The yearly Mini Grand Prix event had a new spin put on it with a remote control car race and a tournament for the Gran Turismo game.
This was a spin on the usual event that has traditionally entailed contestants creating push carts and racing around a large track outside.
The Nordic Lounge where it was held was packed with the cheers of students and loud music playing over the races.
The first event was a single elimination remote control car tournament where students who signed up took turns racing in two large tracks they put together.
Automotive Student Sam Summers took home first place in the tournament in dominant fashion only ever being close in the final match.
“The event was pretty entertaining, it was fun. I liked the music, I liked the energy that came from it and I overall enjoyed it,” Summers said.
The Mini Grand Prix is largely promoting the Long Beach City College sponsorship for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach in which the school now has notable promotions around the track.
The event also ended with a screening of the 2023 movie Gran Turismo on a large screen in the middle of the Nordic Lounge.
The event had one of the best turnouts of events in the spring semester with the event never feeling empty or losing energy.
“I got an email about it, I heard people talking about it, and I saw posters and fliers about it,” said Summers.
Unlike many events during the Spring 2024 semester the Mini Grand Prix was advertised heavily through many mediums and should be an example for how to promote events at the school.
“Now since we transitioned to having remote control racing as well as the video game tournament along with the movie screening, I think it’s pretty great that we transitioned and are getting the name known in the student body,” Participant and Student Ash Lopez said.
When asked to comment the main event organizers told the newspaper staff they would not talk without clearance from the communications department.
The Mini Grand Prix changes were popular and looks to be the new way this event will be run for the foreseeable future.