Will Power's miserable 2026 season continues in Detroit

IndyCar Series driver Will Power. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Will Power's miserable 2026 season continues in Detroit

By Samuel Stubbs | Last updated May 31, 2026 3:23 PM ET

Sunday appeared to be Will Power's day — and one where, if he could not win the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix, he could at least finish top five.

But Power's debut season with Andretti Global instead got worse, as heavy contact with Scott McLaughlin late in Sunday's race relegated the veteran to a 22nd-place finish that will undoubtedly hurt Power even more in the IndyCar standings.

Power started Sunday's race in second, even taking the lead away from the eventual race winner, Alex Palou, early in the afternoon. But his luck, like it has so many times in 2026, ran out.

Will Power's struggles continue

Sunday marks Power's third finish outside the top 20 this season and his fifth outside the top 15. His lone top 10 of the 2026 campaign came at Arlington, where he finished on the podium in third.

A look at what happened between Will Power and Scott McLaughlin.

Will Power is done for the day. pic.twitter.com/lGKScgWXSt
— INDYCAR on FOX (@IndyCarOnFOX) May 31, 2026

The veteran driver, who has won 45 IndyCar races, two series championships and a record 71 poles, has had about as rough a first season with a new organization as any driver can have.

If there is any good news for Power and the No. 26 team, it's that they at least showed podium-level speed this weekend. Power and his group still have pace, and if they have the luck to match, better results will come.

Power did win the pole at Gateway — the circuit's destination next weekend — a season ago. Another pole next week would go a long way for the No. 26 group as it searches for any semblance of momentum.

Samuel Stubbs

Hailing from the same neck of the woods as NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, Samuel has been covering NASCAR for Yardbarker since February 2024. He has been a member of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) since October of 2024. When he’s not writing about racing, Samuel covers Arkansas Razorback basketball for Yardbarker

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