The 2025 IndyCar season rolls on with the Thermal Club Grand Prix next on the calendar. The California race is one of the newest additions to the American open-wheel series schedule ahead of the new campaign.
Although featured on the 2024 calendar, the Thermal Club Grand Prix had been a non-championship, non-point-scoring race and largely an exhibition event, in which Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou coasted to a relatively comfortable victory.
However, for the 2025 season, the Palm Springs event is set to have a direct effect on the IndyCar Series championship, and this time, several drivers are being tipped to claim victory at the race.
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Although several drivers, including Palou and Josef Newgarden, are among the bookmakers' favorites to clinch the win at the 3.067-mile circuit, a case can be made for a few underdogs who boast the ability to pull a rabbit out of the hat, surprising many to clinch a possible race win.
In light of this and with the start of the Thermal Club Grand Prix weekend upon us, we shift focus to a list of sleeper picks to win the California race.
#4 Marcus Ericsson
The Andretti Autosport driver is someone who could pull off a surprise victory this weekend at the Thermal Club Grand Prix. Although the Swedish driver has been without a race victory for about two years, his form over the last run of IndyCar races and the start of the season has been rather promising.
The four-time IndyCar race winner finished the 2024 season with four consecutive top-10 finishes on street circuits and was among the quickest at the pre-season test in Sebring. Ericsson also piloted his #28 car to a sixth-place finish at the season-opening St. Petersburg Grand Prix. The 34-year-old has +1200 odds to clinch the win at the California race.
#3 Kyle Kirkwood
The Andretti Global driver is another who boasts the ability to pull off a surprise at the IndyCar Thermal Club race. The 2021 Indy Lights champion has often proven capable of delivering strong performances, particularly on road courses.
Despite being only three years into the American racing series, the 26-year-old has racked up two victories, three podium finishes, and two pole positions.
Kirkwood, however, failed to qualify for the main event during the 2024 edition of the Grand Prix. The American driver is currently at +1800 to win the race.
#2 Christian Lundgaard
The Arrow McLaren newbie also makes our sleeper list for the IndyCar Thermal Club Grand Prix. The 23-year-old often draws attention whenever he competes on a road course, and over the last two seasons, he has recorded multiple top-seven finishes on circuits of similar nature.
The Hedensted, Denmark-born driver was also among the fastest during the open test held at the Thermal Club circuit last season. The Danish driver is currently at +2000 to claim victory at the Grand Prix.
#1 Conor Daly
The Nashville driver is one of the unlikeliest candidates to clinch victory at the Thermal Club circuit. The Juncos Hollinger driver, in fact, is yet to taste a Grand Prix victory in his 11-year sojourn in the world of American open-wheel racing.
However, Daly has remained positive heading into this weekend’s round of racing. The 33-year-old appears to be approaching the race weekend with the hope of pulling off a surprise. The veteran driver is currently at +8000 odds to clinch victory. Daly showed glimpses of rhythm at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg when he finished 17th after starting 22nd.
