By: Ashley McCubbin

Alexander Rossi. Colton Herta. Josef Newgarden. Kyle Kirkwood. These are the last four drivers to visit victory lane on the streets of Long Beach. Each of them are quite capable of making it happen once again, but there will be 23 drivers in the field trying to stop them from doing so.

Kyle Kirkwood picked up the victory last season with Andretti Autosport, which was much better than placing seventh like he did at Thermal Club for the $1 million dollar challenge. With having scored a 10th in 2022 alongside that victory, there was only one driver with a better average finish (5.5) than him in California.

Would it surprise anybody to learn Alex Palou has the best average finish? Probably not, considering he has been the most dominant force in the series lately. His average of fourth comes after scoring a top-five in each Grand Prix of Long Beach ran, with three of those total to his credit. The defending series champion also has all the momentum, after a dominating performance en route to picking up the checkered flag at Thermal.

Josef Newgarden picked up the checkered flag in 2023 on the streets of Long Beach, and enters this weekend as the points leader after winning the season opening Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Although he failed to score a top-10 in his first trips to Long Beach, he has finished no worse than 10th in the eight trips that followed with four podiums finishes.

Patricio O’Ward was the man who placed second to Newgarden on the streets of Florida, which is no surprise as he has become a driver to watch in recent seasons. Except when it comes to Long Beach, with just a single top-10 (fifth in 2022) in his four trips to California.

Colton Herta secured the win in 2022 on the streets of Long Beach, and could easily be a threat to win considering the drive he put together through the field to place fourth in the $1 million dollar challenge following a fifth at St. Petersburg. It is worth nothing he’s feast or famine at Long Beach, though, with a pair of results outside the top-20 to go with a win and fourth.

Scott McLaughlin was part of the conversation for the win at Thermal Challenge as well, scoring a runner-up performance following his third in St. Petersburg. His finishes on the streets of Long Beach, though, aren’t much to write about being 11th, 14th, and 10th.

Alexander Rossi picked up the victory on the streets of Long Beach in 2019, matching his 2018 triumph. In total, his second appearances at Long Beach have netted him an average finish of 11th with four top-10 finishes. His first two events for 2024, by the way, have netted results of eighth and seventh.

As you read this, there should be a growing theme – Andretti Autosport. Four different winners recently, but a trio of those wins have gone to Michael Andretti’s outfit. In fact, they have won four of the last five if you count Rossi’s victory in 2018. Marcus Ericsson hopes to join his teammates as a winner, and has the ability to do so after placing third last season with Chip Ganassi Racing. He could use a good performance as mechanical issues took him out of the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.