Track Owner Says Thermal Club Is Getting Scrapped From 2026 IndyCar Schedule
Some fans will be very happy about this
Certain races on the 2026 IndyCar schedule are in place and already solidified on the calendar with the season kicking off on March 1, 2026 in St. Peterburg, but other races and their dates are still up in the air, and one of those is a return to The Thermal Club for a third straight season.
The track — part of a private country club in Thermal, California — made its IndyCar debut for testing in 2023 and then as a non-points exhibition race with drivers battling for a million-dollar prize in 2024.
In 2025, it became a standard points race and was won by current championship leader Alex Palou, but the track's owner told a local news station that the track will not be back on the schedule next season.
"Not next year," track owner Tim Rogers told News Channel 3 (KESQ) Sports Director Blake Arthur. "Hopefully the following year… [IndyCar's] schedule is pretty well-set, and also, I need to make sure that we get a title sponsor (for the race) and be prepared ahead of time.
However, if this proves to be true and The Thermal Club will not be on the calendar, then that would mean that there would be some space that needs to be filled.
There should be no shortage of options, but it was recently reported that the series would like to head South of the Border to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, the Mexico City circuit that plays host to Formula 1's Mexican Grand Prix and recently hosted the NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series.
The Thermal Club has received mixed reviews from fans, and personally, I don't think it adds much to the series. IndyCar would be better suited with a bigger, more fan-friendly event like the Grand Prix of Arlington, which will debut next season using a street track around AT&T Stadium.