Jim Michaelian, founder and president of the Long Beach Grand Prix, dies at 83
Jim Michaelian, a race car driver who helped launch the annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, has died. He was 83 years old.
Grand Prix Asson. of Long Beach confirmed his death Saturday, just weeks before this year’s race, scheduled for April 17-19.
Michaelian joined the Grand Prix Assn. of Long Beach in 1975, a fledgling race at the time, and grew it into one of the world’s most famous racing events. The annual three-day event draws thousands of race car enthusiasts and brings tens of millions of dollars to the city of Long Beach.
“Jim was the leader of a small, passionate team that believed in the idea of bringing elite open-wheel competition to Long Beach in the 1970s,” Roger Penske, chairman of the Penske Corporation, said in a statement. “His vision and energy for this great event remained boundless for 50 years.”
Penske Entertainment received the Grand Prix Assn. in Long Beach in 2024.
Michaelian was a competitive sports car racer for over 25 years, competing in endurance events at tracks including Le Mans, Daytona Beach, Nürburgring, Dubai and Sebring in Florida. He told The Times in 2019 that he was still racing sports cars at the age of 76.
“As long as I can achieve a certain level of success, I will continue to do it until they tell me I can’t do it anymore,” he said.
A native of Monterey Park, Michaelian (pronounced meh-KAY-lee-un) graduated from UCLA with a bachelor’s degree in physics. But he focused on business and went on to get an MBA there. Driven by his passion for motor racing, Michaelian ended up talking to the staff of the Long Beach Grand Prix.
He served as the organization’s controller and chief operating officer before being named president and chief executive officer in 2001. During his 51-year tenure, Michaelian transformed Long Beach into a premier stop in the auto racing world.
A variety of races are run over the course of three days on the city’s beaches, culminating in the big league IndyCar Series race on Sunday. The races include different types of cars, and one is for trucks, to attract a large audience.
But the Long Beach Grand Prix is more than a festival built around racing. There are concerts, a lifestyle show, a kids’ area with go-karts and other activities, and plenty of food and drink options, all centered around the Long Beach Convention Center and Shoreline Drive.
Michaelian said that he caught the spirit of the crowd by constantly going to monitor how the fans of the grand prix were enjoying the games. He would assess problems that may need to be fixed or whether changes need to be made for the following year.
“A lot of young people don’t want to sit in the seats now,” he told The Times in 2019.
“So, if they wander, I go” by creating more places where they can gather, listen to music and have food options nearby, he said at the time.
Last year, Michaelian was inducted into the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame.
“Jim was a great racer and a dear friend to IMSA and the motoring community at large,” John Doonan, president of the International Motor Sports Assn., said in a statement. “His presence in Long Beach and racetracks everywhere will be sorely missed.”
Grand Prix Assn. of Long Beach did not release the cause of his death.
Michaelian is survived by his wife, Mary, and sons, Bob and Mike.
Former Times staff writer James F. Peltz contributed to this report.
