By: Spencer Neff
March 23, 2024

Open Test 4 Results Combined Test Results  Qualification Order

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Christian Lundgaard put an exclamation point to a weekend that saw him run Top 5 in all four test sessions.

The Heddenstead, Denmark racer was fastest among the 27 drivers in Saturday afternoon’s two-hour session with a best lap of 1m38.2199 (112.413 mph) on the Thermal Club circuit. Lundgaard’s Honda led a quintet of Chevrolets in the Top Six.

Following him on the 3.067-mile, 17-turn permanent road course in Thermal, California was the Team Penske duo of Will Power and Scott McLaughlin. Arrow McLaren’s three-car effort followed with Alexander Rossi leading Pato O’Ward and Saturday morning test leader Callum Ilott.

Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou, who led both morning and afternoon tests on Friday, was 10th. Meyer Shank Racing”s Tom Blomqvist was the best rookie of the session in 17th.

Just before halfway, Ed Capenter Racing’s Christian Rasmussen spun in Turn 6, prompting a brief red flag. Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon also would spun but continued on without interruption.

20 of 27 drivers recorded their best lap of the weekend ahead of qualifying for Sunday’s $1 Million Challenge.

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

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

5 p.m. – $1 Million Challenge heat race qualifying (two groups / 8 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 Owens/INDYCAR