… A PRIVATE COMMUNITY MADE UP OF A SELECT FEW OF THE MOST DRIVEN AND PASSIONATE HUMANS ON EARTH.
Difficult words to to live up to, until you’ve been there. With fellow driving friends in town, and a kind invitation from Cindy Carvel and Misty Frasier, we made the short 30 minute drive east from Palm Springs to the Thermal Club. Cindy and Misty are two of the top real estate agents in California, specialize in property at TheThermal Club, and gave us the grand tour.
The Thermal Club in Thermal, California, is a 400 acre blueprint for what passion and money can do. Conceived by Tim Rogers and wife Twanna, the Los Angeles couple transformed what was once palm trees, sagebrush and sand, into privacy, indulgence, and exclusivity.
A country club of sorts, Tim and Twanna wanted something special, and if road racing and exotic cars are your thing, this place is very close to nirvana.
A place to call home or even a second home, the “Thermal“ as members call it, is a private club, a destination unto itself, where members into automobiles and racing can spend unlimited track time sharpening their driving skills on 5.1 miles of race track.
This is a place where aficionados daily enjoy the wail of vintage 12 cylinder Ferraris, accompanied by the sounds of Lamborghini V10,’s flat 6 cylinder Porsche Turbos, and all manner of high performance machines. Here owners are able to enjoy their cars safely, in a remarkable setting unlike anywhere else on earth.
And though the club lives and breathes racing and motorsports, it has also become an oasis for those who have chosen to enjoy the exquisite country club lifestyle the Thermal Club offers.
The Thermal Club isn’t for everyone, and that’s intentional. It is, rather, a place to decompress with fellow CEO’s, presidents and entrepreneurs, all eager to enjoy the peer to peer conversations the have been so lacking through the pandemic. Of course, there’s plenty of conversations about driving the perfect lap, and I was thrilled with a bit of track time myself.
Just outside the Thermal Club is home to the BMW Performance Center West. Testing that day, I strapping on a helmet seconds after being offered one, and did a lead-follow for four or five laps in a new BMW M4 with the club pro leading the way. Connected by two way radio, Dominic patiently talked me through the turns on the two way radio, allowing me lots of speed while pointing out braking points, hidden apexes, and where to get on the gas without getting it sideways.
As an automotive journalist, I’m difficult to impress, but standing next to a Lamborghini Centenario and Sian, both parked next to a full race McLaren Senna was a very rare sight. Tim Rogers, Thermals Club’s owner had come over to say hello and quite proudly mentioning that there were only 25 Senna R’s in the world and 7 of them are garaged at the Thermal.
One gets used to rare sights here, I thought, as I stood a few feet away from a new competition Ford GT as it warmed up before heading to the grid, the intoxicating scent of racing fuel lingering in the air as it pulled away.
That most, if not all, members are dedicated automotive enthusiasts is a given, but just as important is the family atmosphere woven throughout the membership experience.
The newly opened Member’s Club consist of 48 casitas for overnight stays for members and their guests. In addition, a fitness center, spa, two gourmet restaurants, a kid’s room, two pools (children and adult), tennis courts, pickleball court, and basketball court complete the opulent experience. And if you, guests or kids, need a bit more motoring fun, a challenging go kart track is located inside the track.
The Thermal’s membership is tied to real estate and the homes are incredible. An average home is 3 bedrooms, 4 baths and a 12 car garages are the norm, some with balconies overlooking the track. Membership requires the purchase of a home site and a promise to build a residence within 5 years.
All custom designed according to the individual homeowner, and many of these homes are built to accommodate the owner’s often vast car collections. There are, of course, architectural requirements for homes within The Thermal Club, but Cindy and Misty told me that the club is flexible (within reason) and the interior is left to the owner’s individual tastes.
Guests of the club, we enjoyed a marvelous lunch in the Tower Clubhouse, where members and their guests gather for leisure time or special events.
If you are visiting from a distance, there is a private airport only 6 minutes away and yes, simply call in advance and a car will be waiting to bring you back to The Thermal. Two helipads are also within the compound.
Many private tracks around the world are just tracks, but the Thermal Club can be your everyday residence, or a home away from home. Either way, the Thermal is opulence, excitement, and a very special place to hang your hat, …or helmet.
For more information or to arrange a private tour, please contact Cindy and Misty…