Michael Levitt/Lumen
Failed circuit breaker behind FOX blackout at Thermal
The idle portion of The Thermal Club IndyCar Grand Prix went dark on Sunday as the live FOX broadcast disappeared for the better part of 15 minutes.
A surprising development killed all television and radio broadcasting within the property and for domestic and international viewers, and with an instant loss of content to air, FOX scrambled and ran a number of commercials before switching over to the NASCAR Cup race at Homestead-Miami.
Set in 90-degree weather in California’s Coachella Valley, extreme heat was the suspected culprit. An IndyCar official told RACER a failed circuit breaker in the TV compound was to blame for the sudden dropout that lasted from approximately lap 31 through lap 42 of the 65-lap contest won by Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou.
Marshall Pruett
The 2026 season marks Marshall Pruett's 40th year working in the sport. In his role today for RACER, Pruett covers open-wheel and sports car racing as a writer, reporter, photographer, and filmmaker. In his previous career, he served as a mechanic, engineer, and team manager in a variety of series, including IndyCar, IMSA, and World Challenge.
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