Firestone Returns as Presenting Sponsor of Road Racing Drivers Club Celebration

Firestone returns as presenting sponsor of the expanded Road Racing Drivers Club (RRDC) annual legends dinner in Long Beach, California, on Thursday, April 10. The 2025 gala will celebrate 50 years of racing on the streets of Long Beach, California, and will honor Mario Andretti, Al Unser Jr. and Brian Redman—legendary drivers from the Grand Prix’s rich history.

The “RRDC Celebration of 50 Years of the Grand Prix of Long Beach Presented by Firestone” is the RRDC’s 15th banquet honoring auto racing’s most influential leaders and iconic events. This is Firestone’s 14th year as presenting sponsor of the RRDC gala, and the brand has been affiliated with the Grand Prix of Long Beach for almost three decades.

The dinner and gala will be held at a new venue—the Westin Long Beach Hotel—one day before the start of the 50th Anniversary Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, the third race of the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

All proceeds of the dinner will benefit The Mark Donohue Foundation, which supports the RRDC’s SAFEisFAST initiative, and the Grand Prix Foundation of Long Beach, which supports charities in the Long Beach area. The Foundation’s proceeds from the gala will go to Long Beach City College’s Automotive Technology Program.

“Having Firestone support the RRDC Long Beach dinner for more than a decade is a true privilege,” said RRDC president Bobby Rahal. “This year’s gala is very special, as it celebrates the 50 years that racing has taken place annually on the streets of this great port city. Firestone has an unrivaled heritage in motorsports dating back to the first Indy 500 in 1911. We always welcome Firestone’s support and salute the brand’s long-standing success and contributions to the sport.”

“Each year, the Road Racing Drivers Club event is a highlight of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach weekend,” said Grand Prix Association of Long Beach president & CEO Jim Michaelian. “And this year is especially meaningful as we join with the RRDC in honoring three true legends of the sport—Mario Andretti, Al Unser Jr. and Brian Redman. Their contributions to Long Beach motorsports history have inspired generations of drivers and fans alike, and we are thrilled to celebrate their incredible legacies during this special evening.”

In previous years, the RRDC has honored individual icons of the sport: Dan Gurney, Parnelli Jones, Roger Penske, Jim Hall, Brian Redman, Mario Andretti, Bobby Unser, George Follmer, Emerson Fittipaldi, Johnny Rutherford, David Hobbs, Rick Mears, Jacky Ickx and Sir Jackie Stewart. These RRDC galas are acknowledged as highlights of the auto-racing social calendar, drawing fans and luminaries from all forms of motorsports.