.m.
• Distance: California The 100-minute race is held on a 1.968-mile, 11-turn road course in Long Beach, WA.
• Forecast: Green flag is expected to be 69 degrees with a 0% chance of precipitation, according to Wunderground.com.
• Entry List: Click here for 27 spots in his two categories (GTP, GTD) for the IMSA Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.
• Qualifying: Friday, April 19, 7:55 p.m. ET (IMSA.tv and Peacock broadcast)

Race Broadcast

TV: The IMSA Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach will be broadcast on USA Network and streamed on Peacock starting at 4:30 p.m. and. (Peacock will broadcast all events of his 2024 IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car His Championship from flag to flag. Click here for Peacock sign-up information.)

Lee -Diffie is the announcer along with analyst Calvin Fish. Marty Snyder and Dillon Welch will serve as pit reporters.

Radio: All sessions will be streamed live on his IMSA.com and RadioLeMans.com. SiriusXM live coverage of the race begins Saturday, April 20th at 4:30 p.m. (Sirius Channel 211, XM 206, Web/App 996)

Long Beach Grand Prix Daily Schedule

Thursday, April 18th

• 5-7 p.m.: Track walk

Friday, April 19th

• 10:45-11:15 a.m.: GT America practice
• Noon-1 p.m.: IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship practice
• 1:15-1:35 p.m.: Historic Motor Sports Association practice
• 2:30-3 p.m.: GT America practice
• 3:15-3:35 p.m.: Stadium Super Trucks practice/qualifying
• 3:50-5:20 p.m.: IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship practice
• 5:50-7:05 p.m.: IndyCar practice
• 7:25-7:40 p.m.: GT America qualifying
• 8-8:50 p.m.: IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship qualifying
• 9:30-9:50: p.m.: Super Drift practice
• 10-11:30 p.m.: Super Drift Challenge Race 1

Saturday, April 20th

• 10:40-11 a.m.: Historic Motor Sports Association practice
• 11:25 a.m.-12:25 p.m.: IndyCar practice
• 1:40-2 p.m.: Historic Motor Sports Association Race 1
• 2:25-3:55 p.m.: IndyCar qualifying
• 4:35 p.m.: IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach (100 minutes, USA and Peacock)
• 7-7:30 p.m.: Stadium Super Trucks Race 1
• 7:45-8;25 p.m.: GT America Race 1
• 9:30-9:50 p.m.: Super Drift practice
• 10-11:30 p.m.: Super Drift Challenge Race 2