Power finally makes it to the Rolex 24

Will Power’s Rolex 24 At Daytona debut has been several years in the making. Of course, it’s the prelude to his first full season of NTT IndyCar Series racing with Andretti Global later this year, and with his presence, Power is one of the many global all-stars appearing in the biggest race of the 2026 IMSA season.

After two days of testing for the 75 Express team, and some very impressive lap times during the Roar Before The 24, it’s clear that this is no mere cameo appearance.

“It’s a very big event that I’ve wanted to do for a long time, so I’m really happy to be here,” says Power, who’ll share the No. 75 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO in GTD PRO with longtime friend and team owner Kenny Habul, reigning Repco Supercars champion Chaz Mostert, and 19-year tenured Mercedes-AMG factory driver Maro Engel. “We’ve talked about it, actually, for a while – just a couple of times, it fell through because of situations. But I’m having a lot of fun – I like it.”

Power was all set to run this race with Habul in 2023, shortly after winning his second IndyCar Series championship. He withdrew from the event to be with his wife Liz after she’d suffered a life-threatening medical emergency.

Other times, the timing just wasn’t right for him to get a look in, or there was a conflict with his partners at Team Penske.

“I’ve always been a bit too late to the game talking to teams,” he admits. “Definitely, I’ve had time shut down by Penske because there was some sort of conflict, whether it’s manufacturer or sponsor.”

Three years later, with some GT racing experience under his belt – turning up for the SRO Indianapolis 8 Hour in October and sharing a similar Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO with Habul and Mostert – he’s finally getting the chance to race at Daytona, which has exceeded his expectations even without the full gathering of fans expected for next Saturday and Sunday’s main event.

“It’s just an amazing facility,” Power says about the speedway. “You know, the first time I drove in here, it was just crazy how big it is. I thought Indy was big – this has got to be bigger!

“It’s an iconic track with a lot of history here, with NASCAR and sports cars. It’s a very impressive place. The atmosphere was comparable to Indy, and it’s only testing. I look forward to race day, it’s going to be amazing.”

So far, Power has enjoyed having three pressure-free days of testing during the Roar Before The 24 to help him learn the car and the 3.59-mile Daytona road course, a change of pace from the frantic weekends of his normal life in IndyCar.

Power is back behind the wheel of a Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO at Daytona. Brandon Badraoui/IMSA photo

“It’s really nice to get, let’s say, practice without pressure,” Power says of his testing experience so far. “You’re not expected to do an unbelievable lap time if you’ve only got 30 minutes, and then you’ve gotta qualify. So I’ve got plenty of time to get comfortable and just find the limits at a slow rate.

“And then I think the racing will be a little bit that way as well: It’s 24 hours, so it takes a lot of desperation out of it. It’s fun, it really is. The car is really fun to drive. The track’s really cool, I’m enjoying it a lot.”

And he’s looked quick so far this weekend, setting the fastest time in testing in GTD PRO through the first two days, with only one session left to go for him (the final Roar Before The 24 session is reserved for Bronze drivers like Habul). That’s put him ahead of drivers who’ve accumulated years, decades, of this style of racing, which, despite the number of driver assists offered in current GT3 cars, is by no means a cakewalk. But unlike the Indy 8 Hour, which only included GT3 cars, Daytona will be Power’s first multi-class endurance race, featuring the GTP and LMP2 prototype categories of cars.

“It’s a different style of racing, dealing with cars motoring by you, you know, having to navigate a lot of traffic, and being very aware of what’s going on around you,” he says of the experience. “The GT3 drivers are very, very top-level. You’re definitely learning stuff off of them, they know the cars so well, and they’re really good drivers. There’s a ton of experience in miles."

Power hopes this won’t be his only major GT3 endurance race of the season as he’s already targeting a return to the Intercontinental GT Challenge with 75 Express. Not only would he like to return to the Indy 8 Hour, but he’d also like to tackle the historic Suzuka 1000km in Japan.

“I’d like to do Suzuka, I want to do Indy again. There’s a few places that I’d love to do, it just sort of depends on where they fall. It has to be outside the IndyCar season,” he tells RACER.

But first he has to get through Daytona, a race that has been deeply unkind to Habul’s team recently. Whether as SunEnergy1 Racing or 75 Express, the No. 75 Mercedes-AMG hasn’t made the checkered flag in the last four Rolex 24s in a row. Is Power, Habul’s old friend from their days in Australian Formula 3, the good luck charm that the team’s been missing?

“I hope so,” Power says. “Obviously, a lot unfolds in 24 hours. So I really do hope that we’re in with a shot, and the BOP’s good. I’m very new to this game, so we’ll see what happens.”