IndyCar Will Host a $1 Million All-Star Race at the Thermal Club

IndyCar will host non-championship "All-Star" race at the Thermal Club in 2024, awarding a $1 million prize for the race winner. While the event is primarily meant for television viewers and members of the private club, limited tickets will be available to non-members.

The picturesque Thermal Club is a "Country Club"-style private track just outside of Palm Springs, one that offers members the chance to build houses and store cars around the club's network of three track layouts. While the club's primary focus is on its members and their events, it also hosts BMW's performance driving school and occasional private events, like a series of tests Road & Track held in 2022.

IndyCar hosted its "Spring Training" pre-season testing at the venue last year. That was a first step toward developing this event, one geared in equal parts toward a television audience and the members of the Thermal Club itself. While those are the major focuses, the Associated Press is reporting that some tickets will also be available to non-members. The tracks were not built with professional racing in mind, but the layout used in last year's test was approved by safety officials and endorsed by drivers after the tests last season.

The event is set for March 23rd of 2024. Although the IndyCar schedule has not yet been released, we already know that the 2024 Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will happen on March 10th. That means this is an in-season All-Star race, similar to the one NASCAR holds in May, rather than a pre-season event.

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