The Thermal Club will host the NTT IndyCar Series’ first non-points event in 16 years, with a 20-lap race for a $1.756 million purse.
Due to the length of the circuit and the number of laps, the field of 12 drivers would be unable to complete the race on a single tank of fuel, so the series has divided the finale into two 10-lap parts with a halfway for refueling and chassis setup modifications.
The intricate setup for the Sunday, March 24 tournament at the road course outside of Palm Springs, Calif., which will be broadcast live on NBC, was outlined as follows:
At a draw party on Thursday, March 21, Thermal Club members will be paired with the 27 full-time teams who will test and compete from Friday, March 22 to Sunday, March 24. Members will be integrated into their particular teams through immersive experiences such as team meetings, driver question-and-answer sessions, racecraft instruction and suggestions, and the usage of premium, real racing team kit. The previously announced distribution of total prize money amongst partnered members and drivers finishing in the top five will not take place, although the purse total for drivers and teams will remain unchanged.
The overall driver and team prize money for The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge, as previously announced, is:
Total: $1.756 million (the largest purse in IndyCar Series history outside of the Indy 500).
First place: $500,000.
Second place: $350,000.
Third place: $250,000.
Fourth place: $100,000.
Fifth place: $50,000.
Sixth to 27th place: $23,000 apiece.
“The Thermal Club will be a phenomenal setting for the paddock, and a record purse only adds to how special this weekend will be,” Jay Frye, president and CEO of IndyCar, said “It is a one-of-a-kind and demanding knockout format that will put drivers and teams to the test, bringing out the best in both. The venue was ideal for the Open Test last year, and we’re excited to add another element of excitement and competition.”
Thermal Club’s $1 Million Challenge Qualifying
The Thursday, March 21 draw party will also feature a random draw to break the field into two groups. Each qualifying group, which begins at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 23, will have a 12-minute qualifying session on the 17-turn, 3.067-mile layout to decide the starting order in their respective heat race the following day.
For the first time in an NTT IndyCar Series qualifying session, drivers will be permitted to use push-to-pass, with each receiving 40 seconds.
The session’s timing begins with the announcement of the green flag and ends with the first red flag condition for each group, but not for consecutive red conditions.
The Thermal Club’s $1 Million Challenge Heat Races
Two IndyCar Series heat races will be held at 12:30pm ET on Sunday, March 24, to determine the 12-car field for The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge. Heat racing returns to the IndyCar Series for the first time since 2013 (at Iowa Speedway).
Each heat race will last 10 laps or be timed for 20 minutes. Laps under full course yellow will not be counted, although the race clock will continue. A lap is considered completed when the leader crosses the start-finish line. The cars’ position on the track will be determined by the last timeline crossed on track during the full course yellow condition.
A new pair of Firestone Firehawk tires will be provided for the heat races. Pit stops will be permitted exclusively for emergency service purposes. Tires used in qualifying will be the only allowed replacement tire(s), and they must be approved by IndyCar. A car making a modification that is not judged an emergency will be banned.
Cars will receive 40 seconds of push-to-pass in each race, just as they did in qualifying.
The Thermal Club’s $1 Million Challenge
The top six advancing cars from each heat race will form the 12-car lineup for The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge. The heat race winner determines the pole position and odd number starting positions, with the quickest time from qualifications taking the pole and the remaining heat race competitors lining up in spots 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11.
The final will consist of 20 laps broken into two 10-lap sprint parts, with a 10-minute “halftime” break after lap 10.
During the break, all vehicles will return to their pit boxes and are only permitted to:
Add Shell’s 100% Renewable Race Fuel.
Adjust the front and rear wing angles and wickers.
Adjust the tire pressure.
Attend to the driver.
All heat race rules will apply, except:
A time limit will not apply.
After the “halftime” break, the 40-second push-to-pass timer will reset.
If a full course yellow occurs during the second 10-lap segment, the restart lineup will be determined by the cars’ current position on the track.
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