Five brightly colored race cars take a sharp turn on a racetrack, closely following each other.

Inaugural Thermal Club IndyCar Grand Prix — two thumbs up!

March 28, 2025/Jan Wagner/
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After contesting a successful exhibition race there in 2024, this year IndyCar returned to The Thermal Club on March 21-23 for the inaugural Thermal Club IndyCar Grand Prix — the points-paying round two of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship. Despite no caution laps, it was exciting!

Red geometric logo above the word "THERMAL" on a white background.
NTT IndyCar Series logo featuring stylized text and a racing car image on a shield-shaped background.

Nestled in California’s Coachella Valley within the Greater Palm Springs area, The Thermal Club has stunning views of the San Jacinto Mountains.

Indy cars racing on a track with red and white curbs, surrounded by palm trees and mountains in the background.

It is an exclusive, luxurious private resort with custom homes, villas and spacious homesites — and much more.

Modern white three-story building with large windows, balconies, and surrounding trees under a clear blue sky.
A modern three-story building with large windows and balconies is surrounded by palm trees and desert landscaping under a clear blue sky.

Amenities include full-service clubhouses, world-class dining, a fitness center & spa, and a dedicated karting facility, but what makes this 490-acre private community truly extraordinary is its world-class motorsports facility, complete with a challenging 17-turn, 3.067-mile race track.

A black and white outline of a racetrack with labeled turns T1 to T9, pit lane, and direction arrows.
A bright orange sports car is elevated on a lift inside a garage with an open door. A caution sign is placed on the floor beneath the vehicle.

The club’s members appreciate fast cars and have their very own racetrack upon which to drive them. A prominent design element of the villas is their garage.

Three race cars maneuver around a track curve with palm trees and buildings in the background on a sunny day.
Modern two-story building with palm trees and a metal guardrail in the foreground.
Race cars navigate a track with a large house in the background; three people observe from the upper balcony.

High-end motorsports performance & experience centers are located there too, including the BMW Performance Center West — providing “a BMW driving experience like no other” (visit https://bmwperformancecenter.com/).

I spent much of Saturday exploring The Thermal Club and shooting qualifying. The facility offers a variety of track configurations, of which IndyCar utilized the Twin Palm circuit, with its component South Palm and North Palm circuits split by the pit lane, IndyCar garages, the Motorsports Village and more.

Aerial map of the Thermal Club IndyCar Grand Prix track featuring labeled areas: entrance, paddock, parking, and merchandise. Includes logos and a header at the top.
A poster detailing badge access levels and villa sponsors for The Thermal Club IndyCar Grand Prix. Includes QR code for more information.
Chart of IndyCar credentials for 2025, displaying various cards for officials, drivers, media, and more, each with specific access permissions and color coding.

Considering that this is a private country club, I was amazed by how especially well prepared they were to host this IndyCar race weekend. The Thermal Club staff was very helpful and friendly. The racetrack was challenging and in good condition. There was on-site parking and a variety of food available. Musical entertainment included a Bruno Mars tribute concert.

Person in red shirt and cap sings into a microphone. Another person plays guitar in the background.

The IndyCar Experience was there with a two-seater IndyCar…

A red truck is towing a large black trailer with "IndyCar Experience" and a race car graphic on the side, parked on a sunny day.

… VIP racing fans enjoyed hot laps around the racetrack in supercars…

Promotional poster for "Dream Drives at Thermal" offering hot laps in a red sports car for $300. Schedule: Friday 1-3pm, Saturday 11:20am-12:30pm, Sunday 10-11am. Contact: (760) 674-0088.

… and spectators could get driver autographs and watch the crews working on the IndyCars in the garages as they prepared them for qualifying and the race.

IndyCar vehicles in vivid yellow and orange paint are in a tented pit area, attended by crew members in coordinated uniforms.
Two mechanics examine the front of a red race car in a garage, with another mechanic in the background. Various tools and equipment surround them.
Three large banners featuring race car drivers in their suits are displayed in front of a trailer with logos for the NTT IndyCar series and sponsors.
Stacks of racing tires on a checkered floor, with a hand truck beside them.
Yellow and white race car wings with sponsor logos displayed under a tent at a racing event.
Three red and white Honda race cars parked on a racetrack, with mountains and a Firestone Racing truck in the background.
Team members work on an orange race car spoiler and wing assembly at a motorsport event, with trailers and mountains in the background.
A Formula 1 car is being towed on a small vehicle at a racetrack with mountains in the background. Palm trees line the track.
Pit crew changing tires on a red race car in a pit stop, with team members and equipment nearby and buildings in the background.
A blue IndyCar parked on a race track, with tires and tools in the foreground and mountains in the background.

The demanding Twin Palms circuit is a true driver’s circuit, featuring high-speed straights, tight technical sections and elevation changes. The racing action can be observed from many vantage points, and includes grandstands. In particular, the General Admission and VIP grandstands facing inwards towards the South Palm circuit provide a panoramic view of about two thirds of the racetrack. I returned on Sunday to watch the entire race from there.

Orange and blue race car on a track, displaying PNC Bank branding.
A bright yellow and red race car with DHL branding speeds along a race track.
Red race car with Verizon branding on a track, moving left to right. Driver in helmet visible. Racing stripes and decals adorn the car.
Yellow and black Splenda-sponsored race car, number 21, driving on a track.
Red and white race car on a track, featuring logos and the number 27, with a driver wearing a helmet inside.
Orange and blue race car speeding on a track with houses in the background.
A blue and white race car labeled "SiriusXM" speeds on a track, side view. The track is bordered with blue and gray lines.
Race car with "askROI" and "Honda" logos, driving on a track. Car number 18 is visible, along with sponsors' logos.
Red and white Verizon-sponsored IndyCar race car on a track, turning left.
Racing car number 76 with a white and black design, featuring sponsor logos, drives on a paved track with red wheels and a blurred background.
A yellow and white race car with "XPEL" branding drives on a track, surrounded by curbing in red, white, and blue.
Orange race car driving on a track with red and white curbs.
Race car with the number 26 navigates a corner on a track, displaying sponsorship logos. The vehicle has a white, yellow, and blue color scheme.
Red, white, and green race car with number 83 on track, background includes safety barriers and blurred motion effect.
Pink and blue race car driving on a curved track with blurred motion effect.
Race car number 90 with red, white, and green livery on track during a turn at a motorsport event.
An orange and black race car with Veloc branding navigates a track curve.
Blue and orange race car with black accents on a race track, driver in helmet visible, cornering on a red and white striped section.
Black and yellow racing car on a track, number 28 on the front.
A blue and white race car with sponsor decals speeds around a track, leaning into a corner on a paved racing circuit.

My overall experience was excellent. The only difficulty that I had was on Saturday, and it was entirely my own fault. Even though free shuttles were available to get around The Thermal Club, I chose to walk instead. I was ill-prepared for the potentially serious effects of the very hot, dry weather, and carrying my two heavy cameras and gear around made the situation worse. At the end of the day, walking while searching for where I’d parked my RAV4, I felt like I was about to collapse, plus I had a headache. I must have looked as bad as I felt because three kind people, who were about to drive by, pulled over and stopped to ask me if I wanted a ride. The third person who stopped insisted, so I accepted.

Two race cars on a track, with a blue leading car labeled "SiriusXM" and a yellow and black car in the background. Track curves visible with barriers and asphalt.
Two race cars with red and black livery navigate a track corner, with one leading closely in front of the other.
Orange race car on a track, photographed through palm trees.
A red and yellow race car on a track, approaching a corner with visible tire marks.
Two race cars on a track, one in the foreground with an orange livery and another in the background with a blue livery. The track features multiple turns and red-and-white curbs.
Red and yellow race car with the number 10 on the track, surrounded by gray pavement and a red and white curb.
Race car on a track, turning a corner. The car has a red, black, and white livery with visible advertising and a driver inside.
Red and black IndyCar race car with number 28 on track, driver visible, surrounded by tire walls, branding logos on car.
Two race cars on a track, the one in the foreground is orange with blue accents and the one behind is black with orange details, navigating a curve on a sunny day.
Yellow and black race car with the number 26 on the front, driving on a track with red, white, and blue markings.
An orange race car with sponsorship logos maneuvers through a curve on a track with red and white barriers.
Two race cars on a track; the car in front is black and yellow, the car behind is orange. The track has red and white curbs.
A red and yellow racing car with the number 10 on the front drives on a racetrack, approaching a corner.
An orange race car with black accents navigates a turn on a racetrack, surrounded by red and white curbing.
Large outdoor screen displaying auto race results with names, positions, times, and car numbers. Title: "Firestone Fast 6 Unofficial Results.
Large screen displaying a racing event, featuring a person in a black racing suit being interviewed. Text shows "5 PATO O'WARD" and "NTT P1 AWARD WINNER - 1:39.8567.
A person in a white Milwaukee 2006 Champ Car T-shirt and beige hat walks outside in a crowd.
Two race car drivers at a press conference, sitting at a table with microphones. Both are wearing orange team uniforms and baseball caps, with a logo backdrop behind them.

Race day Sunday went much better. I was much better-prepared for the heat, making sure to carry and drink plenty of water all day, and taking shuttle rides rather than walking long distances in the sun, like I did on Saturday.

Sign with text "Welcome Race Fans," logos for NTT IndyCar Series and Thermal, set against a mountain backdrop.
White geometric logo with interconnected lines above the word "THERMAL" on a black background.
People walking near racing trailers and displays with race car graphics and driver banners.
People seated on a trackside embankment with flags above, watching a race.
Large screen displaying a live race lineup with cars on the starting grid. Desert landscape and buildings in the background.
Large outdoor screen displaying a group of people gathered on a race track, with desert landscape in the background.
Race cars maneuver a curved track with red and white markings, set against a backdrop of palm trees and distant mountains under a clear blue sky.
Race cars on a desert track with mountains in the background; spectators in the foreground and houses visible.
A group of race cars competes on a track with desert mountains and palm trees in the background, under a clear sky.
Five race cars on a track, with one blue and orange car leading. The track has red and white painted curbs.
Cars in a competitive race on a track, tightly grouped, navigating a curve with sponsor logos visible on the vehicles.
Three race cars on a track navigate a turn with red and white curbs. Dust trails behind them as they compete.
Race cars navigate a track corner with a two-story house in the background, surrounded by desert landscape.
Two race cars on a track, one yellow and black, the other blue and orange, curve around a corner on a sunny day. A palm tree is visible in the foreground.
Four race cars navigate a curve on a track, with the lead car in red. The image captures motion and speed during the race event.
Four race cars drive closely on a track, with the leading car predominantly orange and blue.
Three race cars compete on a track, led by a red and black car with "Sexton" branding. One is yellow, and another is black, all navigating a bend.
Two race cars on a track with orange and blue liveries, one closely following the other.
Five colorful race cars maneuver through a track curve, closely grouped during a race event.
Three race cars speed along a track, navigating a curve. The first car is orange, followed by a green car, with another orange car behind.
Three race cars navigate a track with red and white curbs, two orange and blue cars in the lead followed by a green and white car.
A black drone with four propellers flying against a clear blue sky. It has a camera attachment on the underside for aerial photography.
Two race cars drive side by side on a track with red borders. The left car is blue and orange; the right car is green and white.
Open-wheel race cars navigating a track corner closely together.
Race cars in action on a curved track, lined up closely while navigating a turn, featuring multiple sponsors and vibrant colors.
Two race cars, one yellow with "Splenda" branding and number 21, the other blue with number 18, navigate a track corner.
A small plane approaches for landing over a busy outdoor event area with palm trees and mountainous backdrop.
Two Indy cars racing on a track, one primarily white and blue, the other orange.
Two race cars on a track, with an orange car leading a blue and white car.
Two race cars on a track, with an orange and blue car leading a yellow and white car, both navigating a bend.
Racing cars on a track, closely following each other around a curve.
Two race cars with different liveries maneuver closely on a track, bordered by red and white curbs, during a motorsport event.

For a while mid-race, our nearby big screen’s video froze. Later I learned that the entire TV broadcast was interrupted, due to a power failure for about a dozen laps. Fortunately, it resumed in time to show Alex Palou pit to get a new set of sticky, red tires; engage in close wheel-to-wheel, back & forth passes with second place Arrow McLaren driver Christian Lundgaard; and then rapidly catch up with and pass Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward, who had led 53 of the race’s 65 laps, to take the lead and win. That’s two in a row!

Racing cars on a track with a large screen showing a pit stop. Desert landscape and buildings in the background.
Two race cars, one orange and one yellow, speeding side by side on a track, with blurred motion effects and a thermal logo visible in the foreground.
Orange race car with black details and VELO logo on the side, driving on a track with another car behind it. Track has red and white curbs, and a person is visible nearby.
Two race cars on a track, leading with a bright orange car closely followed by a yellow and red car.
Two race cars with DHL branding, one yellow and red, the other orange and yellow, speed along a racetrack with a blurred background.
Two race cars with colorful liveries navigating a track curve. Red and yellow car leads, followed by an orange car. Striped red and white barriers line the track.
Race cars speed through a curved track with the leading vehicle in black and red, followed by three others in distinct colors.
Two race cars on a track, one orange and black, the other red and yellow, competing side by side on a curved section with barriers in the background.
Two race cars on a track, one orange and black, the other red and yellow, navigating a corner.
Two race cars on a track. The car on the left is primarily orange and black, and the car on the right is red and yellow. They are side by side on a curved section of the track.
A red and yellow race car labeled DHL with number 10 races on a track with branding and sponsor logos visible.
A digital screen displays a race car with "Herta" and "Rosenqvist" standings. Palm trees and a building are visible in the background.
A red and yellow DHL race car speeds on a track, featuring the number 10 and various sponsor logos.
Driver in a yellow DHL racing suit smiles at a press conference with microphones and a backdrop featuring sponsor logos.

You can see IndyCar’s “full race replay” on YouTube at https://youtu.be/GgoDs__TV-w?si=98pLUhuTxn4Q-rIg. For results, stories about the race and more from IndyCar visit https://www.indycar.com/.

To explore a wide variety of content dating back to 2002, with the most photos and the latest text, visit “AutoMatters & More” at https://automatters.net. Search by title or topic in the Search Bar in the middle of the Home Page, or click on the blue ‘years’ boxes and browse.

Copyright © 2025 by Jan Wagner – AutoMatters & More #876r1

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Jan Wagner

8 Comments

  1. David Sperry on April 6, 2025 at 11:06 pm

    Jan, I was looking forward to an exciting Japanese F1 race, but it turned out to be a big yawn. The Suzuka track is long and fast, and with the possibility of rain, it was shaping up to be a thriller.

    But then nothing much happened. Except for some pit stop rotations, Verstappen led the whole race from pole position, his 4th win in a row at Suzuka. For the closing laps of the race he was followed by the McLarens of Norris and Piastri, but their team couldn’t put together a strategy to challenge Max.

    Piastri seemed to have the slightly faster car, but McLaren was torn between two strategies: 1) Let Piastri pass Norris and attempt to catch Max and win the race. If this failed, then Piastri would earn more points than Norris for the Driver’s Championship. So McLaren stuck with plan 2) which allowed Norris to coast along and gain more points than Piastri.

    For most of the race, because of the nature of the track, the cars were strung out in a long procession with little chance of using DRS. With no yellow flags or major off track excursions, the race was anything but a nail biter. As result, the top 10 spots were taken by one Red Bull, two McLarens, two Ferraris separated by the two Mercedes, and two of the three remaining spots driven by rookies.

    Not a bad mix but I had hoped for a better race. In hindsight, the Thermal Club IndyCar race did look pretty good. David.

    Reply
    • Jan Wagner on April 7, 2025 at 11:49 am

      I agree. The 2025 F1 race in Japan ranked up there with the most boring races I’ve ever watched in any series. In contrast, the Thermal Club IndyCar race was exciting. Give IndyCar another chance, next weekend in Long Beach. I’ll be there covering it and all of the weekend’s other race series.
      Jan

      Reply
  2. David Sperry on April 5, 2025 at 5:27 pm

    Yes, Michael Andretti came on like a steamroller and left a bad impression, but I believe Mario will be an unofficial advisor to Cadillac. 2026 will be the first time there are 11 teams and 22 cars on the track. Should be exciting! David.

    Reply
    • Jan Wagner on April 5, 2025 at 6:04 pm

      Tomorrow’s F-1 race in Japan should be interesting. I wonder if it will rain, as forecast?
      Jan

      Reply
  3. David Sperry on April 5, 2025 at 10:45 am

    Jan, I do agree that there is a greater variety of winners in Indycar than F1, but the same names keep appearing in the top 10. Rarely does a mid-field driver score a win. It’s not just the driver…look at the three top teams: Arrow (McLaren), Roger Penske and Chip Ganassi. There is a pecking order just like F1. David.

    Reply
    • Jan Wagner on April 5, 2025 at 11:23 am

      I agree that there is a pecking order in both series, but I do believe that a winner outside the top teams is more likely in IndyCar than in F1.
      Also, the costs per race team is vastly different in the two series. That, and the insane process required to let a new team compete in F1 makes that series far less accessible. Andretti was barred and Cadillac had to pay a fortune to compensate the other teams from their loss of income.
      Jan

      Reply
  4. David Sperry on April 5, 2025 at 12:00 am

    Jan, when I first saw your headline, I thought there was an error, because I had watched the race last year. Then I realized that last year was only an exhibition race. To be honest, I find your column to be more interesting than the race itself.

    You were there with your equipment getting close up shots of cars and drivers and beautiful facilities, right in the action with crystal clear photos. On the other hand, watching the same race on TV wasn’t nearly as exciting.
    The course, while a decent length, is flat without “corkscrews” or other challenges of elevation (take the first sharp left turn at COTA for example).

    Also the race had no yellow flags or dramatic action for my taste. I guess I’ve been spoiled by the two exciting F1 races of the 2025 season. I must admit, I don’t follow IndyCar racing as much now as I did in the Golden Age of CART. At that time, CART was more popular than F1 in America. Fast forward a few decades and there are now three F1 races in the USA alone.

    You can trace the demise of CART to Tony George. By the mere fact of his family owning the racetrack and the Indy 500, he set out to destroy CART in a methodical way. First he formed the Indy Racing league, the IRL, and wouldn’t let CART race in the Indy 500. This drew Pensky and Ganassi away from CART and in a few seasons it folded.

    To make matters worse, IndyCar morphed into a kit car series with two engines, one chassis and a few aerodynamic kits. The only IndyCar race that fills the grandstands is the Indy 500, because of its tradition and legacy. You and I can remember, that back in the day, the Indy 500 was on the F1 calendar.

    Excuse my verbiage but for me, IndyCar has lost its luster. I still watch it and have never missed watching or listening to (on radio while overseas) the 500.

    You were right in the action and got some fantastic shots. I would love to be in pit lane for an IndyCar or F1 race. The next time you have to walk a long distance, you should have a luggage type dolly to hold your heavy equipment. This column had world class photos! David.

    Reply
    • Jan Wagner on April 5, 2025 at 12:27 am

      David,
      Thank you very much for your wonderful and much appreciated compliments. As you may know, I cover another IndyCar race every year: next weekend’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.
      The Thermal Club track layout, being a purpose-built road course, provides several vantage points where spectators can see great, close-up action like I captured. I was, in fact, shooting from an area available to General Admission ticket holders. The Grand Prix of Long Beach — not so much. That track layout is squeezed between buildings, and you would probably be shocked to see how narrow the walkway is behind the pits (an area where the teams also have to store sone of their spare parts — and walking through there during the racing requires a special, very limited credential. Forget about taking pictures of pit stops from there.
      Of course The Thermal Club has a big negative: the brutal heat. It almost got me on that Saturday.
      Speaking of the heat, I had a great view of a lot of the track from where I stayed for the whole race. However, as you can probably see in the further away shots, the heat rising from the track prevented me from getting clear shots when the cars were far away. Just to make them look as clear as they do required a lot of editing on my part.
      As for the state of IndyCar, yes, I agree that the series is not as good as it used to be, and for the reasons that you stated. However, the racing is still pretty good. While I do enjoy watching Formula 1 racing too, you must admit that it is not nearly as competitive as IndyCar racing, where anyone has at least a reasonable opportunity to win.
      Jan

      Reply

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