Ganassi driver Alex Palou dominates the Million Dollar Challenge on the Thermal Club circuit in Palm Springs – starting crash in the first of the two heats
The IndyCar version of the 2024 All-Star Race, the first edition of the Million Dollar Challenge, is history. Alex Palou (Ganassi-Honda) came out on top in the points-less show race, which took place on Sunday at the private club racetrack The Thermal Club in Palm Springs (California). In the main race with twelve participants, the two-time and reigning IndyCar champion won after 20 laps, which were split into two as planned.
The main race (feature race) was preceded by two heat races of ten laps each. In these two heats with 14 and 13 participants respectively, the twelve drivers who battled for the prize money in the All-Star Race were determined. Specifically, the top 6 from Heat 1 and the top 6 from Heat 2 entered the feature race.
Among those who did not even reach the twelve-strong main race because they missed out on a top six finish in their heat race were six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon (Ganassi-Honda), two-time IndyCar champion Will Power (Penske-Chevrolet), former Indy 500 winner Marcus Ericsson (Andretti Honda) and Patricio O’Ward (McLaren-Chevrolet).
While the trip to Palm Springs was not worthwhile for these and numerous other IndyCar drivers, Alex Palou was the one to celebrate. He was delighted with the winner’s prize money of half a million US dollars. Scott McLaughlin (Penske-Chevrolet) and Felix Rosenqvist (Shank-Honda) finished second and third behind winner Palou in the final results of the 2024 All-Star Race, which was worth a total of 1.756 million US dollars.
Josef Newgarden (Penske-Chevrolet), who leads the 2024 IndyCar standings thanks to his victory in the season opener two weeks ago, finished P8 in the points-less All-Star Race after a contact with Alexander Rossi (McLaren-Chevrolet; 7th). (Result: IndyCar All-Star Race in Palm Springs)
Alex Palou started the All-Star Race directly from pole with Felix Rosenqvist next to him on the front row. Both had won one of the two heat races after starting from pole in each of them, having led their respective qualifying groups in Saturday’s qualifying.
The 20-lap feature race was split into two parts. After the first ten laps, Palou was ahead of Scott McLaughlin and Rosenqvist. There was a scheduled break of ten minutes before another ten laps were completed. The format of the All-Star Race differed significantly from a normal IndyCar race weekend throughout the weekend.
The second part of the 20-lap race therefore started with Palou and McLaughlin on the front row. Palou immediately set the pace again and left nothing to chance. At the finish, he had a lead of almost six seconds over McLaughlin, who had no serious chance. Rosenqvist crossed the finish line in third place.
Colton Herta (Andretti Honda) showed the greatest forward momentum. With fresher tires, he drove through almost the entire (small) field and ultimately finished P4, followed by the two Ganassi youngsters Marcus Armstrong and Linus Lundqvist.
Heat races: starting crash with Scott Dixon, Romain Grosjean and co.
In the first of the two heat races that preceded the actual All-Star Race, there was chaos right in the first corner. Romain Grosjean (Juncos-Chevrolet) was unfortunately sent into a spin by Ganassi rookie Scott Dixon before Turn 1. While spinning back into the field, the spinning Grosjean caught the car of Rinus VeeKay (Carpenter-Chevrolet).
Christian Lundgaard (Rahal-Honda) was also hit but, unlike VeeKay and Grosjean, was unable to continue. Lundgaard even finished this first of two heats of the day in fourth place behind Felix Rosenqvist, Scott McLaughlin and Josef Newgarden.
Chaos at Coachella!
Heat 1 sees an incident involving multiple cars on Lap 1 at @ThermalClub
: NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/uynsq81kpD
– NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) March 24, 2024
Thus, Lundgaard was one of those who made it into the twelve-strong main race. Behind him, Agustin Canapino (Juncos-Chevrolet) and Colton Herta also managed to do so. On the other hand, P9 Penske driver Will Power did not make it through, nor did Scott Dixon in P12 after an early collision with Romain Grosjean.
Heat Race 2 was much calmer than Heat Race 1. Alex Palou prevailed against Ganassi team-mate Marcus Armstrong as well as Graham Rahal (Rahal-Honda), Linus Lundqvist (Ganassi-Honda), Pietro Fittipaldi (Rahal-Honda) and Alexander Rossi. It was Rossi’s McLaren team-mate Patricio O’Ward in P7 who missed out on a place in the main race.
There are now three completely race-free weekends on the 2024 IndyCar calendar before the regular season resumes on April 21 in Long Beach, California. The race on the famous street circuit on the Pacific coast will be the second points race after the season opener, which took place in St. Petersburg (Florida) on March 10.
