By: Spencer Neff
March 22, 2024

Open Test 2 Results Combined Results

Repeating his effort from this morning’s two-hour session, Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou was atop the leaderboard in Friday afternoon’s three-hour session. The 2021 and 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Champion notched a best lap of 1m39,3373 (111.149 mph) on the 3.067-mile, 17-turn Thermal Club circuit in Thermal, California.

Palou was .4429 of a second clear of Meyer Shank Racing’s Felix Rosenqvist as Honda-powered entries made it a 1-2 sweep. The Chevrolets of Juncos Hollinger Racing’s Romain Grosjean and Ed Carpenter Racing’s Rinus VeeKay were next on the board. Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Christian Lundgaard rounded out the Top Five.

Palou’s teammate Linus Lundqvist was again the best among the six rookies in the field in 12th. Nolan Siegel was 15th as he enters his first INDYCAR race weekend for Dale Coyne Racing.

After this morning’s session went uninterrupted, the second part of the Open Test would see the first red flag of the weekend. Ed Carpenter Racing’s Christian Rasmussen stalled in the runoff area by Turn 6. It would be the lone stoppage of the day.

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):

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 Joe Skibinski/INDYCAR