Cruisin' the Beach - at 180 mph - MotorSportsTalk

The famous 1.97-mile Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach circuit has a little bit of everything from long straights and 90 degree corners to tight braking areas that can create serious trouble. It’s a street circuit, so there will be no elevation changes for the drivers to navigate through like they did two weeks ago at Barber Motorsports Park, but there’s more than enough to keep drivers on their toes.

Turn 1 is the best area on the course to pass as it comes off the famous dog-leg frontstretch of Shoreline Drive, but it’s not the only passing zone. Turn 6’s location on the end of a short straight doesn’t give the drivers as much time to plot and execute a pass, so if one is not quick on the brakes, they’re liable to lose a spot if someone else is close by. Turn 9 can see a lot of jockeying for position as well.

There are also several tight spots on the circuit, chiefly the “Fountain” complex at Turns 2 and 3 and the famous Turn 11 hairpin, which is very critical to get right as it leads into the long blast down Shoreline Drive. Trouble in these corners can be very problematic, and could lead to stack-ups if there are multiple cars around.

Click above to go for a lap around this legendary track, and catch the 39th Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach this Sunday at 4 p.m. ET on the NBC Sports Network.

In a continuing effort to help fans keep track of the on track action, SuperMotocross is in the process of developing and implementing leader lights for the unified series.

Currently Supercross (SMX) utilizes stanchions in the infield that are triggered manually by a race official. At least two stanchions are used in each race as a way to draw the eye to the leader, which is especially useful in the tight confines of the stadium series when lapping often begins before the halfway mark in the 22-bike field. This system has been in place for the past two decades.

Later this year, a fully automated system will move to the bike itself to replace the old system. At that point, fans will be able to identify the leader regardless of where he is on track.

The leader lights were tested in the second Anaheim round this year. An example can be seen at the 1:45 mark in the video above on the No. 69 bike.

“What we don’t want to do is move too fast, where it’s confusing to people,” said Mike Muye, senior director of operations for Supercross and SMX in a press release. “We’ve really just focused on the leader at this point with the thought that maybe down the road we’ll introduce others.”

Scheduled to debut with the first SuperMotocross World Championship race at zMax Dragway, located just outside the Charlotte Motor Speedway, a 3D carbon fiber-printed LED light will be affixed to each motorcycle. Ten timing loops positioned around the track will trigger the lights of the leader, which will turn green.

SMX’s partner LiveTime Scoring helped develop and implement the system that has been tested in some form or fashion since 2019.

When the leader lights are successfully deployed, SuperMotocross will explore expanding the system to identify the second- and third-place riders. Depending on need and fan acceptance, more positions could be added.

SuperMotocross is exploring future enhancements, including allowing for live fan interaction with the lights and ways to use the lighting system during the race’s opening ceremony.

Cruisin’ the Beach – at 180 mph

SuperMotocross set to introduce Leader Lights beginning with the World Championship finals

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