Chris Pook Receives 2025 Motorsports Hall of Fame Heritage Award for Long Beach Grand Prix Legacy
Chris Pook, founder of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach and pioneer of modern street course racing in North America, will receive the prestigious Bob Russo Heritage Award at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (MSHFA) 37th Induction Ceremony on March 11, 2025. He will also serve as Honorary Chair at the ceremony, held at the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort.
Chris Pook with track diagram
The Bob Russo Heritage Award, MSHFA's second-highest honor, recognizes significant contributions to motorsports. Pook joins an elite group of just 17 recipients in the Hall's 40-year history, including recent honorees Johnny Morris, Lynsi Snyder-Ellingson, and Edsel B. Ford II.
Pook's vision transformed Long Beach from a modest port town into a premier racing destination. After watching the Monaco Grand Prix in 1973, he conceived the idea of bringing Formula 1 street racing to Long Beach. With support from racing legend Dan Gurney, Pook organized a successful Formula 5000 proving race in 1975, followed by the first Formula 1 event in 1976.
Senior man beside IndyCar racing vehicle
The race gained international recognition when Mario Andretti won in 1977. In 1984, Pook transitioned the event to CART and Indy cars due to rising F1 costs. Toyota's title sponsorship from 1981 to 2019 helped establish the race as IndyCar's second most prestigious event after the Indianapolis 500.
As the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach celebrates its 50th anniversary, Pook's innovative approach to urban racing has become a model for street courses across North America, demonstrating how motorsports can revitalize communities and bring racing directly to fans.
The 2025 MSHFA induction class includes Skip Barber, Miguel Duhamel, Carl Haas, Ed Iskenderian, Dale Jarrett, Tony Schumacher, Bill Stroppe, Louie Unser, and William K. Vanderbilt.