At sunrise on a Sunday morning in late March, as the San Jacinto Mountains tinged with a purple glow, the eastern end of the Coachella Valley sat shrouded in a shimmering haze. Dust. The fallout of a windy weekend with temperatures that fell almost 15 degrees Fahrenheit between Friday and Sunday. But changing conditions did not deter 27 of the world’s best drivers from the track at The Thermal Club in a race for (more than) $1 million.
IndyCar’s made-for-TV $1 Million Challenge, sponsored by Agua Caliente Casinos and aired live on NBC, actually flaunted a purse of $1.765 million — the largest outside the Indianapolis 500. Billed as “one of the most unique race weekends in the history of the NTT IndyCar Series,” the exhibition event (March 22–24) unfolded on the club’s 3.067-mile Twin Palms layout.
After a day of open testing and a day of qualifying to determine race order, Sunday featured two heats. The top six drivers from each heat advanced to the main event. In the final showdown, Spaniard Álex Palou, driving for Chip Ganassi Racing, led all 20 laps and pocketed the grand prize of $500,000. Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin came in second, and Felix Rosenqvist of Meyer Shank Racing took third. They celebrated at the podium with a traditional Champagne spray — and ice cream.
“It’s a cheat day,” McLaughlin joked with reporters after festivities wound down. “Me, Álex, and Felix all had one at the podium.”
“The food has been amazing,” Palou concurred. Food trucks included local favorites Brandini Toffee, CV BBQ, and TKB Bakery & Deli — everything was free for the limited crowd of spectators that comprised Thermal Club members, their guests, and ticketholders who shelled out $500 to be there.
The exhibition race — technically the second race of the 2024 NTT IndyCar season — did not dole out any championship points (though Palou certainly wished it did). Rather, the event bridged a gap in the IndyCar schedule between the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in early March and the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, which takes place April 21.
Beyond the asphalt, drivers took advantage of their time in Greater Palm Springs. Intermittent winds were no match for the destination’s covetable blue skies and balmy climes, which reigned supreme on race day and compelled off-site recreation throughout the weekend. McLaughlin snuck away to a golf course. Rinus VeeKay of Ed Carpenter Racing enjoyed a game of pickleball at The Thermal Club.
In the paddock, a small cohort of Thermal Club members were paired with drivers and embedded with teams throughout the weekend to participate in team meetings and experience the ins and outs of IndyCar.
“We are proud to welcome IndyCar back to The Thermal Club,” John Rogers, managing director of the club, said in an early press release for the event. “The teams, drivers, and the entire IndyCar Series paddock are true professionals, and we look forward to developing our relationship with them in the future.”
“The partnership between Agua Caliente Casinos, Thermal Club, and the IndyCar Series brings opportunities to create unforgettable experiences for fans and patrons,” Pearl Aguinaldo, senior director of marketing for Agua Caliente Casinos, explained to Palm Springs Life. “Such a partnership could redefine the standard for sports and entertainment collaborations, setting a new benchmark for excellence and innovation in the industry.”
Agua Caliente Casinos supports many signature events across the Coachella Valley, from Fashion Week El Paseo and Palm Desert Food & Wine to Greater Palm Springs Restaurant Week (coming up May 31 to June 9). But the connection with IndyCar is personal.
“Having worked and lived in Indianapolis, I see the value of the investment and returns that the business, general population, and fans can enjoy,” said Todd Berendji, senior vice president and general manager of Agua Caliente Casinos. “A longtime friend, Jay Frye, IndyCar president, introduced us to Tim Rogers, [founder and owner] of The Thermal Club. Immediately, we saw how this partnership could have an impact on our travel and leisure market in the Coachella Valley and on our Agua Caliente experiences.” Members of Agua Caliente Casinos’ ACE Club received discounted tickets and access to an exclusive seating area with a prime view of the track.
The $1 Million Challenge marks the series’ second visit to the private residential racetrack. (Last year, teams came to town for preseason testing, which was closed to the public.)
Though critics of The Thermal Club’s emergence on the IndyCar calendar have referred to the track design as a “gentlemen’s course” — developed with large, paved runoff areas and a generally flat layout for residents to tool around in fancy supercars without much risk — the three drivers on podium disagreed and expressed a collective desire to return, perhaps next time in the name of championship points.
“I think today, we proved that we can race here like any other track,” Rosenqvist said during postrace interviews. “Maybe next time we come back and it’s an actual points round. This is no different from any other road course. The facility is great, the infrastructure is there, and we can definitely race like any other track here.”
“From when we were here last time to now, they’ve done a really good job with improvements,” McLaughlin said. “I genuinely have enjoyed the track. It’s a challenging, technical track, and it takes a lot to get the whole lap right. When you do, it’s very rewarding. It’s got a bit of everything. I definitely don’t think it’s a ‘gentlemen’s track.’ I think that’s just people who are jealous of not having a track in their own backyard.”
Will IndyCar return to Thermal in 2025? It’s still too early to say. But all those involved appear to be rooting for a comeback. “[The Thermal Club] makes for exciting racing,” Rosenqvist said. “From the cockpit, it’s really exciting to drive, as well.”
And don’t forget the free ice cream.
