For Tim Rogers, the reality of an official NTT IndyCar race coming to The Thermal Club is about more than just giving some of the top drivers in the world a new track for competition.
“It’s exciting. They are a world-class brand and top people to deal with. Very professional, a good team,” said Rogers, the CEO and founder of The Thermal Club. “So that’s why I said it’s okay to be here. I want the experience for the members as well. We’ve had other people want to have races here, but we are very selective on who we allow.”
IndyCar debuted at the Thermal track last March with a non-points challenge race. But in March 2025, IndyCar will return with an official race including points toward the season-long NTT IndyCar Series championship.
The 2025 event will be held March 21-23, with practice March 21, qualifying on March 22 and the race, televised by FOX, on March 23. Tickets are on sale at indycar.com.
“I think it is even better. It kind of gives the club heritage,” Rogers said Tuesday on a day of IndyCar testing at the track for six teams. “If they hosted a points race here, it’s a high compliment to the club. It’s not just an old airport we put a race track on.”
The day-long testing on the 3.067-mile Twin Palms course gave drivers and teams a chance to work on possible car setups for the March race. The track features 19 turns, long straightways and elevation changes. Another change for the track was to lengthen the pit road for the race, allowing for a full field of cars to compete. The pit road now can fit 34 cars, more than will participate in the March race.
A driver tests an Indycar during a private test day at The Thermal Club in Thermal, Calif., Nov. 19, 2024.
More: It’s official: IndyCar coming back to the desert in March, this time with an official race
Of the six drivers testing Tuesday, only one, Louis Foster, is guaranteed a spot in the March race. Foster, an English racer, won the 2024 Indy NXT developmental league championship and has signed with Rahal Letterman Lanagan Racing for 2025. Tuesday was Foster’s first time at The Thermal Club, though he says he has visited the Coachella Valley many times with friends.
“Obviously, it’s a great backdrop. It’s quite surreal as a driver to drive around,” Foster said. “You’ve got mountains, what, two miles from you. So it’s quite cool. It’s unique. There is nothing else like it in the U.S. It’s a great facility.”
Foster said he and his team were learning plenty during about 70 laps around the Twin Palms course.
“The track itself, very flowy, very fast,” Foster said. “There’s a lot of slow-speed corner, high-speed corners, which makes it very difficult for us as a team to set up the car. It’s really enjoyable, and it gives you a sore neck at the end of the day for sure.”
Another noted tester Tuesday was Logan Sargeant, who as recently as August was racing Formula 1 cars for Williams Racing. But on this day, Sargeant had his first ride in an IndyCar, testing for Meyer Shank Racing in a car that will be driven by Helio Castroneves in March. Castroneves was on site Tuesday but did not drive a car.
Sargeant said the track is a technical track for a racer, but that complaints from the race last March that the track was slippery and degrades tires quickly didn’t seem to be a concern Tuesday.
“It doesn’t feel too bad. It is a little low grip, but obviously there’s only six of us going around and it was pretty fresh this morning,” Sargeant said. “But it’s not too bad considering people I assume drive around here quite often. I thought it was going to be worse for sure.”
Logan Sargeant stretches after driving a Meyer Shank Racing Honda IndyCar at The Thermal Club in Thermal, Calif., Nov. 19, 2024.
For Rogers, the return of IndyCar to The Thermal Club, with its residential homes and a 48-room hotel, has some non-racing aspects as well. After discussions with Riverside County over the nearby Jackie Cochran Airport and flight patterns and areas of occupancy during the race, Rogers believe the club will be able to accommodate 6,000 to 7,000 fans.
“We want the members and their guests to have a good time,” Rogers said. “We want IndyCar to have a good experience here, have a very good event and hopefully to sell property as well.”
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: IndyCar’s return to The Thermal Club a compliment to desert track, founder says
