502 replies to this topic

[Afterburner]

“It’s chaos anyway.” - Scott Dixon, Laguna Seca 2023

2024 NTT IndyCar Series Round 2 of 18: Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge
 

“That guy? What fresh hell is this?”

It’s IndyCar’s next race at The Thermal Club—it’s new, and it’s damn hot here, so fresh hell is about right. Did you really expect anything different from a place they named after heat energy? It’s the first IndyCar exhibition race in 16 years, which means for the first time since the 2008 race at Surfers’ Paradise, no points are on offer this weekend.

“WHAT!? No points! Well why in the name of Penske are we here?”



The Schedule
  
Friday, March 22
09:00-11:00 – Open Test Session 1
14:00-17:00 – Open Test Session 2

Saturday, March 23
09:00-11:00 – Open Test Session 3
13:00-15:00 – Open Test Session 4
17:00-17:12 – Qualifying Group 1
17:27-17:39 – Qualifying Group 2

Sunday, March 24
09:15-09:35 – Heat Race 1 (ha)
09:45-10:05 – Heat Race 2 (ha ha)
10:50-11:45 – Main Event

All times are Pacific Daylight. Convert the schedule to your time here.

The Spotter Guide

Come back when it’s available and you’ll find it here.

How to Watch
 
North American and United Kingdom Viewers

US IndyCar fans will catch the race on their local NBC affiliate or The Streaming Service with Oppenheimer™, Peacock. Denizens of the Great White North can follow on TSN or TSN+. UK viewers will find the race on Sky Sports F1.
 
International Viewers

Check this link to see how to find all that can’t-miss IndyCar action.


The “Track”
 
This is literally the map they had.
  
The Thermal Club
First IndyCar Race: This one
Surface: Asphalt
Turns: 19
Track Length: 3.067 miles (31,856.58 Benjamins)
Number of Laps: 10 (heat races), 20 (main)
Ideal Pit Strategy: Don’t
X: @ThermalClub

Thermal is a small unincorporated community tucked away in Southern California, a bit more than a stone’s throw away from California State Route 74, famous for being the road on which legendary tuna cannery burglar Smiler Grogan kicked the bucket. It was on this fateful stretch of sun-baked Americana that a bunch of nutters ultimately tore off in pursuit of a bounty buried under a big W, and as we speak, our favorite IndyCar drivers are sailing right out there to claim their own fortune after a big W. There’s just something about SoCal I guess.

You can practically hear the music just looking at it.

The thing you most likely know about Thermal is not even in Thermal, but a few minutes away: the Coachella valley. The Coachella region is probably best known for the music festival of the same name, where wannabe artistic luminaries initially gathered in the communal spirit of faux-hippiedom before eventually determining it was more profitable to fleece ignorant attendees of their hard-earned coin while preaching wokist bullshit in a form of capitalism so pure it would’ve killed Adam Smith in the smallest legal dosage. I guess you either go broke a hero or live long enough to sell out and become The Man.

Speaking of selling out, IndyCar.com describes this event as a “historic, innovative showcase”, but you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s just the world’s oldest profession with wheels, because the club’s embarrassingly wealthy members get to join teams on the pit wall and during debriefs throughout the weekend. Membership to the Thermal Club is the definition of “if you have to ask, you can’t afford it”, with prices starting at “I’m a nepo baby” and climbing all the way up to “I’m a nepo baby and staked my entire net worth on Nvidia call options at the start of the year”. Both of those are a pretty miserable way to live, and they require having such a distorted view of money that things like riding into space in a penis-shaped rocket built by 4chan memelords or taking a Montoya-sized soda can to see the wreckage of the Titanic seem like good ways to spend it. In fairness either of these pursuits is probably about as dangerous as putting yourself in the firing line of one of Romain Grosjean’s flying pit crew members so points for consistency I guess.

Not a picture of Romain Grosjean.


Previously, on “IndyCar”...

When we last left our heroes, they were barely surviving the brutally challenging weather of an early spring day in Florida. Betwixt the concrete walls of the St. Petersburg street circuit, we greeted the dawn of a new IndyCar season expecting maximum chaos and minimum predictability. We got neither, which I guess means that we got one after all?


Josef Newgarden made short work of Meyer-Shank upstart Felix Rosenqvist and never looked back. Pato O’Ward picked up where he left off last year with another second place, and Scott McLaughlin and Will Power followed them home to complete a Chevy 1-2-3-4. Honda only managed fifth, with Colton Herta leading defending champion Álex Palou home ahead of Rosenqvist. Alexander Rossi, Scott Dixon, and Rinus Veekay rounded out the Top 10. The ideal strategy for the race was a two-stopper, and every yellow happened right in the pit windows (IndyCars don’t have doors). The whole thing was about as memorable as Benjamin Pedersen—but just like that, it’s been 20 years of racing at St. Pete, which means it’s now passed from being the hot new thing into being something that you use to mark the bewildering passage of time, like, “Damn, the last time I got that wasted, IndyCar wasn’t racing at St. Petersburg!”

Doesn’t everyone do it like that?

The Verdict
Better than: that friggin’ Nashville track
Not as good as: that time Mario Andretti said “biatch”
Wait for it: IndyCar returns to Baltimore



The Standings Until Long Beach

NTT IndyCar Series

1^st – Josef Newgarden (54 pts)
2^nd – Pato O’Ward (40 pts)
3^rd – Scott McLaughlin (35 pts)
4^th – Will Power (32 pts)
5^th – Colton Herta (31 pts)
6^th – Álex Palou (28 pts)
7^th – Felix Rosenqvist (26 pts)
8^th – Alexander Rossi (24 pts)
9^th – Scott Dixon (22 pts)
10^th – Rinus Veekay (20 pts)

IndyCar Fantasy Challenge Driven by Firestone

1^st – Dolph with Wheel Power (160.5 pts)
2^nd – Anja Autosport (160.5 pts)
3^rd – The Sultans of Sling (156.5 pts)
4^th – milestone 11 (156.5 pts)
5^th – Lilynator (145.5 pts)
6^th – tpatricio (145.5 pts)
7^th – Afterburner Autosport (145 pts)
8^th – A.J. Frood Enterprises (137.5 pts)
9^th – paulb_lackofspeedshop (137.25 pts)
10^th – Cig35 Racing (133 pts)


This Weekend, on “IndyCar”...

“I’m thinking of this as a test. A cool open test with money at the end.” - Will Power, today

Drivers will get about 10 hours to test and prepare their cars for Sunday’s heat races, minus the inevitable random red flag caused by a driver whose aspirations are limited to being the one you pick every race as the last member of your fantasy team. There are two 10-lap races and then a 20 lap race with a forced “half-time” period at 10 laps instead of pit stops. The steady hands have all said they’re in it for the championship and imaginary numbers on a screen mean more to them than money—but I bet Scott Dixon doesn’t drive for free ever since Kit showed up. Sure, Gordon Gecko told us greed is good, but anyone with experience in metaphysicotheologocosmolonigology (hi Risil) may beg to differ.

So where does this leave us for this test-exhibition-experiment-thing? Well, GA ticket prices started at $2,000 and got cut to just $500 when nobody was biting, and with Ilott once again subbing for the still-injured David Malukas, God help us all if the 14 people who show up are Canapino fans. The event is being live-streamed by influencers, which sounds great until you realize that means Conor Daly and George Costanza’s daughter. Thankfully, at least the rich groupies on the pit wall aren’t going to collect a shit-ton of money for doing nothing—at least not more than they were already going to. However, this adjusted purse leaves us with the awkward situation of a $1 million challenge paying out only $500,000 to the winner—thankfully the total purse is still about $1.75 million so IndyCar won’t get sued. Probably.



And Now, Your Regularly Scheduled Programming

Very Important IndyCar Trivia

- Membership at The Thermal Club costs over $5.4 million
- $5.4 million is approximately the median annual budget for an IndyCar entry
- The daily mean temperature in Thermal, California in March is 15 °C
- 15 is Graham Rahal’s car number
- In St. Pete, Josef Newgarden led 92 laps, made 2 pit stops, won his 7th street race, and scored 4 bonus points
- 92274 is the area code for Thermal, California

You Wish You Had...

... prospects this hot.

Take a Drink Every Time...

“... the Thirsty Threes are closing in on the Young American!”

Do You Remember...

... the Hawaii Super Prix?

Anagram of the day:

Josef Newgarden/Ensnared Fog Jew


What Does It All Mean?

The hell if I know. We’ve got a whole month from now until Long Beach, so I guess we should thank Sting Ray Robb’s sponsor that it wasn’t a month and a half from St. Pete until then. He only knows what’s in store for us next, whether it’s more anti-chaos or everyone getting flung from a wacky ladder and into a hospital on the last lap while Roger Penske sneaks off with the five-hundred G’s. You know as well as I do that, whatever comes next, it could be interesting, and sometimes, that’s enough.

Now excuse me while I tie some cash to the end of a fishing rod and wait for Will Power to show up.

[FLB]

I would love for this to turn out like the old Marlboro Challenge at Laguna. And that race was the type of stuff that makes me a Rick Mears fan to this day.

 

[red stick]

I feel the sudden urge to phone a friend . . .

[SKL]

But unless I'm mistaken, it is "only" 500,000 not a million...    (originally the other 500 was supposed to go to a Thermal Club member)

 

I just hope this whole thing isn't a big debacle...

 

In all honesty, I'm more looking forward to the races at COTA this weekend

Edited by SKL, 20 March 2024 - 00:48.

[Dolph]

Loving the first post 

 

 

Is it just me or does the 10 + 10 + 20 laps seem extremely short. I understand it is such that it fits inside a regular races broadcast window, but seeing 10 to 30 laps of each car is so short. 

 

Any ideas from previous testing what the lap time are?

[AncientLurker]

Instant classic opening post again AB!

Not sure about this race being an instant classic, but as they always say, ‘you indycar, me watch’.

[William Hunt]

Is it even broadcasted? Sign of the neoliberal times with a major sports series driving in a fenced off millionaire / billlonaire area where plebs are not allowed to enter. People living there consider the IndyCar fans who watch the races peasants. Leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Racing for the 0.001% of the population behind closed fences...

[Nathan]

You never disappoint W.H.

 

If Ellison has a strong enough car I reckon he'll wreck everyone and win.

 

Great opening post!

[red stick]

Ellison?  His experience is in racing yachts.  Be lost at sea in the desert.   

[Anja]

Another great OP, suitably sharp.

[PayasYouRace]

I love how the track is surrounded by an ugly all, punctuated only with billionaires’ even uglier houses.

[PayasYouRace]

Also, thanks for reminding me that every new F1 track nowadays is inspired by a bonus track from the PS1/N64 era. I feel bad for the N64 guys. That game looks rough compared to the Psygnosis games on PS1.

[Beri]

That awkward moment when you realize that the ring road surrounding the circuit looks more interesting than the track itself.

[krapmeister]

Great OP! Dare I say will provide more joy and excitement than the race will?

This track doesn't strike me as one where a lot of overtaking will happen...

[jonpollak]

Is it even broadcasted? Sign of the neoliberal times with a major sports series driving in a fenced off millionaire / billlonaire area where plebs are not allowed to enter. People living there consider the IndyCar fans who watch the races peasants. Leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Racing for the 0.001% of the population behind closed fences...

Did you read the OP or just pop in to level accusations?
1) it’s on TV
2) Prices massively dropped for your ‘peasants’
3) The ‘fences’ will not block the view of those who don’t pay a ‘watch the cars zoom past my venue ’ fee.

Jp

[Afterburner]

Also, thanks for reminding me that every new F1 track nowadays is inspired by a bonus track from the PS1/N64 era. I feel bad for the N64 guys. That game looks rough compared to the Psygnosis games on PS1.

There were multiple videos of that track but none of the others featured Expert Driver Jean Alesi, so there was little choice.


See his car number? It was destiny.

[Risil]

Tuna Burglar

[Risil]

Brilliant Will Power quote in there too

[Frood]

My brain always automatically adds "Expert Driver" whenever I hear/see Jean Alesi's name

[AncientLurker]

That awkward moment when you realize that the ring road surrounding the circuit looks more interesting than the track itself.

Yeah, an old-school road course around the track that looks like it could have a classic feel.

 

And if you look at the ring road in Google maps, without satellite imagery, you will instantly understand why the VIP hospitality centre would be in the centre of the track.

[Autodromo]

Also noting that this is just a short drive from Palm Springs and the millionaires/billionaires gated communities in Indian Wells.  In fact, the homes around the track in Thermal are low rent in caparison.

[jcbc3]

Is that a piece of lead down ScottyMac's trousers? Or just the worlds largest phone?

[Afterburner]

Is that a piece of lead down ScottyMac's trousers? Or just the worlds largest phone?

Definitely a Pro Max...

[Frood]

IndyCar's biggest Pro Max since Chilton.

[paulb]

This is getting weird, even for Indycar.

[jonpollak]

UK Broadcast times.


Thank you Tom.

Jp

[paulb]

Sacrilege alert (and it has nothing to do with Sting Ray Robb). I have very little interest in this event. I find the venue and format uninteresting. The only hope I have is that the 10 lap sprints could produce chaos that would bring a tear to Romain’s eyes. Otoh, if people are saving their equipment for the races that matter, as Steve Martin once said, get excited and go to a yawning festival.

 

I may not watch, but I likely peek just because its Indycar.

[red stick]

It strikes me as, meh.  You're not alone.

[JimmyClark]

I had no idea about this. Seems pointless, I will probably skip unless I have nothing else going on on Sunday.

Is the $2000 GA ticket price story actually true? Hilarious if so. That makes Vegas F1 seem good value...

[ANF]

There are two 10-lap races and then a 20 lap race with a forced “half-time” period at 10 laps instead of pit stops.

What a shame. I would have loved to see pit stops with that pit exit...

[Risil]

Sacrilege alert (and it has nothing to do with Sting Ray Robb). I have very little interest in this event. I find the venue and format uninteresting. The only hope I have is that the 10 lap sprints could produce chaos that would bring a tear to Romain’s eyes. Otoh, if people are saving their equipment for the races that matter, as Steve Martin once said, get excited and go to a yawning festival.

I may not watch, but I likely peek just because its Indycar.

I have a totally unverified theory that the idea for this event started life as "pro-am Indycar for rich folks" (is there any other kind?) and as this was clearly impractical it ended up being "try being a co-owner for a day" and for some reason it's become this bastardized non-championship heat race format.

[jonpollak]

Hmmmm. No Fantasy Picks yet.

Jp

[red stick]

Non points in real life is non points in the alternate universe?

[red stick]

I have a totally unverified theory that the idea for this event started life as "pro-am Indycar for rich folks" (is there any other kind?) and as this was clearly impractical it ended up being "try being a co-owner for a day" and for some reason it's become this bastardized non-championship heat race format.

This probably answers the question I had about the rationale for the event a few days ago.  The target just keeps moving, and this is where we have landed.  Mostly it makes me wonder who at Thermal is owed a favor by someone in IndyCar, because otherwise I really can't comprehend why we're here at all. 

[paulb]

This probably answers the question I had about the rationale for the event a few days ago.  The target just keeps moving, and this is where we have landed.  Mostly it makes me wonder who at Thermal is owed a favor by someone in IndyCar, because otherwise I really can't comprehend why we're here at all. 

The weather?

[red stick]

I have learned not to comment on California weather, horticulture, greenery, or lack thereof, or geography as it relates to fluids, because I have no firsthand knowledge of any of the above. YMMV.

[Jim Thurman]

I have learned not to comment on California weather, horticulture, greenery, or lack thereof, or geography as it relates to fluids, because I have no firsthand knowledge of any of the above. YMMV.

How dare you not go full internet! This calls for a revocation of your internet card 

 

The internet credo: I know nothing at all about this, but here's exactly how it is   Also, never admit being wrong. Instead, attack the person that pointed out you were incorrect 

 

It's supposed to be windy, with blowing sand, near Palm Springs, but that's more to the northern end of the basin. I don't know what, if anything, it means for Thermal Club. 

[Jim Thurman]

I have a totally unverified theory that the idea for this event started life as "pro-am Indycar for rich folks" (is there any other kind?) and as this was clearly impractical it ended up being "try being a co-owner for a day" and for some reason it's become this bastardized non-championship heat race format.

Perhaps billionaire pro-am racers in Indycars proved not such a good idea.

 

Much as Russian oligarchs in Ferraris, etc., isn't either.

[FLB]

Perhaps billionaire pro-am racers in Indycars proved not such a good idea.

 

Much as Russian oligarchs in Ferraris, etc., isn't either.

Japanese heirs to an electronics empire...?

 

(I'll get me coat)

[AncientLurker]

I have a totally unverified theory that the idea for this event started life as "pro-am Indycar for rich folks" (is there any other kind?) and as this was clearly impractical it ended up being "try being a co-owner for a day" and for some reason it's become this bastardized non-championship heat race format.

Thing is, the pro-am is actually a really good idea. Obviously you can’t have the ams driving indycars, but you could run something more accessible of a Chevy and/or Honda make and do driver swaps. Competitive, but fun. Live in race interviews with the drivers making jokes, lots of pit lane banter. I am not a golf fan, but I have seen bits of them pulling off the pro-am thing and it looks like they get some good coverage.?

[paulb]

Thing is, the pro-am is actually a really good idea. Obviously you can’t have the ams driving indycars, but you could run something more accessible of a Chevy and/or Honda make and do driver swaps. Competitive, but fun. Live in race interviews with the drivers making jokes, lots of pit lane banter. I am not a golf fan, but I have seen bits of them pulling off the pro-am thing and it looks like they get some good coverage.?

Make it a relay race, with the Ams driving *insert your favorite econobox model here*. Indycar pits, econobox on track. This fantasy is fueled by memories of watching VW Rabbit clashing on two wheels at Riverside.

Edited by paulb, 21 March 2024 - 23:13.

[red stick]

How dare you not go full internet! This calls for a revocation of your internet card 
 
The internet credo: I know nothing at all about this, but here's exactly how it is   Also, never admit being wrong. Instead, attack the person that pointed out you were incorrect 

"Learned" implies at least one mistake. Probably more.

[Frood]

Perhaps billionaire pro-am racers in Indycars proved not such a good idea.

Much as Russian oligarchs in Ferraris, etc., isn't either.

(Vadim Kogay dislikes this)

Edited by Frood, 22 March 2024 - 10:33.

[William Hunt]

I will try to watch for sure because I always love discovering a new circuit I never saw racing on and this track has a mountain background which is always nice.

 

PS: read that they are allowing spectators, although 500$ for just an IndyCar race is on the heavy side: those are F1 prices. But good that spectators are allowed in, that's how it always should be.

Edited by William Hunt, 22 March 2024 - 11:17.

[AncientLurker]

$500 a person is steep, but the millionaires certainly aren’t going to pay for the prize pool, the regular folk are.

[jonpollak]

OK then, Practice 1..

 

Here we go....

 

Jp

[jonpollak]

Sure looks like a beautiful day...

Jp

[jonpollak]

Qualy Groups for tomorrow


Jp

[aportinga]

Are there commercials on indycarlive.com?

[Jim Thurman]

Japanese heirs to an electronics empire...?

 

(I'll get me coat)

The Oligarchs are generally much, much worse.

 

...king Hiro wasn't good at looking in his mirrors, but past that, I've seen worse from drivers who shall remain nameless in FP1 sessions of F1.