The Thermal Club

The Thermal Club is a private motorsports country club and road racing circuit in Thermal, California, just southeast of Palm Springs in the Coachella Valley. Opened in 2012 and designed by circuit architect Alan Wilson, the venue pairs world-class track facilities with member-owned villas, private garages, and a full-service tuning shop. It is one of the most exclusive driving destinations in the United States.

The site is built around three separate road courses that can be linked together in up to 20 different configurations, scaling all the way up to the 5.1 mile, 26 turn GT Circuit. The standalone layouts include the 3.067 mile, 17 turn Twin Palms Circuit, giving drivers a wide range of technical sequences, fast sweepers, and demanding braking zones to develop their craft. In 2017 BMW opened its Performance Driving Center West on the grounds, home to the BMW Performance Driving School.

For drivers, The Thermal Club matters because it offers a rare combination of variety, run-off safety, and year-round Southern California weather in a low-traffic, high-quality environment. The circuit drew national attention by hosting IndyCar, including the non-championship Million Dollar Challenge in 2024 and the points-paying Thermal Club IndyCar Grand Prix in 2025, and it continues to host marquee series such as Ferrari Challenge North America. That blend of professional-grade infrastructure and instruction-friendly layouts makes it an ideal setting for serious driver development and high-performance coaching.