Cover Story

Whether in the Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines for the spectacle of racing, a sport where the boundaries of and danger are pushed to the most Office extreme of limits. Drivers collectively fire their engines as they make the or the cockpit of their cars an office for the afternoon. Cars jockeying for position zip by as the grim possibility of death hauntingly lingers. Survival of the Race fittest is juxtaposed with survival of the quickest.

Safety in motorsports is an ancient concern. Sitting behind the wheel of a car at a speed upwards of 200 MPH requires a special Track, kind of intestinal fortitude. Damages to a car are fixed in the garage; damages to an individual’s life can be irreparable. Over the Jim Michaelian years, tragic deaths on the track have shaken the racing world to its core foundation. May 1, 1994, , aged 34, . is Well Suited February 18, 2001, Dale Earnhardt Sr., aged 50, NASCAR. October 16, 2011, , aged 33, IndyCar. As a result, this year several key safety improvements were made, namely the new DW12 car (named after Dan Wheldon) that prevents cars from going airborne. On May 27, 2012 the greatest spectacle in racing – the 500 – completed its 96th running over Memorial Day weekend. IndyCar was still mourning the death of its son Wheldon, killed last year in a crash at the after his car went airborne. A friend of the late British great, Dario Franchitti, paid tribute the best way he possibly could: by winning the Indy 500 for a third time and sharing the spotlight with his closest friend by honoring him in Victory Lane. Hallowed in tradition, the Indy 500 is home to the biggest race in the world as close to 300,000 spectators line the Brickyard. Shift the racing scene 2,000 miles west of Indianapolis to a sunshine backdrop of a marina filled with boats, the shore of the Pacific Ocean and the downtown Long Beach skyline, and you have what is colloquially known as the “greatest street race in the United States” in the . It is spearheaded by the brains and vision of its President and CEO Jim Michaelian – one of the founding members of a racecourse that was initiated on the basis of safety.

Text Manouk Akopyan | Photo Tigran Tovmasyan

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Jim Michaelian Jim Michaelian was born February 11, 1943 in Monterrey Park. He now lives in Seal Beach, California with his wife Mary. They have two sons, Mike, 46 and Bob, 44. Jim’s mother Edith Chivitjian was born and raised in Fresno; his father John Michaelian was born in New York City and then moved to Los Angeles. John would he only thing you can judge in Add all the tickets I got and it was a followed Michaelian dodging cars frequent Fresno, where he met Tthis sport is the long term. You can judge real drain on my resources,” he says. through the streets of Long Beach on Edith. Jim was their middle child a career or a season, but not one race.” “Speed was something that was inbred the day of his photo shoot. It might have of three sons. Those were the words uttered by French- in me and as a consequence it started to been the most unassuming trail blaze in Jim Michaelian has served in Armenian Hall of Fame Formula One engender a real interest. Little did I know history: Michaelian’s two-door burgundy- a number of capacities over driver Alain Prost after Le Professeur that down the road, such an opportunity colored 1996 Lexus SC 300 against a 2006 the years at the Grand Prix won the 1987 Brazilian Grand Prix by would present itself.” Mazda M3 full of photo equipment. Association of Long Beach a 40-second margin. If Jim Michaelian The Impala lasted almost five years Michaelian can definitely afford to (GPALB). Today, he manages had judged the Long Beach Grand Prix only because a day came when all the upgrade himself from a 16-year-old car operations, secures financing after the financial struggle of its first two speeding and tickets got out of hand, as his means of daily commute, but after and markets the race as the races, we wouldn’t be sitting here today and Michaelian ended up in the Santa a lifetime of tickets, he prefers to be President and CEO. interviewing him for the cover story of Monica Courthouse with jail time inconspicuous – which is why he unleashes A graduate of UCLA with a Yerevan Magazine’s Automobile issue, and looming over his head. his Ferrari 360 only on the weekends. Bachelor’s degree in Physics and Michaelian would probably be shackled “The judge asked, ‘Based on your records, His life has endured its unfair share of a Master’s degree in Business to his desk at a NASA laboratory is there any reason why I shouldn’t put pit stops, unexpected turns and caution Administration, Michaelian also answering questions about Sputnik for a you in jail? Can you give me a good flags – like surviving cancer. Today, he serves on the board of directors of science article. reason why I shouldn’t?’” is healthy and happy but also deals with the Grand Prix Foundation, and the Michaelian is not your average man in a That’s when Michaelian gave the judge having sight in only one eye after the Long Beach Convention and Visitors business suit. When he is not directing an offer he couldn’t refuse – he promised other was removed 12 years ago because Bureau. Michaelian also manages an IZOD IndyCar Series race that is to replace the Impala with a 1962 of the cancer. His left eye is a false one, the subsidiary organization, going into its 39th run next year, at 69 Volkswagen Beetle. but Michaelian makes no excuses for his Grand Prix Special Events, which years-old, he is racing himself. Sitting in a spacious office that easily performances on or off the track. He is specializes in temporary structure I caught up with Jim Michaelian after he doubles as a racing museum, Michaelian a private man who would rather focus rentals for events such as the returned from a 24-hour endurance race takes a trip down memory lane to a time on the task at hand – which for the last Academy Awards, the Rose Parade at Nürburgring in Germany, regarded when he used to channel his inner Dan 38 years, has been running the Toyota and other race facilities. as one of the most challenging purpose- Gurney, who is in a tie with Mario Andretti Grand Prix of Long Beach (TGPLB). He holds a competition driver’s built tracks in the world. Michaelian as his favorite driver of all time. Michaelian Today, his title is President and CEO, license and has participated in concurs that. He’s raced all over the admits that he has accumulated over 100 but he’s worked through every single job a number of endurance races world and says Nürburgring is by far the speeding tickets in his lifetime. “I don’t description. The race has given him the (some of them with his son Bob), most difficult. He and two other drivers waste them on left turns,” he laughs. “It’s latitude to move across the board and including the 24 Hours of Daytona split the race into three eight-hour shifts an expensive habit…but what can I say?” dabble in every department. Nowadays and the 12 Hours of Sebring, as in a Porsche GT3, and although they Our photographer experienced what he is an “employee,” but it’s safe to say well as races in Watkins-Glen, placed 11th, Jim couldn’t sound any he was talking about first hand as he he has the most secure job in all of Dubai and the Circuit de Spa- happier as his face blossoms and the America. After all, he works for a race he Francorchamps in Belgium. pitch of his voice changes as soon as he essentially helped create. talks about racing. Just like Los Angeles, the 1950s and “At a very young age, I enjoyed the whole “Speed was 60s were an expansive time for the encouraged them to major in physics and shift at the harbor, commuting to school an elderly Navy town that had brought racing scene, and I never got over it,” he Michaelians. Jim was born in Monterrey science. We were the generation that was by day. He went through several jobs in the Queen Mary and was looking to says. something that Park, lived in East Los Angeles for five to recapture the glory of America. After while searching for his career path. He change its image. Michaelian traces his love affair with years, then moved to the suburbs of taking an honors class, it didn’t take long worked for a motor-supplier company “I had a big interest in the idea of this racing back to when he was a newly was inbred Alhambra, where he was raised. for me to realize that someone else would and also exercised his entrepreneurial race,” Michaelian recollects. “There was graduated 17 year-old from Alhambra and as After high school, he went to UCLA to have to save the world.” zeal by teaming up with a buddy of his to no way I wasn’t going to be involved.” High School. That’s when he put his life in me pursue a degree in physics at the height As Michaelian endured an internal cold operate a handful of bookstores. Very much intrigued by a race held in savings into a 1960 Chevrolet Impala a consequence of the space program when Sputnik, the war, he accumulated credits in different Michaelian was living in Long Beach his back yard, Michaelian arranged replete with a 335 horsepower, 348 cubic artificial satellite, was released into orbit fields and wound up with his Bachelor’s with his wife Mary and two sons in 1973 a sit-down with Pook. Because of inch V8 engine, and drag raced it at it started to by the Soviet Union. in Physics and Master’s in Business when travel agent/racing enthusiast the city’s and insurance company’s Lion’s Drag Strip. It was a time of trouble, “It was a huge shock to the Americans, Administration, a particular line that he Chris Pook convinced the Long Beach obvious concerns of running a race in a Michaelian admits with a sly smile. engender like ‘how could the Russians do that to had no interest pursuing, he says. Convention & Visitors Bureau to host metropolitan area, Pook and Michaelian “I was constantly working on my Impala the us?’ So schools would identify any While in graduate school, he moved to a Formula One race in the downtown began spearheading the design of a safe because I used to beat it up so bad. a real interest.” American kid that had a decent IQ and Long Beach and worked the graveyard streets. At the time, the city was mostly course.

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By the Numbers: Formula 1 Racing $40 million – Earnings for Team before, Roland Ratzenberger also with its driver, must weigh Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso, No. lost his life in an accident during 62 – Approximate number of 2 in the world only to boxer Manny qualifying. The tragedies triggered gallons a car consumes per race, Pacquiao’s $50 million. Team a drive to improve safety standards which is about 190 miles McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton – and they were the last drivers to die 200 – Degrees in temperature $20 million; No. 32 in the world – at the wheel of an F1 car that tires are preheated by was the next F1 driver on the 2.4 – Regulated size of a car’s electric blankets, seconds before same list, according to ESPN V8 engine, with a maximum RPM each pit stop 18 – Years since the last death of of 18,000 and minimum weight 1 – Number of nuts holding each a driver at the wheel of an F1 car. of 95kg wheel to the car In 1994, Ayrton Senna, was killed at 635 – Minimum weight in 4 – Seconds it takes to change the Grand Prix. One day kilograms that each car, along four tires, on average

Jim Michaelian and Michaelian has They reached out to safety advisers sold them to our key investors. With 2008 TGPLB Grand worn many hats Long Beach Marshal, director over his 38 years and consultants, but only had a the newly made money, we bought the George Lucas. at the TGPLB. marketing specialist and an executive safety system from Grand Prix and then secretary on board working full time. Mayor Bob leased it back to them for five years at Michaelian had no prior points of a rate that would give us a return if we reference and went straight to the Foster tells survived. Then, Chris and I met with drawing board based on the potential Yerevan Magazine each of our 140 creditors individually. By the Numbers: Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach (TGPLB) success the race may have. All but two took the deal, and we 85 – Laps totaling 167.2 miles for the entire race “We had to raise the money from the the TGPLB managed to survive. 11 – Turns on the 1.9 mile track ground up and start from scratch. There The race in 1978 can be considered as 6 – All-time wins by Al Unser Jr., the most ever at the TGPLB. was no book on this kind of thing. We generates $25 the one that solidified them. It was a 16 – Races in the IZOD IndyCar Series season. Long Beach is basically put all of our money into it, and great one in every facet – and Mario the third race of the season we reached close to a million dollars. With million for the Andretti won, changing the perception 2001 – Chris Pook leaves TGPLB the money, we marked a safety system that of the race. “It really solidified our 2012 – Winner Will Battle was necessary to conduct the event.” city with each race. presence, and even though we still lost 0 – Deaths on or off the track With 40,000 seats in place and CBS money, it wasn’t nearly as much. We 21 – Percentage of the increase, compared to last years, in ratings for this televising the event on a beautiful watched our finances for the next few year’s televised race on NBC Sports Network Southern California afternoon, on Stanley kept looking down, shuffling his years, and began to turn a profit of a 39th – TGPLB race will be held April 19-21, 2013 September 28, 1975, Michaelian and little slips then said, ‘Son, I don’t know couple hundred thousand dollars.” company held the “F5000” race after only how many people you had out there, but In 1980, they secured a deal to bring six months of preparation. here’s the number that paid.’ I looked Toyota as the title sponsor for the event “The irony of it all was that the city at the slip and my heart just sunk. Only and have been comfortably backed officials who were skeptical, who said ‘I 37,909 had paid.” by them ever since. The collaboration don’t think this is going to work,’ were Michaelian now had the problem of also marked the start of the Japanese our guests in the suites. All of a sudden telling everyone it was a success when company’s involvement in U.S. they were patting us on the back saying, it reality, they had just collectively Motorsports. With the TV time Toyota ‘See I told you. Look at all these people. lost half a million dollars. Looking to gets – compared to what it would cost What a success!’” quickly bounce back, a second race was them in traditional advertising – it’s Although the event made sense to the held six months later in March 1976, considered a win-win situation. outsider looking in, it didn’t make dollars and by now it was officially a Formula “During domestic and international and cents for Michaelian. He was gripped One race. Taking the appropriate television coverage of the various events with disappointment when the first two measures for extra seats and security, comprising the Toyota Grand Prix of races yielded only mixed results; it was the turnout was not the 75,000 they Long Beach, the various logos of long- an artistic success in the eyes of fans and anticipated. Result: more losses – this time title sponsor Toyota fill the screen city officials, but in terms of his bank time $750 thousand – running their for more than nine hours throughout the account, it was a colossal commercial debt to $1.25 million. broadcasts,” says Eric Wright, president failure. Of the estimated 65,000 people By the third race, desperate deals were and executive director of research of that attended the first race, only a little made in order to financially survive and Joyce Julius & Associates, a third party more than half paid. workers were being paid at the pace company that measures and evaluates “I’ll never forget it,” says Michaelian. “I of a snail’s race. “We adopted unique the value of corporate sponsorships. went to the box office after the race and measures to get by because people were “When also factoring in media coverage told Stanley, the operator, ‘Did you see walking with their hands out. So, we stemming from TV highlights and all those people out there? Every seat took our entire safety system – all the print, as well as on-site branding and was full, people were all over the place.’ materials, blocks, fences, poles – and promotions, Toyota has annually reaped

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Over the Years: Indy 500 1911– The fist Indy 500 champion in a 3100-lb, turbocharged inline- 1963 – Parnelli Jones wins the Indy 500 for a woman. In 1977, Janet Guthrie Ray Harroun received a payday of six-cylinder truck diesel that puts out in JC Agajanian's Willard Battery race car. was the first woman to ever qualify $14,250. Franchitti and his 2012 around 400 horses. 1965 – Fred De Orian, who designed, 2007 – Helio Castroneves shows race-winning Ganassi team won 1955 – Driver Edward G. Eliseian built and serviced race off his wheels by winningDancing nearly $2.5 million in prize money. stops to help Bill Vukovich after his cars, receives Indy 500 Mechanics With the Stars. Castroneves is also a 1942-1945 – The race is car crashes and burns during the Achievement Award. Prior to that, he had three-time Indy 500 winner. more than 200 million impressions from suspended for the duration of World Indy 500. He received the Mobil Gas built cars for racers Johnny Boyd and 60 – Event-related fatalities have the sponsorship.” War II. Sportsmanship Award for the gesture. Andy Guthrie and was a mechanic for occured at the Indianapolis Motor After the race in 1983, the TGPLB went 1952 – “Fearless” Freddie In 1959, Eliseian died on the race Johnnie Parsons in the JC Agajanian team. Speedway, including 38 drivers, 12 riding through a transitional phase when their Agabashian makes history by winning track when he skidded on an oil slick, 2005 – becomes the mechanics, five spectators, two pit- contract with F1 was up for renewal. the Indy 500 pole by hitting a record crashed into the wall, overturned and first woman to hold a lead in the crew members, two firemen, and one Because of increased sanctioning fees, 138.01 mph. He does so remarkably burst into flames. He was 32. Indy 500. She finishes fourth, highest young boy. they switched to IndyCar in 1984, where they’ve remained ever since. It was a seismic cultural shift. “Everybody liked the international flavor, and there were a lot of skeptics saying “It is the largest, most iconic event of Long his connections in the sport and began Unveiled by Italian race-car maker Dallara (the change from F1 to IndyCar) wouldn’t Beach every year,” says Foster, who has attending racing driving school in order Automobili, this year’s new car is sleek, be the same crowd. Mario Andretti was served as Mayor for the city since 2006. to pursue a professional career. In 1992, yet, is all about driver safety, especially a link to the F1 days and won the 1984 “Jim does such an excellent and professional he turned pro. on preventing cars from going airborne. race as an IndyCar driver. It wasn’t the job. I can’t imagine anyone else handling “I wanted to make an effort to at least It features improvements with a smaller F1 crowd, but it was decent. Plus, our all of the intricate parts of a race as have some kind of racing career. I had a engine, wider cockpit and sidepods, philosophy here has always been three well as Jim does. He’s really marvelous.” family, and couldn’t afford it before, but vertical wings, wheel and rear-wheel days of entertainment.” “One of the redeeming and rewarding I don’t regret that at all. Unlike other guards and energy absorption foam. Motorsports has long been second aspects is that every year, we watch this sports, talent doesn’t get you very far in “It’s been falling on some deaf ears that rate among U.S. sports fans but first event reinvent itself and start over with racing. But talent plus money gets you a we’ve had only one fatality in the last rate on the international level. In that new concepts as all kinds of people come lot further. This sport is tough because two million miles. That’s still one too sense, it draws similar parallels to that together to make it the best event we’ve the great talents often don’t even make many, but that’s a tremendous amount of soccer. Formula One is a European ever had,” says Michaelian. it to the top. Talent with a little bit of of miles to run,” says Bernard, IndyCar’s phenomenon, glamorously celebrated “The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach money does.” top boss since 2010. “We have made with champagne in Victory Lane. It is has become a staple of IndyCar and The 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series has a lot significant strides of progress. If you also the richest and most popular racing it is one of its premiere races,” Randy of talent – arguably the best competition look at 1950 to 1959, there were 99 series in the world. IndyCar and, predo- Bernard, CEO of IndyCar, tells Yerevan in 15 years, a fierce battle between IndyCar drivers and 35 of them were minantly NASCAR, is still a Southern Magazine. Bernard considers the TGPLB manufacturers Honda and Chevrolet and killed. When a race car driver signs up to phenomenon in the United States as in his personal top-five race for the a new car design Wheldon ironically race a race car, he inherits that risk and victories are celebrated with 2% milk 16-race series. “Jim Michaelian has helped test before his fatal accident. danger that everyone knows of, but we and a bottle of soda pop. Michaelian done a wonderful job fulfilling that and “You hate to see someone have to lose have to continue to make a fast and safer likens it to pasta and hot dogs. continues to build it to what it is today.” their life, but it almost calls for that car. Safety has always been one of our In addition to six separate races, the , the lead commentator for the nowadays to wake people up and have foremost goals of our series. I think there TGPLB is constantly building on a weekend IndyCar Series on NBC Sports Network, them stop saying ‘Oh, we got lucky.’ have been some great things that we have potpourri of off-track activities. The slate says, “Long Beach is the longest running Well, sometimes you don’t get lucky. Dan done but there is plenty of more things of of attractions includes concerts, go-cart and most prestigious street race in the (Wheldon) paid the ultimate price. It’s which I think we can work on.” tracks, kids zones, food villages, shops, country. Every driver wants to win on a paramount concern for our sport.” As for Michaelian, racing with one eye expos and more. For the race this past the oval at Indianapolis and on the street is not an impairment for him or a safety April, Michaelian estimates that 170,000 course in Long Beach. Organizers and concern, he says. The sanctioning bodies people attended the three-day festivities promoters of the event have made the city agree, so he’ll continue to race as long as and over 25,000 people worked it. of Long Beach synonymous with exciting The Toyota he turns in good times for his team, or As the masses engage in a three-day and highly entertaining racing.” when his two sons tell him to call it quits. shop-a-palooza, the progress and The days of proving legitimacy have Grand Prix of “If you ever even think about the danger, beautification of the surrounding city has long been in the race’s rear view mirror. why would you get in the car? You either really expanded in recent years as a series Michaelian and company now maintain Long Beach get in, or you get out. There is no in of lavish hotels, restaurants and buildings year-round revenue with offseason has had a similar between,” Michaelian says. now stand in the background. From an business operations in leasing and “I want to succeed in every way possible. economic standpoint, the Toyota Grand consulting companies. They are no longer effect as the There really isn’t any other alternative,” Prix of Long Beach has had a similar selling their safety system to their own he says. effect as the Super Bowl or Olympics has investors. Instead, they rent them out to Super Bowl or Jim Michaelian has been a victor by on its hosting city. other cities for events like the X-Games, conquering every obstacle in all facets Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster tells Academy Awards and Emmys. Olympics has on of life, but a small one still remains. Yerevan Magazine the TGPLB generates Once the TGPLB consistently started His first ever trip as a driver to Victory $25 million for the city with each race. cashing in the green, Michaelian used its hosting city. Lane.

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