Hinchcliffe, RHR to receive Long Beach Walk of Fame honors
Two Grand Prix of Long Beach winners, James Hinchcliffe and Ryan Hunter-Reay, will be inducted into the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame on Thursday, April 13, ahead of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach NTT INDYCAR SERIES race from April 14-16.
Hinchcliffe and Hunter-Reay will be inducted during a free, open-to-the-public ceremony at 11 a.m. PT in front of the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center on South Pine Avenue. During the ceremony, each will unveil a 22-inch bronze medallion featuring renditions of their iconic cars and descriptions of their major achievements, permanently enshrining their contributions to motorsports on the Walk of Fame.
Toronto-born Hinchcliffe won in 2017 at Long Beach and finished third in 2012. He was the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Rookie of the Year in 2011 and got his first INDY NXT win at Long Beach in 2010. He is now an INDYCAR commentator for NBC.
“I thought Jim had the wrong email!” Hinchcliffe said about being notified by Grand Prix Association of Long Beach President and CEO Jim Michaelian. “Seriously, it’s such a huge honor. This race is one of my favorites, if not the favorite, on the calendar and has been for a long, long time. That email was one of the best things I could have gotten; the list of the people on it are some of my heroes. It’s a huge, huge honor. Winning Long Beach in 2017 was a really special moment.”
Hunter-Reay, from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, took the Long Beach checkered flag in 2010 and later won the 2012 INDYCAR SERIES championship and the 2014 Indianapolis 500 during an outstanding career that spanned 19 seasons and included 18 wins and 72 top-five finishes.
“The Grand Prix of Long Beach has essentially been a cornerstone of my racing career,” Hunter-Reay said. “What an honor it is to be inducted into the Walk of Fame. This circuit has always been one that suited me naturally. The best all-around street course in the world, no doubt. My wife, Beccy, and I got engaged during the 2009 race weekend. The highlight on track was dedicating my 2010 win to my Mom, Lydia, who lost her battle with cancer late 2009, and Long Beach was her favorite race of the season.”
After the ceremony, Hinchcliffe and Hunter-Reay will sign autographs. For more information, visit lbmotorsportswof.com.
