A non-championship show race for one million US dollars will take place in the month of March at The Thermal Club in the 2024 IndyCar year
For decades, NASCAR has had its All-Star Race, which is not for points towards the overall championship, but for a prize purse of one million US dollars. In 2024, such a money race for an equally high amount will also be held in the IndyCar Series for the first time.
As announced on the sidelines of the 2023 IndyCar season finale at Laguna Seca Raceway, the points-less race will take place on 24 March 2024 at The Thermal Club circuit in Palm Springs in the US state of California. The official pre-season test in preparation for the 2023 IndyCar season was held at the same venue in February this year.
In March 2024, the races in Palm Springs will take place over three days instead of two. In terms of the schedule, All-Star Weekend is similar to a normal race weekend, but there are differences in the format.
On Friday (22 March) there will first be a test day. On Saturday (23 March) there will be qualifying followed by two heat races, as they are known from individual NASCAR races and not least from the SRX.
Specifically, on the 2024 IndyCar weekend in Palm Springs, the top six of both heat races will advance to the main race. This main race for one million US dollars will then take place on Sunday (24 March) and, as is usual for the IndyCar Series, will be broadcast live by the TV station NBC.
“The IndyCar Series is adding an incredible new event to its schedule next year with the racing spectacle at the Thermal Club,” says Mark Miles, the IndyCar Series’ chief executive officer as president of Penske Entertainnment Corporation.
Of the Palm Springs circuit, Miles says: “This world-class venue, just a stone’s throw from the world’s most important entertainment market, is the perfect place to showcase our hotly contested races and our stars.”
While the 2024 All-Star Race has now been officially announced at Laguna Seca Sunday, the race calendar featuring the championship rounds for the 2024 IndyCar season is still a long time coming. As things stand at present, however, it should be published before the end of September 2023.
The key data for the 2024 IndyCar calendar are already available. The season opener is scheduled for 3 March in St. Petersburg (Florida). The finale will take place on 15 September on the new street circuit layout in Nashville (Tennessee).
