Long Beach is the street circuit of Le Mans Ultimate. Concrete walls on both sides, a long fast straight, a tight hairpin, and no run off to save you. It punishes the driver who attacks every corner and rewards the one who builds the lap. Here is how I would drive it.
The track came with US Track Pack 2 on 22 September 2026, together with Road Atlanta. My Le Mans Ultimate DLC guide has every pack and price, and the LMU track list shows which tracks you already own.
The track in numbers
From the US Track Pack 2 Steam page:
| Long Beach in LMU | |
|---|---|
| Length | 1.968 miles (3.167 km) |
| Turns | 11 |
| Type | Temporary street circuit, concrete walls |
| Key features | Fast Shoreline Drive straight, tight hairpin |
| DLC | US Track Pack 2, with Road Atlanta, $19.99 |
The real event is a stop for IndyCar and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Sports cars raced there in the American Le Mans Series from 2007 to 2013, and Formula 1 ran the United States Grand Prix West there from 1976 to 1983.
How to drive a street circuit
Every street circuit has the same first rule, in a real car or a sim: the wall does not forgive, so the lap is built, not attacked.
- Brake a bit earlier than feels right for the first laps. On a normal track a missed apex costs you a tenth. Here it costs you the race. Find the limit from the safe side.
- Exit speed over entry speed. Most corners at Long Beach lead onto a straight or a short burst to the next corner. Turn in a little later, get the car straight earlier, and be on the throttle sooner.
- Use all the road, but leave the last few centimetres. Kissing the wall on exit looks fast. A tyre on the concrete ends your lap. Leave a hand's width until you know the corner.
- Look far ahead. Walls block your view of the apex in several corners. Pick a reference you can see, a sign, a seam in the road, a gap in the fence, and drive to it.
- Mind the bumps and the paint. Street circuits are public roads the rest of the year. Painted lines and manhole covers have less grip than the asphalt around them, and bumps unsettle the car under braking.
The key places on the lap
Shoreline Drive. The fast straight, and the biggest braking zone. This is where you overtake, and where most first lap crashes happen. In a race, brake a touch earlier than in qualifying, because a car alongside changes your line.
The hairpin. The slowest corner on the lap and the second passing place. Go in deep, rotate the car, and get it pointed down the road before you open the throttle. In a Hypercar, be gentle with the throttle on exit: the rear will step out if you ask for everything at once.
The fountain section. The famous fountain sits in the middle of a slow, walled section. The walls are close and the exits are short. Rhythm matters more than any single apex. If you overdrive one corner here, you lose the next two.
Qualifying and racing
Qualifying. Use the out lap to warm the tyres properly, because cold tyres and walls do not mix. Your first flying lap should be at 95%. Push on the second. One clean lap beats three that end in the barrier.
The start. Long Beach makes a mess of the first lap. If you start in the pack, aim to finish lap one in the same place, not ten places up. The race is long enough to pass later.
Overtaking. Plan passes for the end of Shoreline Drive and the hairpin. Anywhere else, follow closely and wait for a mistake. A dive into a walled corner usually ends both cars.
Multiclass. In mixed Hypercar and LMGT3 races, the faster car does the passing. If you are in an LMGT3 car, hold your line and let the prototype choose where to go by. Being predictable is the safest thing you can do between walls. My safety rating guide explains what contact costs you.
When Long Beach is in the daily races
From the LMU race schedule, with weeks running Tuesday to Tuesday:
| Series | Week | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| LMGT3 Sprint Trophy | Week 6 | 10 to 17 November 2026 |
| Americas Endurance Series | Week 7 | 17 to 24 November 2026 |
You need US Track Pack 2 to enter those races.
Setups
I do not publish setup values for Long Beach yet, because I only post numbers I have tested. As a direction: a street circuit wants a car that is stable on the brakes and that you can trust near the wall, more than one that is fastest on a single lap. Start from the default setup, raise the brake bias a click if the rear is nervous on entry, and soften the car if it bounces off the bumps. My LMU setups page covers how to work on the setup screen.
FAQ
How do I get Long Beach in Le Mans Ultimate?
Buy US Track Pack 2 on Steam. It costs $19.99 and also includes Road Atlanta.
How long is Long Beach in Le Mans Ultimate?
1.968 miles (3.167 km), with 11 turns, per the Steam store page.
Where can you overtake at Long Beach?
At the end of the Shoreline Drive straight and at the hairpin. The rest of the lap is too narrow and walled for a safe pass.
Is Long Beach hard in Le Mans Ultimate?
Yes, because of the walls. A small mistake that would cost a tenth on a normal circuit ends your lap. Build up the pace in practice instead of attacking from lap one.
When is Long Beach in the LMU daily races?
In week 6 of the LMGT3 Sprint Trophy, 10 to 17 November 2026, and week 7 of the Americas Endurance Series, 17 to 24 November 2026.
Last checked on 6 November 2026 against the US Track Pack 2 Steam page and the official race schedule as listed on my LMU schedule page.