P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Miles “excited to see what comes” from IndyCar’s exhibition at Thermal
A unique non-points race will take place this weekend at the 17-turn, 3.067-mile circuit near Palm Springs, California, marking IndyCar’s first such event since 2008 in Australia. The event, tailored for TV, will be broadcast on NBC, Peacock, and the IndyCar Radio Network at 12:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, preceded by two days of testing streamed on Peacock. Limited fans, mainly exclusive club members, will attend with the intention to attract more wealthy individuals to engage in the series like Don Cusick of Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. The race boasts a hefty $1.756 million purse, the largest outside the Indy 500, with significant prizes for the top finishers and all participants. The format includes heats to determine the starting grid for the final race segments, sparking interest in the sport with innovations like these. IndyCar leadership, including CEO Miles, will measure success by feedback from stakeholders, fans, sponsors, teams, and the overall atmosphere during the event and after. The anticipation is high for this one-of-a-kind racing experience, and positive reactions will likely pave the way for future endeavors in the series.
