IndyCar makes its way to The Thermal Club for the season’s second race. Prepare for Sunday’s race with all the important details you need to know before the green flag waves.
Round 2: The Thermal Club IndyCar Grand Prix Preview
IndyCar is returning to Thermal for the second consecutive year, but this time there are significant changes. Unlike last year, there is no longer $1 Million at stake, instead, it will now be a regular points-paying race.
Last year’s event was an IndyCar experiment gone wrong so these changes were necessary.
The Track: Thermal Club
Thermal Club is a 17-turn 3.067-mile (4.82-km) natural terrain road course that consists of sweepers, tight corners, long straightaways, and elevation changes.
The surface tends to be abrasive due to the dust accumulating in the region. The turn 16-17 section has been repaved and leveled to help prevent damage and potentially help with tire deg.
In last year’s race, as drivers approached the Turn 16-17 section, they hit the crest and curbing, which sent their cars airborne before they landed and made a sharp right turn onto the start/finish straight.
The Race Preview
This race will be all about tire management and team strategy. Making it a challenge for both the team and the driver.
The track at Thermal takes a toll on the primary Firestone Firehawk tires. This was evident last year in the 20-lap race. Drivers were limited to a single set of tires which was a recipe for disaster. The drivers chose to drive slower to preserve their tires for essentially a 10-lap shootout, as many had encountered challenges during testing after the first 10 laps.
This year the race is 65 laps, and there will be tire changes but the fuel load figures may last longer than the tires, especially with the expected warm temperatures making for an entertaining race.
Drivers to Watch
After winning the opening race in St. Pete, Alex Palou returns as the obvious favorite to win The Thermal Club INDYCAR Grand Prix this Sunday as he won the exhibition race from the pole last year. Here are other drivers to watch out for
Louis Foster
The rookies’ IndyCar debut at St. Pete was less than a dream and more like a nightmare after he collected in a first-lap crash between Nolan Siegel and Will Power.
He is for sure going to be hungry to get going this weekend at Thermal, a track he has already been on.
In Nov. 2024 Louis drove 70 laps around the Twin Palms course as part of testing with RLL Racing.
Foster dedicated the test to learning the skills required for racing situations, such as fuel efficiency, tire management, and hybrid power systems. Hopefully, they can take things he learned about the track, the car, and the progress they’ve made into the weekend.
READ MORE: Introducing Louis Foster: RLL’s Rookie Driver for 2025
Scott Dixon
Dixon aims to make a comeback, not just from the season’s opening race where a radio issue enabled his teammate Palou to overtake him for the lead, but also from last year’s event where he was knocked out before the All-Star Race.
The track is a cheese grater for the tires so they and the race need to be well managed and Dixon’s skill in adjusting in the cockpit is unmatched.
Felix Rosenqvist
Anything can happen in this race, particularly with the unpredictability of the tires, making it possible for a surprise winner. Last year, Felix Rosenqvist began in second place and secured a third-place finish in the exhibition race. Could this be the moment the Swede claims his second victory?
How to watch
The First Practice will take place on Friday, March 21st, at 6:30 PM Eastern. Saturday will see the drivers take to the track for second practice and qualifying. Practice session 2 is at 1:00 PM Eastern, and qualifying is at 5:00 PM Eastern. The Thermal Club IndyCar Grand Prix takes place on Sunday, March 23rd, at 3 pm Eastern. The coverage will be on Fox. All practice sessions, qualifying, and the Sunday warm-up will be aired on FS1.
Stay tuned to Last Word on Motorsports for all the news from the second round of the 2025 NTT IndyCar Series
Featured Image Credit: Penske Entertainment: Chris Owens, 3/24/24
