Here are a few tips from Grand Prix insiders to get the most out of your race experience.
Go Cheap
Free general admission tickets for Friday's qualifying races are available through a variety of sponsors. Check with Toyota dealers near you and other sponsors to see if they have free tickets. A test drive may be required.Sunday Seating
If you're going general admission on Sunday, be there when the gates open if you want to get a good seat. Sunday is the only day you really need a reserved seat if you're not there first thing.Best General Admission Seats
Grandstand 7 at turn 6 has the best views of all the general admission seating areas. You can see more different spots on the track from here so you see more of the race. Grandstands 5 and 6 are good too, but you don't have the cars in view all the way up Pine Avenue the way you do from 7. Check the Grand Prix Circuit Map.Sunday Only is not Only for Sunday
Grandstands marked Sunday Only are reserved for General Admission ticket holders who have Sunday Only tickets – on Sunday. On Friday and Saturday, any General Admission ticket holder can sit there, whether you have a Friday or Saturday Only ticket or a 3-day ticket.Super Photo Tickets
If you're a photo buff who's more concerned with getting great track shots than having a place to sit, the 3-day Super Photo Ticket for $250 gets you access to 4 exclusive shooting zones with clear track views – marked with a green star on the Grand Prix Circuit Map - as well as a garage pass and limited pit access. What you might not have is a seat. These are NOT the same areas where the media photographers will be set up. Check the website for Super Photo Ticket Restrictions.Best Seat on the Course
If money is no object, the $795 3-day Shoreline Pit Lane Club gets you a reserved seat in an elevated canopy above the Pit Lane with closed circuit TV monitors, full open bar and continental breakfast all three days, snacks Friday, fine dining Saturday and Sunday, a souvenir package and one parking pass for every two tickets. You also get Bosch Champ Car Garage access and limited Pit access at posted times. Limit 8 per group.Check Out the View
Sometimes it's hard to tell from the descriptions and even from the Circuit Map, what the view will look like from any given seating area. To help you figure out where you want to sit, I wandered around and took photos from different grandstands, from the Super Photo stands and from track-side bars and restaurants. They wouldn't let me into the suites, but I'll show you what they look like in the Long Beach Grand Prix Seating GalleryFor more Grand Prix Resources, visit my Long Beach Grand Prix Guide.
Grand Prix Photo Galleries
Long Beach Grand Prix Race PhotosGrand Prix Drifting Challenge Photos
Long Beach Grand Prix Fun Photos
Grand Prix 2007 Celebrity Race Photos
2007 Grand Prix Driver Autograph Session Photos
This information was accurate at the time of publication. Please check with venues for the most current information.
