IndyCar breaks new ground with $1 Million Challenge

IndyCar is entering unchartered territory the weekend with the $1 Million Challenge at The Thermal Club.

No points are up for grabs in the non-championship race at the gated community in Palm Springs, California, but $500,000 is available for the winner and cash prizes for every driver competing. The circuit is part of a private country club at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains. It's home to the 3.067-mile racetrack used for the event.

A two-day open test will kick off proceedings with four sessions before qualifying on Saturday. The 27 IndyCar drivers will race for a purse of $1.756 million.

The qualifying format is similar to other IndyCar races on road and street courses. The field is split in half for two 12-minute sessions.

A couple of 10-lap heats will take place Sunday, with the top six drivers from each race advancing to the 20-lap final to determine the overall winner and who will claim the $500,000 grand prize.

The driver finishing second will earn $350,000, third place gets $250,000 and fourth place wins $100,000. Fifth place will receive $50,000, and all other competitors will get $23,000.

The final will feature a quirk rarely seen in motorsport: a halftime break midway through the race.

The race will be split into two 10-lap sections, with the halftime period providing an opportunity for the setup to be tweaked and the car to be refueled.

After a short break, the sprint to the finish will decide the winner of IndyCar's first $1 million Challenge at the Palm Springs venue.

There have been concerns over how the event will be approached with no championship points on the table.

Six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon doubts whether the prize of $500,000 outweighs the cost of a potential penalty at the next championship round on the streets of Long Beach in April.

“Maybe if it was 20 million bucks,” Dixon told Racer. “Of course, the money means something, but then you’ve also got to sum up if it’s worth damaging the car for a couple hundred grand and maybe finishing last. Do you want to risk damaging the motor and get an engine penalty at a real race?”

The event at The Thermal Club will provide a unique aspect to the IndyCar season, one rarely seen at the highest level of motorsport. However, it remains to be seen whether the circuit will provide an unforgettable race.