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LONG BEACH (CNS) - The three-day 48th Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach begins Friday with qualifying and practice sessions, the start of the drifting competition and a concert by the Mexican American DJ act Boombox Cartel.
A practice session for Sunday's featured IndyCar race will be from 3 to 4:15 p.m. on the 1.97-mile, 11-turn street circuit surrounding the Long Beach Convention Center. An autograph session for IndyCar drivers will be conducted from 4:55 to 5:55 p.m. in the IndyCar paddock, open to all spectators.
Friday's action will begin with a practice session for the Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup from 7:45 to 8:15 a.m. A second practice session will be from 11:15 to 11:55 a.m., with qualifying for Saturday and Sunday's 40-minute races set for 4:30 to 5 p.m.
Drivers will race identically prepared road-based Porsche 911 GT3 cup cars.
Practices for the IMSA sports car races will be from 9 to 10 a.m. and 12:45 to 2:30 p.m., with qualifying set for 5:10 to 6 p.m.
A practice for Saturday and Sunday's Historic F1 Challenge race of Formula One cars from the 1970s and 1980s, including many which raced in Long Beach when it was part of the Formula 1 circuit from 1976-83, will be from 10:15 to 10:35 a.m.
A practice session for Saturday and Sunday's super trucks races will be from 12:10 to 12:30 p.m.
The Boombox Cartel concert will begin at approximately 6:30 p.m. on the plaza in front of the Long Beach Performing Arts Center adjacent to the Long Beach Convention Center and is free to Friday race ticket holders.
The initial part of the drifting competition will be from 7 to 8:30 p.m., following a practice session from 6:30 to 6:50 p.m.
In drifting, drivers intentionally maneuver their cars into controlled sideways slides at high speeds through a marked course, with a judging panel determining the winner based on execution and style.
The final portion will be from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday.
Gates will open at 7:30 a.m.
Saturday's schedule features qualifying for the IndyCar race and a concert by the hard rock super group Kings of Chaos with a scheduled lineup of vocalists Corey Taylor, Lzzy Hale, Rome and Corey Glover, guitarists Gilby Clarke, Billy Duffy, Vernon Reid, Brent Woods, bass guitarist James LoMenzo and drummer Sorum.