Will Power Podiums, Palou Extends Lead for Honda at Road America

Honda drivers delivered a strong performance at the XPEL Grand Prix at Road America on June 22, 2026, with Will Power securing a third-place finish. This marks Power's second podium of the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season. The Honda Road America INDYCAR event saw championship leader Alex Palou also extend his points advantage despite facing a mid-race penalty, while Kyffin Simpson achieved a season-best fourth place.

Podium Finishes and Season Bests

Will Power, driving for Andretti Global Honda, earned his second third-place finish of the current season at Road America. His previous podium was also a third-place result at the Java House Grand Prix of Arlington, contributing to a Honda 1-2-3-4 sweep. Power highlighted the team's effective strategy and strong restarts as key factors in his performance during the Honda Road America INDYCAR race.

Kyffin Simpson of Chip Ganassi Racing Honda secured a career-best fourth-place finish. This result significantly improved upon his previous season high of ninth place, achieved earlier in June at Detroit. Simpson credited his team and Honda power for enabling him to manage fuel effectively, which kept him in contention following an untimely full-course yellow.

Championship Leader's Resilience

Alex Palou, the reigning four-time IndyCar champion and current championship leader, navigated a challenging race to finish fifth. Despite starting from pole position for the fifth consecutive race, Palou incurred a pit speeding penalty. He managed to recover and extend his championship lead to 60 points, up from 49 points at the start of the race day.

Andretti Global Honda's Kyle Kirkwood also maintained his consistent form, finishing tenth. This marks his ninth top-10 finish in ten races this season. Kirkwood is currently 61 points behind Palou in the championship standings and just one point shy of second place.

Honda's Overall Performance and Future Outlook

Honda-powered entries collectively led all but ten laps of the XPEL Grand Prix at Road America, demonstrating competitive pace throughout the event. Felix Rosenqvist of Meyer Shank Racing Honda led a race-high 18 laps before finishing eighth, while Alex Palou led 13 laps. Marcus Armstrong, Rosenqvist's teammate, led 14 laps before a mechanical issue forced him out of the race while in the lead.

David Salters, President of HRC US, acknowledged the highs and lows of the race, expressing regret for Armstrong's mechanical failure and vowing to investigate the cause. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES will continue with another Honda home race, the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio, scheduled for the Fourth of July weekend. This concludes the Honda Road America INDYCAR event coverage.

Honda drivers consistently demonstrated their competitive edge at the XPEL Grand Prix at Road America, securing multiple top finishes and maintaining strong positions in the overall championship. The upcoming Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio will provide another opportunity for the manufacturer's teams to contend for victory.