Will Power climbed from his No. 26 TWG AI Honda for Andretti Global with a sense of relief after the Firestone Fast Six session Saturday afternoon.
Power qualified fourth for Sunday’s Java House Grand Prix of Arlington (11:30 a.m. ET, FOX, FOX One, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls) with a lap of 1 minute, 35.0856 seconds on the 14-turn, 2.73-mile street circuit.
The result meant more than a strong starting position for Power.
Power entered the weekend 22nd in NTT INDYCAR SERIES points after a difficult start to his first season with Andretti Global. He spent 17 previous years with Team Penske.
“I just kind of want to have a solid weekend without problems,” Power said. “That’s it. I just want to have a good weekend, man. This is a good start.”
Power remains the all-time NTT P1 Award leader with 71 poles. Sixty-five came with Team Penske, with six earlier in his career. He won two series championships and 42 of his 45 career victories during his Penske tenure.
The 2026 season began with setbacks at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Power crashed in practice and qualifying and later hit the wall in the race, finishing 22nd.
Last weekend at Phoenix Raceway, he again crashed in practice and started last in the 25-car field. Power charged to the front and led 10 laps while positioning himself for a comeback victory in the Good Ranchers 250.
Contact with Christian Rasmussen with 43 laps remaining while battling for the lead ended that run. Power finished 16th.
“There have been teething problems,” Power said. “Even simple things like the throttle pedal and the way it is on this car. At St. Petersburg that was sticking because of the way it was sitting on my foot. That ruined that weekend. Then we had some (brake) locking issues.”
Power also is adjusting to a new spotter after working with the same one throughout his Penske career. He said communication played a role in the Phoenix incident.
Despite the slow start, Power remains confident Andretti Global will contend for the championship.
“I keep telling you, man, this will be the best team,” Power said. “There are so many good people here. It’s just a matter of time.”
Herta Visits Former Teammates
Colton Herta joked he hoped someone in the paddock would wake up sick Saturday morning so he could climb behind the wheel of a race car.
Instead, Herta attended the weekend to support his former teammates at Andretti Global.
Herta (photo, above) moved to the FIA Formula 2 Championship this season after seven years in the INDYCAR SERIES. This season he competes for Hitech Grand Prix and remains a development driver for the Cadillac Formula One Team.
“I flew in last night,” Herta said. “It was nice not to wake up for an 8 a.m. practice session. Being in bed and hearing cars going around, it was definitely a weird feeling.”
Herta was most eager to hear Power’s impressions of the Andretti car that Herta had driven since 2020.
“I don’t think he needs a lot of motivation or words of wisdom,” Herta said. “He knows what to do. His pedigree and stats show who he is and what he can do. I’m excited to hear his feedback this weekend.”
Watching from the sidelines remains difficult for the California native, who now lives in England.
“It pains me to watch this, especially on a street course,” Herta said. “I know I could get into the Fast Six if they gave me a car.”
Rosenqvist Breaks Through
Felix Rosenqvist earned his first Firestone Fast Six appearance of the season.
The Swedish driver qualified fifth in the No. 60 SiriusXM/Texas A&M Honda for Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian. Teammate Marcus Armstrong also advanced to the final round and qualified sixth in the No. 66 Root Insurance Honda.
This was the second time in team history that both cars made the Firestone Fast Six, joining the 2023 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear.
“This first time here in Arlington, it’s honestly a very tricky track and hard to put a lap together,” Rosenqvist said. “You’re always trying something new every time you’re out there.”
Rosenqvist, who’s 12th in points after finishing sixth last season, said the team changed Firestone Firehawk tires between the second round and Firestone Fast Six sessions, a decision that reduced grip during the final run.
“I felt a little slick in my attempt there at the end and kind of salvaged what I had,” Rosenqvist said.
The Firestone Fast Six showdown this weekend featured a single-car qualifying run in inverse order of the top six times from the round of 12. Teams debated whether to use fresh alternate tires or used alternates that already had heat built up.
Alternate tires are faster but typically require a couple of laps to reach peak performance. Rosenqvist said the used tires likely would have been the better choice for the final run.
The circuit also rewards rhythm and precision.
“I was one and a half seconds off this morning in practice,” Rosenqvist said. “When you get it right, you’re super-fast.
“My Q2 (second round) lap was good. I felt really strong. In the Fast Six, I knew that wasn’t going to be it. It’s one of those flow tracks. If you mess up one corner, you’re stuck for the rest of the lap.”
Schumacher Competing at ‘Home’
NTT INDYCAR SERIES rookie Mick Schumacher finds himself in familiar territory this weekend.
Schumacher (photo, above) is one of 25 drivers competing on the 2.73-mile Arlington street course for the first time. No one in the field has prior experience on the circuit.
He downplayed the idea that the new venue creates an even playing field due to lack of familiarity. But Arlington carries a different kind of familiarity for Schumacher.
Schumacher was born in Switzerland and spent much of his life racing in Europe, including 43 starts in Formula One. His family also owns XCS Ranch in Gordonville, Texas, roughly 90 miles north of Dallas.
The Schumacher family enjoys horseback riding and spending time on the ranch. His mother, Corinna, and sister, Gina, ride Western-style horses, and Gina competes regularly in equestrian events.
That connection makes the Arlington race weekend feel like a home event.
“I think this is the closest I’ve ever been to a racetrack where I could actually go back to the house,” Schumacher said. “That was pretty interesting.”
Schumacher said traffic made the trip from Arlington to the ranch take more than two hours, but the return drive takes about an hour.
He starts 17th in the No. 47 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda on Sunday.
Tough Sledding for Penske
It was a difficult qualifying day for Team Penske.
Points leader Josef Newgarden crashed in morning practice. The team switched to a backup car. Newgarden starts 11th in the No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet.
Scott McLaughlin crashed in qualifying while being quickest in the opening round at the time. As a result, he starts 25th in the No. 3 DEX Team Penske Chevrolet. McLaughlin won the pole at St. Petersburg and finished second in that race. He was fastest in Friday’s practice session.
David Malukas was the team’s top qualifier in ninth in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet. That’s his worst starting spot of the season as he started fifth in St. Petersburg and earned his first career NTT P1 Award in Phoenix.
Odds and Ends
Kyle Kirkwood starts a season-high seventh in the No. 27 JM Bullion/Gold.com Honda. That bodes well for Sunday. He finished fourth and second in the opening two races of the season but started 15th and 11th in them, respectively.
Pato O’Ward qualified third in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet after starting on Row 4 in the first two races.
Sunday morning’s final practice (9:50-10:10 a.m. ET, FS1) will help determine race strategy for the 70-lap event. Teams must use at least two sets of Firestone Firehawk alternate tires and one set of primary tires in the race. With only two practice sessions, drivers and teams may enter Sunday’s race day puzzled on strategy and will get answers in practice.