The NTT INDYCAR series returns to the stunning privately owned Thermal Club in Southern California this weekend for round 2 of the 2025 championship season.
After last years million dollar challenge event, this year its a full on championship points race, resulting in a main race rather than the knock out series of sprint events we witnessed in 2024 It is also the first of six natural road courses the series visits this season.
So whats in store for the Kiwis?
Looking back at round 1 held at St Petersburg (March 3rd NZ time) Scott McLaughlin took a fine pole position, finishing the race in fourth. Scott Dixon finished the race second to teammate Palou and looked strong for the win if he had not had the radio issues with the team for that all important final fuel stop. Marcus Armstrong showed much promise with his new MSR team and the alliance they have with the Ganassi squad so all signs say expect even more from the trio this week. Armstrongs team mate in 2025 Felix Rosenqvist finished the event last year in third for Meyer Shank Racing so the can hustle around this place thats for sure.
To the layout at the Thermal Club.
It’s a 3.067-mile (4.82-km) raceway with a total of 17 turns. The track layout consists of a series of sweepers, tight corners, long straightaways, and elevation changes, providing a proper driving and engineering challenge to teams and drivers, there really is a bit of everything. The track surface recently referred to a “cheese grater” will provide much interest with a full race run rather than the series of sprints so expect that to come into play. The surface tends to be very abrasive due to the dust that accumulates in the desert region of Southern California. With a race distance of 65 laps, the fuel load figures should last longer than the tires, especially with the warm temperatures that are expected over the course of the weekend. The tire allocation for the weekend gives the drivers six sets of the primary and four sets of the alternate to be used during the event weekend. The teams must use one set of primary and one set of new (sticker) alternate tires for at least two laps in the race so this may impact the race strategy along the lines of what we saw in St Petersburg where the tire will control the race and pit stops.
What can we take from last years event? Not a lot because of the nature of the knockout sprint format. What we do know is McLaughlin finished second in the main event, Dixon was right in there as well ,getting tangled up and contact at turn 1 and Armstrong was in amongst it most of the weekend so it bolds well.
The objective for all three New Zealand drivers and any one else for that matter add to the points tally and get into the championship. Very soon this season really heats up and the races come thick and fast and points on the board on a regular basis win titles in INDYCAR.