By: Spencer Neff
March 22, 2024

Test Results Qualification Order

Ahead of Sunday’s $1 million Challenge, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES will conduct four sessions over the next two days.

In the weekends first two-hour on-track test, Chip Ganassi Racng’s Alex Palou was quickest.

The 2021 and 2023 series champion notched a best lap of 1m39.5149 (110.950 mph) on the 3.067-mile, 17-turn permanent road course in Thermal, California. All nine of Palou’s career victories have been on road courses, including eight wins on permanent circuits.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Christian Lundgaard was second, .1825 of a second back of Palou. Palou’s CGR teammate Marcus Armstrong made a 1-2-3 for Honda. Arrow McLaren’s Alexander Rossi and Pato O’Ward led the way for the Chevrolet teams and rounded out the Top Five.

Chip Ganassi Racing also saw Linus Lundqvist continue an impressive start to his INDYCAR career as the Swede was the highest-placing rookie in sixth.

St. Petersburg winner Josef Newgarden of Team Penske was 20th.

Dale Coyne Racing’s Nolan Siegel, who makes his unofficial series debut this weekend, was 26th of 27 drivers in the field.

Up Next

Here is the remaining weekend schedule for this weekend at the Thermal Club. Stay with IndyCar1909 for the latest on this weekend’s $1 million Challenge.

At-track schedule (All Times Local):

Friday, March 22

2-5 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Open Test, Peacock

Saturday, March 23

9-11 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Open Test, Peacock

1-3 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Open Test, Peacock

5 p.m. – $1 Million Challenge heat race qualifying (two groups / 12 minutes each), Peacock

Sunday, March 24

9:24 a.m. – $1 Million Challenge Heat Race 1 “Drivers Start Your Engines”

9:30 a.m. – NBC on air

9:31 a.m. – $1 Million Challenge Heat Race 1 (10 laps / 30.67 miles / 20 minutes / Top 6 advance to Sprint for the Purse), NBC

9:58 a.m. – $1 Million Challenge Heat Race 2 “Drivers Start Your Engines”

10:05 a.m. – $1 Million Challenge Heat Race 2 (10 laps / 30.67 miles / 20 minutes/ Top 6 advance to Sprint for the Purse), NBC

10:52 a.m. – $1 Million Challenge Sprint for the Purse “Drivers, start your engines”

10:59 a.m. – $1 Million Challenge Sprint for the Purse (Two 10-lap segments with 10-minute halftime after Lap 10), NBC (Live)

NTT INDYCAR SERIES Notes:

· The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge will be the first non-championship NTT INDYCAR SERIES race since 2008. With a total payout of over $1.7 million, it is the largest non-Indy 500 purse for an INDYCAR SERIES event in over two decades. More information on the weekend format can be found HERE. There have been 10 INDYCAR SERIES exhibition races held since 1946, including the Marlboro Challenge All-Star race, which was held by CART from 1987-1992.

Header Image By Chris Jones