Will Power and Scott Dixon enter the 2026 Indianapolis 500 qualifying window with contrasting historical burdens. Power, the series’ all-time pole winner with 71 marks, seeks his first-ever Indy 500 pole, while Dixon aims to tie Rick Mears’ record of six poles for the event.
The qualifying session for the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge and PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying arrives at a time of significant statistical anomalies for two of the sport’s most decorated drivers. While the pole winner earns 12 points—with a descending scale reaching one point for the 12th starting spot—the stakes for Will Power and Scott Dixon extend beyond the points standings into the record books.
Will Power and the Indy 500 Pole Gap
Will Power holds the record as the most successful qualifier in INDYCAR SERIES history, having secured 71 poles. Despite this dominance across the series, he has never won the pole for the Indianapolis 500. Power, the 2018 race winner at the Brickyard, has managed five front-row starts at the event, most recently starting from the second position in 2024.
I would love to see Will Power win the pole. It’s incomprehensible that the driver with the best qualifier in INDYCAR SERIES history – he has won 71 poles — has never won a pole for this event.
Curt Cavin, INDYCAR.com Editorial Staff
The pursuit of the pole comes during a difficult stretch for Power. His average finish over the last six races has dropped to 20.3. This slump followed a high-profile offseason move to Andretti Global, a transition that has yet to yield immediate results. These struggles were highlighted last weekend at the Sonsio Grand Prix, where Power started in last place.
Scott Dixon’s Pursuit of Rick Mears
Scott Dixon is currently positioned to challenge one of the most enduring records in open-wheel racing. With five Indianapolis 500 poles, Dixon is one shy of tying Rick Mears, who holds six. Qualifying has historically been a volatile area for Dixon; since 2017, his only poles in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES have occurred specifically at the Indianapolis 500 in 2017, 2021, and 2022.
Recent data suggests a potential turnaround in Dixon’s qualifying form. Prior to the Long Beach event, Dixon struggled with starting positions of 16th, 15th, 20th, and 13th. However, after modifying the data and information displayed on his steering wheel, he secured sixth and eighth place starts in the two most recent races.
Dixon’s overall record at Indianapolis remains formidable. He has led more laps at the track than any other driver, totaling 677. Since 2020, he has maintained a 5.8 average starting position in the 500, which includes three front-row starts. The 2024 event served as a statistical outlier when Dixon qualified 21st but managed to climb through the field to finish third.
Current Pace and Field Dynamics
As the field prepares for the 500, early indicators point toward Alex Palou as a primary contender for the fastest lap. The battle for the top 12 starting spots is critical not only for track position but for the immediate points windfall provided by the qualifying format.
The broader Indianapolis event has already seen emerging talent make a mark. Tymek Kucharczyk recently secured a victory in Race 2 of the 2026 Indianapolis Grand Prix, signaling a competitive environment for the upcoming 500. For established veterans like Power and Dixon, the challenge remains balancing raw speed with the technical precision required for the Armed Forces Qualifying session.
The upcoming qualifying runs will determine if Power can finally align his series-wide qualifying dominance with a single-lap victory at Indy, or if Dixon can leverage his recent technical adjustments to equal the mark set by Rick Mears.
