Thermal Club track owner confirms IndyCar's exit from the venue for 2026

The Thermal Club owner, Tim Rogers, has reportedly stated that the IndyCar series will not return to the venue for the upcoming 2026 season. However, the official 2026 schedule is yet to be confirmed by the series.

On June 25, KESQ reported that the private track owner, Tim Rogers, spoke about not hosting the point-scoring, 1 million IndyCar race next season. However, he remains hopeful of finding a sponsor and hosting a race with different series for 2027.

The rumours about dropping the three-mile track, which is located in the eastern Coachella Valley, started circulating in April. According to ESPN India, the rumours were fueled by the track's failure to meet its estimated capacity. The race also saw a drop in viewership on Fox after a power outage stopped the race from airing, and it was competing directly with NASCAR.

The race was held for two years in a row at the track. During the 2024 season, the drivers complained about the race being a non-points race. So for the 2025 season, the race was converted into an official point-winning Grand Prix and was won by the three-time IndyCar Series champion Alex Palou.

Notably, Tim Rogers has also stated that the talks about the track are still going on, and he also showed interest in hosting a race at the track if the deal with Mexico City falls through. As of now, the track's future for the 2026 season remains uncertain.

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IndyCar insider speaks about Team Penske's performance amid their 'not the norm' performance.

Team Penske has not been able to deliver the expected results this season, but rather has been in the limelight for the scandal at the Indy 500, where they were found to be violating the technical rule. Due to these controversies, there has been an internal change in the management of the team. IndyCar expert Curt Cavin shed light on the same while answering a question.

Post the Indy 500 controversy, the team lost some of their key individuals. Cavin talked about Team Penske's not the norm' performance so far this season while also highlighting what intrigues him the most about the World Wide Technology Raceway. He said, (via IndyCar.com)

"I’m most intrigued by Team Penske, not only for this weekend but for the weeks ahead. Who leads the program moving forward, and how does the change in leadership impact on-track performance in the months ahead? This weekend, the race strategists will be Luke Mason (for Josef Newgarden), Ben Bretzman (for Scott McLaughlin), and David Faustino (for Will Power)," "This has been a track where the team has dominated, with Newgarden winning four of the past five races, and Power and McLaughlin combining to win the past four poles. Team Penske still hasn’t placed a driver in the first or second finishing positions this season, and there have been seven races – that’s certainly not the norm. Could this be the weekend where Roger Penske’s group gets back on track?" he added.

The Mooresville-based team has another eight races to improve its performance.

Edited by pranavsethii