Alex Palou repeated fast time in Friday’s second practice session as the Indycar concluded five total hours of testing at The Thermal Club.
Combined Session results:
Notes
The qualifying rounds have been shortened to 8 minutes from the originally scheduled 10 minutes at the requests of teams and drivers. High tire degradation was the reason for the change.
Felix Rosenquist continues to fit in well with his new team as he was in the top 10 all day.
Callum Ilott is doing a great job for Arrow McLaren filling in for David Malukas.
Chip Ganassi Racing and Arrow McLaren appear to be the strongest teams so far this weekend,
Alex Palou set the fast time early in Practice 1 and kept it through the entire session as the Thermal Challenge weekend began. The session ran without interruption.
Race weekend: Friday, March 22 – Sunday, March 24 Track: The Thermal Club, 3.067-mile, 17-turn road course (counterclockwise) in Thermal, California
Race distances: (Two Qualifying Heats) 10 laps / 20 minutes) | (Sprint for the Purse) Two Segments (10 laps/ 30.67 miles each) with 10-minute halftime after Lap 10 Push-to-pass parameters: 40 seconds of total time for each qualifying group, heat race and both segments of the final. X: @TheThermalClub, @INDYCAR, #ThermalChallenge, #INDYCAR Instagram: @TheThermalClub, @INDYCAR, #ThermalChallenge, #INDYCAR Facebook: @ThermalClub, @INDYCAR, #ThermalChallenge, #INDYCAR TikTok: @IndyCar, #ThermalChallenge, #INDYCAR YouTube: @INDYCAR Event website: www.thermal.ccINDYCAR website: www.indycar.com 2023 race winner:NTT INDYCAR SERIESInaugural Event Qualifying record:NTT INDYCAR SERIESInaugural Event NBC Sports telecast: Races, 12:30 ET Sunday, NBC (live). Leigh Diffey is the play-by-play announcer for NBC’s coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe. Peacock Live Streaming: All NTT INDYCAR SERIES Open Test sessions, qualifying session, heat races and the final Sprint for the Purse will stream live on Peacock, NBC’s direct-to-consumer livestreaming product. INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside turn announcers Ryan Myrehn and Jake Query. Michael Young is the pit reporter. The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge, Saturday’s NTT INDYCAR SERIES Open Test sessions and qualifying session air live on SiriusXM INDYCAR Nation 218 and SiriusXM NBC Sports Audio 85, racecontrol.indycar.com and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA. At-track schedule (All Times Local):
Friday, March 22 9-11 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Open Test, Peacock2-5 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Open Test, Peacock
Saturday, March 23 9-11 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Open Test, Peacock 1-3 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Open Test, Peacock 5 p.m. – $1 Million Challenge heat race qualifying (two groups / 12 minutes each), Peacock
Sunday, March 24 9:24 a.m. – $1 Million Challenge Heat Race 1 “Drivers Start Your Engines” 9:30 a.m. – NBC on air 9:31 a.m. – $1 Million Challenge Heat Race 1 (10 laps / 30.67 miles / 20 minutes / Top 6 advance to Sprint for the Purse), NBC 9:58 a.m. – $1 Million Challenge Heat Race 2 “Drivers Start Your Engines” 10:05 a.m. – $1 Million Challenge Heat Race 2 (10 laps / 30.67 miles / 20 minutes/ Top 6 advance to Sprint for the Purse), NBC 10:52 a.m. – $1 Million Challenge Sprint for the Purse “Drivers, start your engines” 10:59 a.m. – $1 Million Challenge Sprint for the Purse (Two 10-lap segments with 10-minute halftime after Lap 10), NBC (Live)
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Notes:· The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge will be the first non-championship NTT INDYCAR SERIES race since 2008. With a total payout of over $1.7 million, it is the largest non-Indy 500 purse for an INDYCAR SERIES event in over two decades. More information on the weekend format can be found HERE. There have been 10 INDYCAR SERIES exhibition races held since 1946, including the Marlboro Challenge All-Star race, which was held by CART from 1987-1992. NON-CHAMPIONSHIP INDYCAR RACES 1946-PRESENT YEAR RACE TRACK WINNER 1957 Race of Two Worlds Monza Jimmy Bryan 1958 Race of Two Worlds Monza Jim Rathmann 1966 Fuji 200 Fuji Speedway Jackie Stewart 1987 Marlboro Challenge Tamiami Park Bobby Rahal 1988 Marlboro Challenge Tamiami Park Michael Andretti 1989 Marlboro Challenge Laguna Seca Al Unser, Jr. 1990 Marlboro Challenge Nazareth Rick Mears 1991 Marlboro Challenge Laguna Seca Michael Andretti 1992 Marlboro Challenge Nazareth Emerson Fittipaldi 2008 Nikon Indy 300 Surfers Paradise Ryan Briscoe* Note: The 1981 and 1982 Indianapolis 500 only counted for the USAC INDYCAR SERIES championship and was considered a non-championship event for CART teams.· Qualifying heat races will return to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES for the first time since the series conducted heat races at Iowa Speedway for the 2012 and 2013 events at the track. Two drivers entered have won heat races in their career: Graham Rahal won heat races in both 2012 and 2013 at Iowa while Scott Dixon won a heat race at Iowa in 2013.
NTT INDYCAR SERIES QUALIFYING HEAT RACESYEAR TRACK LENGTH WINNERS 2012 Iowa Speedway 30 Laps Graham Rahal (1st), Tony Kanaan (2nd), Dario Franchitti (Dash) 2013 Iowa Speedway 50 Laps Scott Dixon (1st), Graham Rahal (2nd), Helio Castroneves (Dash)·
INDY NXT by Firestone points leader Nolan Siegel will make his NTT INDYCAR SERIES “debut” at The Thermal Club. The California native was the INDYCAR developmental series’ Rookie of the Year in 2023 and tested for Dale Coyne Racing in January. The 19-year-old is scheduled to make starts at Long Beach, Indianapolis 500 and Toronto.
I don’t know if this is exactly a race preview. After all, the misnamed Million Dollar Challenge is 90% a test session with some racing added at the end. The weekend includes nine hours of testing and three hours of a condensed race weekend.
I have a lot of mixed feelings about this competition. there are many pros and cons to staging a program like this.
Pros-
More Indycar exposure on NBC,
An early season weekend filled with more than just testing, filling a hole left by Texas dropping off the schedule. There is still a 28 day gap to Long Beach.
The smaller teams will get a chance to sort some things out.
Cons-
How hard will teams actually race? With 16 races remaining on the schedule, how much risk to equipment is a team willing to tolerate?
This track appears to be one where passing is difficult.
Ticket prices are exclusionary. Even though the price has dropped from $2,000 to $500, the lower price would barely get a fan into an F1 race. Southern California is not the most economical place to visit, either.
Still, I am intrigued by the concept. Some of the ideas might be tried out in qualifying somewhere. I like the push to pass in qualifying idea. Perhaps the series might try to make P2P available for the final five minutes of the first three rounds of qualifying ay a regular race somewhere.
I remember the heat races that were tried at Iowa a few years ago were not that popular with fans or drivers. They were pretty much follow the leader affairs.
I do like the no fuel saving aspect, and that tires cannot be changed during the race.
Let’s see how it works out. At least Indycar is doing something different.
Notes
“100 Days to Indy,” season 1 will begin streaming on Netflix April 4, It is currently streaming globally on the CW streaming app and Paramount +.
Season 2 premieres April 26 on the CW at 9 pm Eastern and Pacific.
Life got in the way last week as I sent my 19 year old cat Gracie to the Rainbow Bridge. Two days later I left for Sebring and the 72nd running of the12 hour race. I needed this weekend badly.
Sebring was my first sports car endurance race, and it is my favorite. This feeling may be subject to change after Jaune.
I camped again with my friend George Butz and his crew. We had a great time. Thanks again, George.
Some random thoughts on the weekend:
My first impression upon arrival was that the place seemed rather crowded for Thursday. I had the same thought Friday and Saturday. I have never seen Sebring so packed. Theer was not room for another vehicle inside the track.
The track could use a couple of more video boards on the back side of the track.
9:40 am is awfully early to start a race. Not only does it make the morning rushed, it also deprives the fans of an hour of night racing. The early part of the race is fun, but when the sun goes down things get interesting.
It doesn’t seem to matter if someone is running away from the field, Sebring always seems to come through with a dramatic ending.
Derani Crash
The Pipo Derani crash was frightening. I was not in turn 9 at the time, but I went there later and talked to a couple of my friends who witnessed the accident. Tires were bouncing everywhere. Fortunately no spectators were injured. There is a walking path next to the track which fortunately was not busy at the time.
My friends said that track and IMSA officials appeared quickly and interviewed many fans about what they saw.
My friends are concerned that a catch fence may be erected at this spot, which would spoil a great view of one of the highest speed portions of the track.
My friend Shannon Roe took these photos of some the debris field left by the Cadillac. Thanks, Shannon.
The fan walking path is to the left of the fence on the bottom left.
The rest of the field did not seem to have anything for the 31 Cadillac. The Ganassi Cadillac was the only that could keep pace, and they ended up finishing second.
Another Great Day for Indycar Drivers
Colton Herta was a driver on the winning team from Wayne Taylor/Andretti Racing. Herta drove the penultimate shift, and put the car in position to win. Louis Delatraz finished the race with a brilliant drive.
Scott Dixon drove for the second place Cadillac team with teammate Sebastien Bourdais.
Kyle Kirkwood drove for the GTD Pro winning Vasser/Sullivan Lexus entry,
Romain Grosjean’s Lamborghini finished seventh overall in the team;s first IMSA race. Grosjean had a couple of nice stints for the team, who’s goal to just finish the race.
Romain Grosjean in the Lamborghini GTP.
Tomorrow begins coverage of the Thermal Indycar event. I have a lot of mixed feelings about this, which I will talk about as the week goes on,.
The Thermal Club$1 Million Challenge Rules To Feature Unique Format in Nationally Televised Spectacle
INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, March 14, 2024) – One of the most unique race weekends in the history of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES will take place March 22-24 at the picturesque The Thermal Club near Palm Springs, California. Located at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains, just down the road from the world’s premier entertainment market of Los Angeles, The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge event weekend includes a crucial two-day Open Test, group qualifying sessions, two heat races and a 12-car “all-star” race with $1.756 million at stake – the largest purse for an INDYCAR SERIES race outside of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES non-points paying The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge is the first non-championship INDYCAR SERIES race since the Nikon Indy 300 in 2008 at Surfers Paradise, Australia. The Thermal Club also is opening its gates to a few thousand guests as it hosts a public event for the first time. Spectators will include members of The Thermal Club – a private, world-class facility featuring an expansive 490-acre property known as the ultimate destination for driving-minded celebrities, corporate executives and motorsports enthusiasts. “This will be an incredible new event for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES,” Penske Entertainment Corp. President & CEO Mark Miles said. “The unique format and record-setting purse will bring extra energy and drama to a competition set against a scenic and compelling backdrop. We can’t wait for viewers across the country to tune in on NBC and look forward to an amazing weekend with Tim Rogers and his team at The Thermal Club.” At a draw party, Thursday, March 21, The Thermal Club members will be paired with the 27 full-time teams scheduled to test and compete Friday, March 22-Sunday, March 24. Members will be embedded with their respective teams with immersive integration, including – but not limited to – team meetings, driver question-and-answer sessions, racecraft instruction and tips, and use of premium, authentic race team gear. A previously announced sharing of total prize money between paired members and drivers who finish in the top five will not occur but will not impact the purse total for drivers and teams. Announced earlier, the total driver and team portion of prize money for The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge:Total: $1.756 million (Largest purse in INDYCAR SERIES history outside of Indy 500)First Place: $500,000Second Place: $350,000Third Place: $250,000Fourth Place: $100,000Fifth Place: $50,000Sixth through 27th Place: $23,000 each. “The Thermal Club will be a phenomenal setting for the paddock, and a record purse only adds to how special this weekend will be,” INDYCAR President Jay Frye said. “It is a unique and challenging knockout format that will test the drivers and teams in new ways and bring out the best of both. The facility was a perfect backdrop for the Open Test last year, and we look forward to adding this layer of excitement and competition.” The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge Qualifying The Thursday, March 21 draw party also will include a random draw to divide the field into two groups. Each group for qualifying, which starts at 8 p.m. ET Saturday, March 23, receives a 12-minute qualifying session on the 17-turn, 3.067-mile layout to determine the starting order of their respective heat race the following day.For the first time in a NTT INDYCAR SERIES qualifying session, push-to-pass will be available to the drivers, with each driver receiving 40 seconds.Timing of the session begins at the declaration of the green flag, with timing stopping at the first red flag condition for each group but not for subsequent red conditions. The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge Heat Races Two NTT INDYCAR SERIES heat races at 12:30 p.m. ET Sunday, March 24 will determine the 12-car field for The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge. It is the first time since 2013 (Iowa Speedway) that heat racing has been featured in the INDYCAR SERIES.Each heat race will consist of 10 laps or be timed at 20 minutes. Laps under full course yellow will not count; however, the race clock will continue. A lap is deemed complete when the leader crosses the start-finish line. The cars’ position on track will be determined by the last timeline crossed on track at the moment of the full course yellow condition.A new set of Firestone Firehawk tires will be allotted for the heat races. Pit stops for emergency service only will be allowed. Tires used during qualifying will be the only approved replacement tire(s) and must be approved by INDYCAR. A car making an adjustment not deemed emergency in nature will be disqualified.As in qualifying, cars will receive 40 seconds of push-to-pass in each race. The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge The top six advancing cars from each heat race will make up the 12-car field for The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge. The pole position and odd number starting positions are determined by the heat race winner, with the fastest time from qualifications occupying the pole and the remainder of that heat race line up in positions 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11.The final will consist of 20 laps divided into two 10-lap sprint segments with a 10-minute “halftime” break following the completion of Lap 10. During the break, all cars will return to their pit boxes and only allowed to: Add Shell 100% Renewable Race Fuel Adjust front and rear wing angles and wickers Adjust tire pressureAttend to the driverAll rules from the heat races will apply except:A time limit shall not apply.40 seconds of push-to-pass will be reset after the “halftime” break.During the second 10-lap segment, should a full course yellow occur, the cars’ actual position on track will determine the restart lineup.Tires used during the heat race will be the replacement tire for the final, if needed and approved by INDYCAR.Additional rules of The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge are available here. Peacock will provide coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Open Test from The Thermal Club from noon-2 p.m. ET and 5-8 p.m. Friday, March 22. The INDYCAR Radio Network will supplement Peacock with Open Test coverage from noon-2 p.m. ET and 4-6 p.m. Saturday, March 23, followed by coverage of The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge qualifying beginning at 8 p.m. ET. Coverage of The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge begins at 12:30 p.m. ET Sunday, March 24 on NBC broadcast television, Peacock and the INDYCAR Radio Network.
The Pit Window by Mike Silver 