4 to Watch: What You'll See at This Weekend's Grand Prix of Long Beach
The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach starts Friday and features five different types of cars and one group of flying pickups
By Jonathan Lloyd •
The first Grand Prix of Long Beach was in 1975. The cars have changed dramatically and there have been a few tweaks to the track since then, but the thrill of that roar on Shoreline Drive as the green flag drops remains the same.
It's one of four stories we're featuring today.
What You'll See at This Year's Grand Prix of Long Beach
Sunday's main event is the IndyCar Series race, a thrilling battle on the streets of Long Beach. But this year's Grand Prix of Long Beach weekend features three days of motorsports action, starting Friday, with five different groups of cars and one with Stadium Supertrucks. Here's a guide to the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.
Grand Prix of Long Beach
A look at some of the cars and trucks competing at the 2019 Grand Prix of Long Beach.
Grand Prix of Long Beach
IndyCar competitors round the hairpin turn at the 2018 Grand Prix of Long Beach. This is the most familiar type of car at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach and showcased in the weekend's main race.
John Bosma
Featured in Sunday's main event, the IndyCar competition features cars with a heavy dose of aerodynamic style.
Kevin Mak
IMSA competitors in the prototype class roar toward Turn 1 at the Grand Prix of Long Beach. Also known as the International Motor Sports Association, the world-class series features some of the weekend's most exciting races.
In addition to purpose-built prototype cars, IMSA also features production-based cars like the Ford GT, Corvette, BMWs and Porsches.
John Bosma
The Pirelli GT4 America races is Sunday. Audi, BMW, Chevy Camaro, Ford Mustang, McLaren 570S, Mercedes-AMG, Panoz Avezzano and Porsche Cayman are some of the names involved in the competitive series.
Grand Prix of Long Beach
Here's where things take a turn -- and a flying leap. In addition to IndyCar and sports car racing, the weekend features these Stadium Super Trucks. Ramps are set up along the Long Beach course, sending the trucks airborne in a sight like no other during the weekend.
Chicago Police Department
The Motegi Racing Super Drift Challenge is in turns 9, 10 and 11 at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. The objective is to put the car into a controlled power-slide and impress the judges. A well executed drift means the driver got as close as possible to markers set up on the turns. It's a test of car control that will be on display at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.
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Featuring historic cars from the 1970s and 1980s, this event turns back the clocks to a celebrated era of racing.
What the Eastern Sierra Snowpack Means for LA's Water Supply
In an average year, the LA Aqueduct provides about half of LA's total water supply. This wasn't your average year. Here's a look at what the most recent snowpack measurements in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains mean for Los Angeles' water supply.
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Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news.
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The search for a water supply that would meet the demands of a Los Angeles on the verge of a population boom led then-water superintendent William Mulholland hundreds of miles beyond the city to the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains.
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Snowmelt from the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains flowed into streams that emptied into the dry Owens Valley plain, where it was blocked by a section of lava flow. The challenge for Mulholland, as it is for many designing infrastructure in California, was one of topography.
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Mulholland's answer was an aqueduct that brought water from the Owens Valley and through the mountains north of Los Angeles to its thirsty residents. He had predicted LA's population would be almost 260,000 on the day the aqueduct began operation. It actually reached 485,000 by the time water began flowing in 1913.
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Diversion gates, seen here in the shadow of snow-blanketed mountains, channel the Owens River into the aqueduct canal for its journey south to Los Angeles.
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Water flows through the LA Aqueduct intake.
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The LA Aqueduct was completed after five years of construction in 1913. Here, workers are seen constructing a canal. More than 1 million barrels of cement were used to churn out 1.5 million cubic yards of concrete for aqueduct construction.
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The northern part of the aqueduct had about 60 miles of open canals, some of which were lined.
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Lined channels made up about 37 miles of the 223-mile long Los Angeles Aqueduct, most of which was concrete conduit
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One of the most significant features of the aqueduct is known as the Jawbone Siphon. It's an example of the riveted steel pipelines that cross deep and wide canyons along the aqueduct route. Considered one of the most challenging projects, the pressure siphon piping is made up of different diameters to help move water across vast stretches of the canyon.
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A team of mules hauls sections of pipe for the Jawbone Siphon in the Mojave Desert.
The steel pipe segments were supported by piers spaced at regular intervals along the aqueduct. Animal teams were used to haul materials to work sites.
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Jawbone Siphon stretches for more than 8,000 feet across the Mojave Desert southwest of Red Rock Canyon State Park.
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A view of workers constructing the Los Angeles Aqueduct.
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This split image shows the Elizabeth Tunnel in 2012 (left) and during construction. Workers bore through 604 in one month, setting a world record for hard rock tunneling. At more than five miles, the longest of the aqueduct's tunnels is about 15 miles west of Lancaster in northern Los Angeles County.
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People lined the Newhall Spillway in November 1913 for the dedication of the Los Angeles Aqueduct. During the ceremony, Mulholland said, "This rude platform is an altar, and on it we are here consecrating this water supply and dedicating the Aqueduct to you and your children and your children’s children-for all time. That’s all."
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Rows of camp housing provided shelter for workers during construction of the LA Aqueduct.
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Workers pose for a picture at one of the many camps that dotted the landscape during construction of the LA Aqueduct. Accident and death figures vary, but the 1916 "Complete Report on Construction of the Los Angeles Aqueduct," published by the city, placed the number of fatalities at 43.
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More than 140 tunnels that added up to more than 40 miles in length were blasted and drilled for the aqueduct system.
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Working conditions were extremely difficult, due in large part to the Mojave Desert region's extreme heat during summer and cold temperatures in the winter.
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Rail lines, roads and temporary housing were built for the project, most of which spans a remote region northeast of Los Angeles.
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The work force, which topped out at about 3,900, received food, housing and medical care.
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With snow-covered mountains in the background, workers stand on a dipper dredge used to excavate a section of aqueduct canal.
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A view of construction along the Los Angeles Aqueduct.
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Smoke billows from construction equipment used to shovel mounds of dirt for the bed of a canal.
Teen Sought After Escape From Juvenile Hall
Authorities were searching Friday for a teenage murder suspect who escaped from juvenile hall in Orange, where he had been held since allegedly stabbing his mother to death in 2017. Click here for updates on the search.
Burt Reynolds Estate Items Heading to Auction
Julien's Auctions will feature items from the actor's estate in mid-June. Those items include a 1979 Pontiac Trans Am powered by a 403 cubic inch motor. It was used by Reynolds in photo shoots and the Bandit Run cross country rally. Here are some of the items up for auction.
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Property from the Estate of Burt Reynolds will go to auction in Beverly Hills, via Julien's Auctions, on June 15 and 16, 2019. Pictured: 1979 Pontiac Trans Am powered by a 403 cubic inch motor. Used by Mr. Reynolds on numerous photo shoots and the Bandit Run cross country rally’s. Built by Bandit Movie Cars co-owned with his business partner Gene Kennedy and was the last Trans Am owned and driven by Burt Reynolds.
KPRC
Property from the Estate of Burt Reynolds will go to auction in Beverly Hills, via Julien's Auctions, on June 15 and 16, 2019. Pictured: 1979 Pontiac Trans Am powered by a 403 cubic inch motor. Used by Mr. Reynolds on numerous photo shoots and the Bandit Run cross country rally’s. Built by Bandit Movie Cars co-owned with his business partner Gene Kennedy and was the last Trans Am owned and driven by Burt Reynolds.
Julien's Auctions
"Cartouche," oil on canvas, signed lower right. This is a portrait of Burt Reynolds' favorite horse. Artist: OLAF WIEGHORST (Danish, 1899-1988)
EFE/Justice Department Texas
An oil on canvas portrait of Burt Reynolds. The verso inscribed with "Burt Reynolds," dated 1984.
Julien's Auctions
Three Western style armchairs with upholstered seats and backs, each with a "BR" monogram on the crest, each signed "Woodstock '76" on the back. (Detail pictured)
Julien's Auctions
A rustic oak tall case clock, no maker or serial number noted, given to Burt Reynolds from {Smokey and the Bandit} actor Jerry Reed.
Julien's Auctions
A colorful fiberglass piece made to resemble actual glass, sides read "Billiards" and "Pool," lower trim reads "Evening Shade," likely a gift to BR from someone associated with his CBS Television series that ran from 1990-1994; working condition unknown.
TELEMUNDO 31
A folding massage table by Master Massage Equipment. 32 by 72 by 29 inches
Julien's Auctions
A pair of red leather cowboy boots applied with Seminole Arrow decoration and engraved sterling and 14k gold BR arrowhead marked "D.A. Harris."
Julien's Auctions
A royal blue wool, notched lapels, single-breasted, two button front closure, two front welt pockets, blue velvet 'flame' adornment on front, sleeves, and back, eight sterling silver buttons stamped "Manuel," label reads "Designed For / Burt Reynolds / Manuel;" worn by the star in the 2017 A24 film as "Vic Edwards" when he first shows up to the film festival.
Julien's Auctions
A white felt-wool material, narrow white ribbon hatband, inner Stetson logo, brown leather inner band further stamped in part with Stet face make-up evident on inner band.
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An over-sized novelty wooden baseball bat inscribed in gold paint with "'THE MAN FROM LEFT FIELD' To.. Burt From... The Art Dept. -BEALA, BOBBY MIKE DANIELS. CARL & THE CREW/ MURPHY & STRIPER." 67 inches
Julien's Auctions
A group of three of monogrammed cufflink pairs; the first gold-and-silver-tone with panels reading "BR" (one R is missing), stamped "Hickok / U.S.A.;" the second gold-tone engraved "B.R.;" and the third royal blue enamel with a sterling silver "R" inlay, stamped in part "925." Property from the Estate of Burt Reynolds goes to auction in Beverly Hills on June 15 and 16.
