Sun, Sand and Formula One

Article by Ben Kuhl
Photos by Ben Kuhl and Jonathan Wright

Step into your time machine of choice and transport yourself back to the mid-seventies. Gerald Ford was president, The Eagles had just released their Greatest Hits album, America was in the midst of a fuel crisis and Formula One was stating its short yet impactful stint at the Long Beach Grand Prix circuit in Long Beach California. The west most American Grand Prix event would see Regazzoni, Andretti, Reutemann, Villeneuve, Piquet, Jones, Lauda, and Watson fight and win at the bumpy and challenging street circuit that kicked things off in 1967.

Now fast forward back to present day, April 14^th-16^th to the Acura Long Beach Grand Prix where IndyCar and IMSA host their respective races on Saturday and Sunday. Tagging along with these current series the past few years has been a vintage run group with the likes of Trans-Am, Formula Atlantic, and GTP/Group C all having run in previous years. But it would be hard to argue if any could hold a candle to nearly twenty vintage Formula One classics getting their chance to thunder around the current Grand Prix circuit in a truly amazing spectacle of sight and sound.

In 1975, the equally enticing Formula A/Formula 5000 series ran the Long Beach Grand Prix being soon followed up by Formula One who would run the United States Grand Prix West from 1976 to 1983 with a track that utilized much of the current layout but included hopping up to the main Boulevard and used more of Shoreline Drive to create an even longer layout. 1983 would see Rosberg and Laffite with Williams challenging the Ferrari’s of Tambay and Arnoux, in 2023 it would be Porsche ace Patrick Long on track with current McLaren head honcho Zak Brown competing in period correct cars; WILD.

Top Left: Zak Brown in his TAG 1982 Williams FW 08, on Racer’s Planet. Middle Right: Sean Allen’s 1976 Shadow looked as fast in the paddock as it was on the track. Bottom Left: Chris Locke in his venerable 1977 John Player Lotus spurred memories of Mario Andretti in his timeless prime. Bottom Right: Gray Gregory was quick and precise in his 1976 March 761.

Few would be surprised to learn that for much of the weekend, Porsche wheel man Patrick Long set the pace in a 1983 Williams FW 08C, with the experienced driver having set more laps around Long Beach than anyone else in class. But not far behind, Steve Romak (1976 March 761), Cal Meeker (1979 Tyrrell 009), Danny Baker (1976 McLaren M23) and Tim DeSilva (1982 Alfa Romeo 182) put on an incredible display of race craft with all setting lap times within seconds of each other during Saturday’s flag race in close proximity to each other, and the unforgiving walls of Long Beach. The top 10 finishers from the Saturday and Sunday races are as follows:

There is something supremely surreal about getting to be up close to period correct Formula One cars on a street circuit such as Long Beach, the American equivalent to Monaco. The piercing sounds of DFV’s being driven well and not babied around moves through you as the sounds reverberate off the walls. The cars were unique in shape and engineering mentality with liveries that transport you back to the time when cigarette companies competed to prove who had the healthiest product and Mansell’s mustache was so firm you could do pull-ups from it. The buzz around the fence from spectators captivated all and no doubt brought back memories from those where there when these cars ran in true anger.

If anything, it helps connect current IMSA and IndyCar fans to the draw of vintage racing and as well shows owners of valuable vintage cars of where they belong… on the track. Zak Brown knows and shows this being someone who would be fully within his rights to keep his incredibly valuable cars in a museum. But instead, he chooses to drive his own 1980 Williams FW07 which is the same exact car Alan Jones piloted to win at Long Beach some forty-three years ago. How can you not be romantic about racing?