LEWIS CENTER, Ohio (November 11, 2025) – Firestone returns as presenting sponsor of the Road Racing Drivers Club annual legends dinner in Long Beach, California, on Thursday, April 16, 2026. The 2026 gala, held in advance of the 51st Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, will honor Derek Bell MBE, whose racing career is one of the most successful, diverse and wide-ranging of any British racing driver.
The "Evening with Derek Bell MBE" is the RRDC's 16th banquet honoring auto racing's most influential leaders. This is Firestone's 15th year as presenting sponsor of the RRDC gala, and the brand has been affiliated with the Grand Prix of Long Beach for almost three decades.
The dinner and gala will be held at the Westin Long Beach Hotel at 333 E. Ocean Blvd., the Thursday before the start of the 51st Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, the fifth race of the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES.
Derek Bell MBE. (Image courtesy of Derek Bell Archives)
All proceeds of the dinner will benefit The Mark Donohue Foundation, which supports the RRDC’s SAFEisFAST initiative.
Tickets may be purchased on the RRDC web site https://rrdc.org/events/. All are welcome. This event is expected to sell out, so early reservations are recommended.
“As Firestone celebrates 125 years of innovation and excellence, we’re honored to support this annual event recognizing the legends of motorsport,” said Lisa Boggs, Director, Bridgestone Americas Motorsports. “Our long-standing partnership with the RRDC and support of The Mark Donohue Foundation and the SAFEisFAST initiative reflect the commitment to motorsports that started with our founder, Harvey Firestone. Our sincere congratulations to Derek Bell on being this year’s deserving honoree.”
"Having Firestone support the RRDC Long Beach dinner for 15 years is a true privilege," said RRDC President Bobby Rahal. "And there is no one more deserving to be recognized for his outstanding achievements in our sport than Derek Bell MBE. As a longtime friend and fellow racer, I'm proud to represent the RRDC in honoring him."
Rahal added, "Firestone has an unrivaled heritage in motorsports dating back to the first Indy 500® in 1911. We always welcome Firestone's support, and salute the brand's long-standing success and contributions to the sport."
Bell is best-known as the consummate endurance sports car driver who won the Le Mans 24 Hours five times, the Daytona 24 Hours three times and the World Sports Car Championship twice.
At the height of his career, in the 1980s and early '90s, he was one of the top sports car and endurance race-car drivers in the world, achieving no fewer than 16 outright victories in the World Endurance Championship and 19 in the IMSA Camel GT Championship – a total of 35 wins in seven years.
In 1986, Bell was awarded the MBE for services to motorsport and in 2012 was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America and in 2013 the Le Mans 24 Hours Drivers Hall of Fame.
Splitting his time between homes in the U.K. and the U.S., Bell can still be seen at the world's major automotive and motorsport events. He has never officially stopped racing, and still enjoys carrying out demos at historic races.
In previous years, the RRDC has honored Dan Gurney, Parnelli Jones, Roger Penske, Jim Hall, Brian Redman, Mario Andretti, Bobby Unser, George Follmer, Emerson Fittipaldi, Johnny Rutherford. David Hobbs, Rick Mears, Jacky Ickx and Sir Jackie Stewart. In 2025, to celebrate The Grand Prix of Long Beach's 50th anniversary, the RRDC, in cooperation with the GPLB, honored Mario Andretti, Al Unser Jr., and Brian Redman.
These RRDC galas are acknowledged as highlights of the auto-racing social calendar, drawing fans and luminaries from all forms of motorsports.
About Firestone Racing:
Firestone is the exclusive tire supplier of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, including the iconic Indianapolis 500®, and the highest tier of its development series, INDY NXT by Firestone. Firestone is also the Official Tire of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.
Built on a foundation of innovation, durability, and dependability, Firestone Firehawk™ race tires are engineered to meet the extreme demands of open-wheel racing and have delivered trusted performance for INDYCAR champions for more than a century.
Firestone views motorsports as the ultimate proving ground for innovation. It is committed to using racing as a mobile lab to accelerate the use of experimental materials and technologies that help support Firestone’s goal of a more sustainable future for mobility, both on and off the racetrack.
About the RRDC:
The Road Racing Drivers Club was formed in 1952 as a way to give champion drivers a say in their sport, particularly in the areas of safety, and has evolved to serve the future of road racing by mentoring new drivers on both amateur and professional levels. The Club's membership includes leading industry professionals, race officials and motorsports journalists, in addition to prominent racing names.
In 2011, the RRDC launched a free on-line training seminar – www.SAFEisFAST.com – featuring RRDC members and other industry experts in high-quality videos covering subjects from physical and mental preparation to driving techniques, driver safety to car setup and sponsorship. The videos are updated regularly. Each week, a professional from the world of motor racing answers readers' questions on the site in a feature called 'Ask a Pro.' Bobby Rahal is President, John Fergus is Vice President/Treasurer and John Clagett is Secretary. The RRDC presents three annual awards: the Phil Hill Award, the Mark Donohue Award, and the Bob Akin Award. Membership in the RRDC is by invitation only. Additional information on the organization may be found at www.rrdc.org.
Article By: Judy Stropus
