Adventure Review: Long Beach Grand Prix.

"Goose knuckles."

That's how one young man described the phenomenon appearing on his hand as the IndyCars screamed by us this past weekend at the Long Beach Grand Prix.

Like hockey, this is another sporting event that doesn't really translate to television. It has to be experienced in the flesh to be believed. The overpowering sounds of open-wheel racing evoke visceral responses unlike anything else.

In addition to the race, the promoters really know how to put on a first-rate show. For example, one race was inaugurated with what appeared to be an immense military cargo jet buzzing the crowd about a couple of hundred feet up while turning its wings perpendicularly to the ground, which immediately followed sky divers with one unfurling a huge US flag. Complementing the contests, the organizers had commandeered a vast swath of Long Beach (including the Convention Center) with myriad other exhibitions, entertainment and experiences.

This is a world-class event, not to be missed, if you are in Southern California for the 36th installment of the Long Beach Grand Prix next April.