# 2024 $1 Million Challenge

The 2024 $1 Million Challenge was a non-championship round held as part of the 2024 IndyCar Series. The race was held on March 24, 2024 at The Thermal Club private race resort in Thermal, California. The feature race consisted of 20 laps and was won by Álex Palou.
It was the sixth American championship open-wheel racing event in Riverside County, the first since the 1983 Budweiser 500 km, held in the Edgemont area of Riverside County, about 75 miles northwest of the Coachella Valley where the Thermal Club is located.

## Entry list

| Key | Meaning |
| R | Rookie |
| W | Past winner |
| No. | Driver | Team | Engine |
| 2 | Josef Newgarden | Team Penske | Chevrolet |
| 3 | Scott McLaughlin | Team Penske | Chevrolet |
| 4 | Kyffin Simpson R | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda |
| 5 | Pato O'Ward | Arrow McLaren | Chevrolet |
| 6 | Callum Ilott | Arrow McLaren | Chevrolet |
| 7 | Alexander Rossi | Arrow McLaren | Chevrolet |
| 8 | Linus Lundqvist R | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda |
| 9 | Scott Dixon | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda |
| 10 | Álex Palou | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda |
| 11 | Marcus Armstrong | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda |
| 12 | Will Power | Team Penske | Chevrolet |
| 14 | Santino Ferrucci | A. J. Foyt Enterprises | Chevrolet |
| 15 | Graham Rahal | Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | Honda |
| 18 | Nolan Siegel R | Dale Coyne Racing | Honda |
| 20 | Christian Rasmussen R | Ed Carpenter Racing | Chevrolet |
| 21 | Rinus VeeKay | Ed Carpenter Racing | Chevrolet |
| 26 | Colton Herta | Andretti Global with Curb-Agajanian | Honda |
| 27 | Kyle Kirkwood | Andretti Global | Honda |
| 28 | Marcus Ericsson | Andretti Global | Honda |
| 30 | Pietro Fittipaldi | Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | Honda |
| 41 | Sting Ray Robb | A. J. Foyt Enterprises | Chevrolet |
| 45 | Christian Lundgaard | Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | Honda |
| 51 | Colin Braun R | Dale Coyne Racing with Rick Ware Racing | Honda |
| 60 | Felix Rosenqvist | Meyer Shank Racing | Honda |
| 66 | Tom Blomqvist R | Meyer Shank Racing | Honda |
| 77 | Romain Grosjean | Juncos Hollinger Racing | Chevrolet |
| 78 | Agustín Canapino | Juncos Hollinger Racing | Chevrolet |
| Source: ||||

## Qualifying

Qualifying started at 5:00 PM PT on March 23, 2024. The 27 entries were divided into two groups determined by a random draw, with each group competing in separate heat races. Drivers were permitted to use up to 40 seconds of push-to-pass, marking the first time competitors have been allowed to use PTP during an IndyCar quali session.

### Heat 1 Qualifying

* Group 1
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Engine | Time | Final grid |
| 1 | 60 | Felix Rosenqvist | Meyer Shank Racing | Honda | 01:38.5831 | 1 |
| 2 | 3 | Scott McLaughlin | Team Penske | Chevrolet | 01:38.6068 | 2 |
| 3 | 21 | Rinus VeeKay | Ed Carpenter Racing | Chevrolet | 01:38.6283 | 3 |
| 4 | 45 | Christian Lundgaard | Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | Honda | 01:38.6394 | 4 |
| 5 | 2 | Josef Newgarden | Team Penske | Chevrolet | 01:38.7926 | 5 |
| 6 | 12 | Will Power | Team Penske | Chevrolet | 01:38.8056 | 6 |
| 7 | 77 | Romain Grosjean | Juncos Hollinger Racing | Chevrolet | 01:38.8774 | 7 |
| 8 | 78 | Agustín Canapino | Juncos Hollinger Racing | Chevrolet | 01:39.5994 | 8 |
| 9 | 9 | Scott Dixon | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda | 01:39.7074 | 9 |
| 10 | 14 | Santino Ferrucci | A. J. Foyt Enterprises | Chevrolet | 01:39.7400 | 10 |
| 11 | 26 | Colton Herta | Andretti Global with Curb-Agajanian | Honda | 01:39.8331 | 11 |
| 12 | 18 | Nolan Siegel R | Dale Coyne Racing | Honda | 01:40.1218 | 12 |
| 13 | 27 | Kyle Kirkwood | Andretti Global | Honda | 01:40.1268 | 13 |
| 14 | 41 | Sting Ray Robb | A. J. Foyt Enterprises | Chevrolet | 01:41.5352 | 14 |
| Source: |||||||

#### Notes

* Bold text indicates fastest time set in session.

### Heat 2 Qualifying

* Group 2
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Engine | Time | Final grid |
| 1 | 10 | Álex Palou | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda | 01:38.5675 | 1 |
| 2 | 11 | Marcus Armstrong | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda | 01:38.7575 | 2 |
| 3 | 15 | Graham Rahal | Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | Honda | 01:38.9723 | 3 |
| 4 | 8 | Linus Lundqvist R | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda | 01:39.0685 | 4 |
| 5 | 66 | Tom Blomqvist R | Meyer Shank Racing | Honda | 01:39.0820 | 5 |
| 6 | 30 | Pietro Fittipaldi | Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | Honda | 01:39.1117 | 6 |
| 7 | 7 | Alexander Rossi | Arrow McLaren | Chevrolet | 01:39.1140 | 7 |
| 8 | 6 | Callum Ilott | Arrow McLaren | Chevrolet | 01:39.2575 | 8 |
| 9 | 5 | Pato O'Ward | Arrow McLaren | Chevrolet | 01:39.4293 | 9 |
| 10 | 4 | Kyffin Simpson R | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda | 01:39.9502 | 10 |
| 11 | 20 | Christian Rasmussen R | Ed Carpenter Racing | Chevrolet | 01:40.2820 | 11 |
| 12 | 51 | Colin Braun R | Dale Coyne Racing with Rick Ware Racing | Honda | 01:40.7843 | 12 |
| 13 | 28 | Marcus Ericsson | Andretti Global | Honda | No Time | 13 |
| Source: |||||||

#### Notes

* Bold text indicates fastest time set in session.

## Results

The event started at 9:15 am PT on March 24, 2024.
Each heat race was 10 laps or 20 minutes. The top six finishers from each heat advanced to the All-Star Race. The faster of the two heat winners in qualifying earned pole for the feature race, and determined grid positioning. The feature race was 20 laps, with a half-time break at lap 10.

### Heat 1

| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Engine | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid |
| 1 | 60 | Felix Rosenqvist | Meyer Shank Racing | Honda | 8 | 13:30.9622 | 1 |
| 2 | 3 | Scott McLaughlin | Team Penske | Chevrolet | 8 | +0.4971 | 2 |
| 3 | 2 | Josef Newgarden | Team Penske | Chevrolet | 8 | +1.7664 | 5 |
| 4 | 45 | Christian Lundgaard | Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | Honda | 8 | +6.3835 | 4 |
| 5 | 78 | Agustín Canapino | Juncos Hollinger Racing | Chevrolet | 8 | +8.7479 | 8 |
| 6 | 26 | Colton Herta | Andretti Global with Curb-Agajanian | Honda | 8 | +15.8230 | 11 |
| 7 | 18 | Nolan Siegel R | Dale Coyne Racing | Honda | 8 | +16.4113 | 12 |
| 8 | 14 | Santino Ferrucci | A.J. Foyt Enterprises | Chevrolet | 8 | +17.0148 | 10 |
| 9 | 12 | Will Power | Team Penske | Chevrolet | 8 | +17.8747 | 6 |
| 10 | 27 | Kyle Kirkwood | Andretti Global | Honda | 8 | +21.4089 | 13 |
| 11 | 41 | Sting Ray Robb | A.J. Foyt Enterprises | Chevrolet | 8 | +21.7870 | 14 |
| 12 | 9 | Scott Dixon | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda | 8 | +25.7655 | 9 |
| 13 | 21 | Rinus VeeKay | Ed Carpenter Racing | Chevrolet | 0 | Contact | 3 |
| 14 | 77 | Romain Grosjean | Juncos Hollinger Racing | Chevrolet | 0 | Contact | 7 |
| Fastest lap: Scott Dixon (Chip Ganassi Racing) – 1:40.7795 (lap 3) ||||||||
| Source: ||||||||

### Heat 2

| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Engine | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid |
| 1 | 10 | Álex Palou | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda | 10 | 16:50.6089 | 1 |
| 2 | 11 | Marcus Armstrong | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda | 10 | +5.3375 | 2 |
| 3 | 15 | Graham Rahal | Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | Honda | 10 | +18.0911 | 3 |
| 4 | 8 | Linus Lundqvist R | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda | 10 | +18.9634 | 4 |
| 5 | 30 | Pietro Fittipaldi | Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | Honda | 10 | +19.7151 | 6 |
| 6 | 7 | Alexander Rossi | Arrow McLaren | Chevrolet | 10 | +20.3456 | 7 |
| 7 | 5 | Pato O'Ward | Arrow McLaren | Chevrolet | 10 | +21.0031 | 9 |
| 8 | 66 | Tom Blomqvist R | Meyer Shank Racing | Honda | 10 | +23.1783 | 5 |
| 9 | 6 | Callum Ilott | Arrow McLaren | Chevrolet | 10 | +23.3908 | 8 |
| 10 | 20 | Christian Rasmussen R | Ed Carpenter Racing | Chevrolet | 10 | +24.1938 | 11 |
| 11 | 4 | Kyffin Simpson R | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda | 10 | +25.8233 | 10 |
| 12 | 28 | Marcus Ericsson | Andretti Global | Honda | 10 | +26.5815 | 13 |
| 13 | 51 | Colin Braun R | Dale Coyne Racing with Rick Ware Racing | Honda | 10 | +28.8333 | 12 |
| Fastest lap: Álex Palou (Chip Ganassi Racing) – 1:39.8051 (lap 3) ||||||||
| Source: ||||||||

### All-Star Race

| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Engine | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid |
| 1 | 10 | Álex Palou | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda | 20 | 39:30.2292 | 1 |
| 2 | 3 | Scott McLaughlin | Team Penske | Chevrolet | 20 | +5.7929 | 4 |
| 3 | 60 | Felix Rosenqvist | Meyer Shank Racing | Honda | 20 | +9.7587 | 2 |
| 4 | 26 | Colton Herta | Andretti Global with Curb-Agajanian | Honda | 20 | +13.1126 | 12 |
| 5 | 11 | Marcus Armstrong | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda | 20 | +15.0938 | 3 |
| 6 | 8 | Linus Lundqvist R | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda | 20 | +16.1064 | 7 |
| 7 | 7 | Alexander Rossi | Arrow McLaren | Chevrolet | 20 | +16.5393 | 10 |
| 8 | 2 | Josef Newgarden | Team Penske | Chevrolet | 20 | +17.6675 | 6 |
| 9 | 45 | Christian Lundgaard | Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | Honda | 20 | +19.7073 | 11 |
| 10 | 78 | Agustín Canapino | Juncos Hollinger Racing | Chevrolet | 20 | +20.4100 | 9 |
| 11 | 15 | Graham Rahal | Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | Honda | 9 | Mechanical | 5 |
| DSQ | 30 | Pietro Fittipaldi | Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | Honda | | Disqualified | 8 |
| Fastest lap: Álex Palou (Chip Ganassi Racing) – 1:41.6145 (lap 12) ||||||||
| Source: ||||||||

## Footnotes

* ↑ Pole position for the main race was determined by the fastest qualifying time of the two heat winners.