Tammy Johnson and Martin Bannon are two key members of the Grand Prix on Long Beach. For Tammy, a three-decade run as the Director of Ticket Sales has made her a key fixture of the event, often serving as the first interaction for many event newcomers. With a profound ability to guide and customize the experience for nearly 200,000 people, Tammy’s role in making the event an experience for everyone is unmatched. When it comes to the sponsorship sales and marketing, however, Martin Bannon’s nearly 40-year role with the organization has also been a stable force in the event’s sustainability. Cultivating partnerships and maintaining relationships through the decades, Martin is uniquely qualified to discuss the trials and tribulations of fulfilling sponsor obligations on a track that is built and torn down every year. This is of course a complimentary episode to our “Dinner with Racers” video series on MotorTrend’s YouTube and MotorTrend+ streaming, where you can see the story unfold in a two-part special. Tammy’s lunch was served at Phil Trani’s in Long Beach, while Martin’s was served at King Taco, both with the song “Driving Cars onto Mars” by MILANO taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire and Acura for making it all happen.
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Davey Carillo and Crandall Dickinson are two key members of Long Beach’s construction team. It’s hard to watch the race on TV, or even visit in person, and have any clue just what kind of challenges a temporary facility built on city streets of a busy downtown can create, and these two provide a great insight into just what it takes. This is of course a complimentary episode to our “Dinner with Racers” video series on MotorTrend’s YouTube and MotorTrend+ streaming, where you can see the story unfold in a two-part special. Lunch was served at Guadalupe’s Mexican Grill in Long Beach, CA, with the song “How the Story Goes” by Ge Filter Fish taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire and Acura for making it all happen.
If there is one name who’s routinely given credit for making sure the actual event of Long Beach happens, it’s Dwight Tanaka. A long-time member of the family, Dwight is the Director of Operations for the Grand Prix, but that title doesn’t do justice to the all-knowing and all-powerful Dwight who orchestrates everything it takes to put the weekend together. Now a family affair, Dwight’s son Jake has been a member of the organization since he was volunteered to work for his Dad at a young age. Now one of the senior members of the team, Jake is another instrumental part of the organization, for which he’s rewarded during race weekend by being a pace car driver. This is of course a complimentary episode to our “Dinner with Racers” video series on MotorTrend’s YouTube and MotorTrend+ streaming, where you can see the story unfold in a two-part special. Dinner was served at 555 East Steakhouse in Long Beach, CA, with the song “It’s Going Down” by SOURWAH taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire and Acura for making it all happen.
One of the most colorful characters in the whole city, John Morris may not be a traditional “racer,” but he’s a perfect fit to tell the history of the city. A serial entrepreneur and one of the most prominent restaurant and bar owners in the area, John was the driving force behind some of the first downtown restaurants and bars through the decades, including Legends Sports Bars which was notorious through the years. Currently, John owns a seaside restaurant known as Boathouse on the Bay, where he comfortably tells stories like no others. This is of course a complimentary episode to our “Dinner with Racers” video series on MotorTrend’s YouTube and MotorTrend+ streaming, where you can see the story unfold in a two-part special. Lunch was served at Boathouse on the Bay in Long Beach, with the song “So Good” by Orkas taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire and Acura for making it all happen.
One of the key members since Year One, Jim Michaelian went from a kid with an MBA helping out in finance, to the current President and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach. From boots on the ground at the beginning, to steering the ship today, Jim is uniquely qualified to know both the history of the event and the challenges that face the Grand Prix today. This is of course a complimentary episode to our “Dinner with Racers” video series on MotorTrend’s YouTube and MotorTrend+ streaming, where you can see the story unfold in a two-part special. Dinner was served via pizza we ordered in to the Grand Prix offices in Long Beach, CA, with the song “Something New” by Castle Heist taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire and Acura for making it all happen.
When it comes to the story of building Long Beach, the first episode has to go to the event creator, Chris Pook. A known figure for a number of motorsport ventures, including running CART for some time, Chris’s wild idea to hold a street race in the California port city of Long Beach in 1974 was the start of tradition that continued today. Hailing from the UK and working as a long-time Long Beach resident, Chris’s path to creating the event was anything but smooth, with the detailed story in this podcast. This is of course a complimentary episode to our “Dinner with Racers” video series on MotorTrend’s YouTube and MotorTrend+ streaming, where you can see the story unfold in a two-part special. Lunch was served at 555 East Steakhouse in Long Beach, CA, with the song “I Got Me” by Jane & The Boy taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire and Acura for making it all happen.
Brad Sweet’s legend in the dirt world is only growing by the year, having just won his fourth straight World of Outlaws title. Growing up on the dirt tracks of California, Brad is a true racer’s racer, earning opportunities purely off of his talent and being paid exclusively in prize money, ultimately leading to his current reputation as arguably the best winged sprint car driver of the modern era. Beyond his current success, Brad also enjoyed spells in different NASCAR ranks, and is now co-found of SLC Promotions with his brother-in-law Kyle Larson, where they promote multiple race tracks and events, as well as the upcoming High Limit Sprint Car Series, beginning in 2023. Lunch was served at Brad’s home in Placerville, CA, with the song “Daddy’s Daughter” by The Ghosts of Liberty taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire and Acura for making it all happen.
If you’ve watched INDYCAR or IMSA on NBC in recent years, then you’ve already heard the sultry sounds of broadcaster Kevin Lee. A Hoosier through and through, Kevin grew up with a fondness for the radio broadcast of the Indianapolis 500, which always stayed with him as he pursued additional sports broadcasting paths. His openness to opportunities of all kind have led to him to work in the NFL, NBA, WNBA, NCAA, and ultimately what we know him for, as one of the foremost reporters in our sport, be it the booth, the pits, or mentoring his son Jackson’s burgeoning career. Dinner was served at Stone Creek in Plainfield, IN, with the song “Zooming Skywards” by Carlie Fairburn taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire and Acura for making it all happen.
Chances are you already know him, but Bob(by) Rahal is a true INDYCAR legend. Raised by a Lebanese family with a passion for racing, Bob transitioned from garage racer making do with what he could, to becoming a sportscar winner that found his way into IndyCar competition, where he’d achieve his biggest highlights: three IndyCar championships and the 1986 Indy 500. This eventually led to the creation of his own team, now known as Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL), which continues to win in IndyCar as well as the IMSA ranks with BMW. Dinner was served at Steak 44 in Carmel, IN, with the song “Music” by Assaf Ayalon taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire and Acura for making it all happen.
If you’re a fan of the 2000’s era of ChampCar, then you know Mario Dominguez, or at least you think you do. With one of the most, errr, unique stories in coming up through the Mexican junior ranks, Mario went from a karting national champion, to a Russell School scholarship winner, to driving for some Mexico’s most questionable race teams. Persevering through a diverse range of challenges, Mario’s career was highlighted with multiple wins in ChampCar, and no shortage of stories from the era. Lunch was served by Mario at his home in Mexico City, yes Mexico City, with the song “Flix” by Vic Savage taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire and Acura for making it all happen.
Continuing our tradition of unsung heroes behind the wall, Chris Willes is a consummate tinkerer whose engineering and head for innovation has led him to working on a number of cool sportscar programs, from creating factory-killer Trans Am cars to championship-winning TCR efforts, Chris is one of those guys who can work within the means of a program to turn around incredible results. Equally noteworthy, Chris’ career got off to an amazing start out of college, being involved from the ground-up in one of the sport’s most heralded program, the Nissan GTP cars during IMSA’s 1980’s era. Chris has recorded all of these great memories into his book, “Developing a Champion: The Electramotive Nissan GTP Story,” available at www.chriswillesautoracingbooks.com. Lunch was served at Pacific Coast Grill in Cardiff, CA, with the song “Its Not Your Fault” by Yotam Ben Horin taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire and Acura for making it all happen.
If you think you know Townsend Bell because you’ve seen him on TV, you don’t know Townsend Bell. Here in 2022 he’s known as one of the booth commentators for the NTT INDYCAR Series, but the crazy adventure he’s been on starting as just a kid in San Francisco is unlike any other. From the most elaborate “trade” we’ve ever heard to get into racing school, to fighting his way through the Indy Lights, F3000, and eventually IndyCar ranks, Townsend truly defines tenacity. We promise you, this is one to listen to because you likely have no idea just how hard he pushed to make his career a reality. Dinner was served at Townsend’s house in the Pacific Palisades, CA, with the song “No More Empty Glasses” by ATELLER taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire and Acura for making it all happen.
John Morton would fit in our legends category. If you’ve seen “Ford vs. Ferrari” then you’ve heard of the legends of Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles. Well, John Morton’s first job was with Carroll Shelby, and his CO-DRIVER was Ken Miles… so the guy’s been around. A class winner at Le Mans, a winner of millions of touring/GT races with Datsun and Nissan, John was the quintessential sportscar driver from the 1960’s through 1980’s, and he has no shortage of crazed stories to go with it. Lunch was served at the Metro Cafe in El Segundo, CA, with the song “Friend to the End” by Gabe Price taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire and Acura for making it all happen.
When it comes to Touring Car legends, there is no bigger name than Andy Priaulx. Growing up in the small island of Guernsey, an island between the England and France, Andy went through an insane career and financing path to go through the junior ranks and eventually land a ride in a factory BMW within the now-defunct World Touring Car Championship. The WTC became Andy’s staple, winning four World Titles, as well as driving in DTM and Ford’s renowned GTE program. He’s also our first MBE for his charitable efforts in the UK. Dinner was served at Ronin Sushi in Daytona Beach, FL, with the song “Blanket” by Van Stee taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire and Acura for making it all happen.
Continuing our run of sportscar staples, Graham Goodwin joins us a journalist/commentator who’s become the standard. Beginning his career as a Press Officer for the British government, Graham is an example of someone who grew to pursue his passion later in life, ultimately becoming the main guy dailysportscar.com, one of the industry leading sites for sportscar news, as well as a commentator and podcast host. Recognized by DwR who just fundamentally “gets it,” Graham is phenomenal at explain his own career and the state of he sport. Lunch was served at the Peach Valley Cafe in Ormond Beach, FL, with the song “Bring it Back” by Notize taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire and Acura for making it all happen.
Oliver Jarvis is yet another staple of the global sportscar scene. Born in the UK, Oliver was a standout in junior formula racing, winning the Autosport Young Driver Award and eventually the hyper prestigious Macau Grand Prix in Formula 3. Finding a career in sportscars, Oliver’s biggest successes came as an Audi factory driver, where stints in LMP1, DTM and beyond led to wins at Le Mans and no shortage of other accolades. Note: At the time of recording he was with Meyer Shank Racing and Acura, however he has since moved on from the program. Dinner was served at Bland Mediterranean Grill in Ormond Beach, FL, with the song “Hahaha” by Hey Judy taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire and Acura for making it all happen.
René Rast is largely considered one of the greatest sportscar drivers of the modern era. Hailing from Germany, René grew up in the traditional European junior ranks before finding his way into the famed Porsche Supercup, eventually launching him on a career path that would lead to a factory ride with Audi Sport, and with wins at Daytona, Spa, Nurburgring, and most notably THREE DTM CHAMPIONSHIPS IN FOUR YEARS. Note: At the time of recording he was with Audi, however he has since been named to BMW’s factory squad as well as McLaren in Formula E. Lunch was served at Dancing Avocado in Daytona Beach, FL, with the song “Crossbow” by OK Otter taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire and Acura for making it all happen.
A special announcement on the future of the “Dinner with Racers” video series…
With the Winter Olympics upon us, we figured we’d bring you another World Champion…. a figure skating World Champion. Six-time National Champion, Three-time Olympian and 1996 World Champion Todd Eldredge is not only one of the greatest American skaters in the sport’s history, but he’s a racer. A lifelong motorsport fan, he knows his stuff about the sport, burned through a few cars during track days, and is even an avid sim racer including DwR’s “Thursday Night Blunder.” In this episode, we get in to the weeds of ice skating for those interested, getting in to the complicated details and offering some cautionary tales analogous to sportscar. Dinner was served at Gracias Madre in Irvine, CA, with the song “Winter Dress” by Humming House taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire and Acura and for making it all happen.
Enjoying a long-lasting and diverse career, Scott Sharp went from a staple of Trans-Am, to a staple of IndyCar, to finishing his career in the IMSA ranks. Most importantly, he won in all of them… a lot. A true American racing icon, Scott’s ability in the car is only matched by his relationship and business acumen outside of it, which has helped him maintain some of the longest running sponsorships in the sport, and even running his own racing team. Lunch was served at Sailor’s Return in Stuart, FL, with the song “Layaway” by Chief Keef & T-Shyne taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire, Acura and Valvoline for making it all happen.
Jack Hewitt is unlike any other in the sport, which is probably for the better? A dirt track legend, Jack has no shortage of accolades in different dirt track categories, including winning the famed Triple Crown and being the first to win all four categories in one night at the Four Crown Nationals. He’s probably most know, however, for his mouth. You’ll have to listen to understand Dinner was served at Three Bananas in Crescent City, FL with the song “Bad” by Royal Deluxe taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire, Acura and Valvoline for making it all happen.
Again, do we need to describe Helio Castroneves. The most recent inductee to the famed Indianapolis 500 four-timers club, Helio is one of the true legends of IndyCar and racing as a whole, not just for his winning on-track, but his inviting personality off of it. We also learn it’s 100% real, and he gets to a level of candidness we honestly hadn’t expected. Lunch was served at Canoe in Atlanta, GA with the song “Chasin” by Kairo taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire, Acura and Valvoline for making it all happen.
It’s Ken Schrader, do we really need to explain? This guy has literally driven, and won, in just about everything. Beginning in the midwest short track scene, he won big in USAC before pursuing a career in NASCAR, where he drove for such legends as Elmo Langley, The Wood Brothers, and of course Hendrick Motorsports. Even in his 70’s, “Kenny” is still at it today racing what seems like 100 times a week, to the point it’s taken us three years to make this happen. Dinner was provided by Sorellis Italian Restaurant and eaten in Kenny’s Shop in Dittmer, MO with the song “Broken Cowboy” by Jesse Woods taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire, Acura and Valvoline for making it all happen.
If you like winners, like his boss Chip, then you’ll like Chris Simmons. A stronger driver in his own right throughout the junior open wheel and USAC ranks, Chris Simmons successfully transitioned from a promising open wheel driving talent to one of the best engineers in the history of the sport, having worked with a number of drivers like Tony Kanaan, Paul Tracy, and Dan Wheldon to winning about 300 INDYCAR championships at Chip Ganassi Racing with Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon, where he now serves as the Director of Performance. Dinner was served at Tegry Bistro in Indianapolis, IN with the song “Can’t Bring Me Down” by Stone Caskets. Thanks again to Continental Tire, Acura and Valvoline for making it all happen.
One of the most legendary engineers in INDYCAR, Michael Cannon has endured a nearly 40-year career as a driver, mechanic, engineer, most notably working with a number of legendary teams including Forsythe Racing, Dale Coyne and Chip Ganassi Racing, and drivers like AJ Allmendinger, Patrick Carpentier, Alex Palou, Scott Dixon and more. Dinner was served at Tegry Bistro in Indianapolis, IN with the song “Can’t Bring Me Down” by Stone Caskets. Thanks again to Continental Tire, Acura and Valvoline for making it all happen.
The reigning 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion, Alex Palou has burst on to the American open wheel scene as a major force, beating all of the legends including his own teammate in Scott Dixon. Hailing from Catalonia, Alex’s career has been anything but linear and traditional, growing up with modest means and crossing the European and Japanese ranks to get here. Lunch was served at Juniper on Main in Carmel, IN with the song “Lucha by The Shears taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire, Acura and Valvoline for making it all happen.