Champ Car Drivers Are Set for Time Trials

Eighteen Champ Car drivers will take their first round of time trials today for the 31st Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. The 81-lap race will be run Sunday over a 1.97-mile, 11-turn course laid out on the streets of Long Beach.

Paul Tracy of Canada, winner of the last two Long Beach races, and Sebastien Bourdais of France, Champ Car series champion, top an entry list that includes six rookies.

After a practice session at 10:15 a.m., the Champ Car field will begin qualifying at 2 p.m. Pro-celebrity drivers will qualify at 3:15 p.m. for their Saturday race. There will also be a drifting demonstration.

Champ Car entries:

Former series winners -- Bourdais, 2004; Tracy, 2003; Cristiano da Matta, Brazil, 2002; Jimmy Vasser, Las Vegas, 1996.

Rookies -- Bjorn Wirdheim, Sweden; Marcus Marshall, Australia; Timo Glock, Germany; Andrew Ranger, Canada; Ronnie Bremer, Denmark; Ricardo Sperafico, Brazil.

Others -- Bruno Junqueira, Brazil; Mario Dominguez, Mexico; Justin Wilson, England; A.J. Allmendinger, Hollister, Calif.; Alex Tagliani, Canada; Ryan Hunter-Reay, Boca Raton, Fla.; Nelson Philippe, France; Oriol Servia, Spain.