The 2024 IndyCar season culminated in a dramatic finale at the Nashville Superspeedway where Will Power’s championship hopes were abruptly derailed by a shocking safety incident.
Will Power’s championship hopes to ultimately clinch a third title came to a sudden and disheartening halt during the season finale at the Nashville Superspeedway with his setback handing Alex Palou the 2024 IndyCar crown.
The two-time champion’s race was marred by an unexpected and dangerous malfunction when his seatbelt popped open just 13 laps into the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix.
The unforeseen incident not only dashed his championship hopes but also raised serious concerns about safety protocols and equipment reliability in the high-stakes world of IndyCar racing.
Entering the Nashville race, Power was acutely aware of the uphill battle he faced. Trailing Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou by 33 points, he needed a flawless performance to have any chance at claiming the title.
Power needed to secure a victory while hoping Palou would finish ninth or worse to have any chance at the championship.
Starting from fourth, the Team Penske driver was in a strong position to capitalize on any missteps by Palou, who began the race in 24th place out of 27 cars. However, the early laps would soon take a perilous turn for the 43-year old.
As Power navigated through the early laps, he felt something amiss with his lap belt and his instincts prompted him to pit after confirming that his seatbelt had indeed come undone.
The Team Penske crew scrambled to reattach the belts while racing continued at full speed, a situation that could have been catastrophic had Power been involved in a crash during this process.
The unanticipated pit stop turned out to be disastrous for Will Power’s championship hopes as he rejoined the track five laps down effectively ending his title chase. He would eventually finish eight laps down, which saw his grasp on second place in the drivers’ standings slip to fourth
The Australian driver finished 24th in the race, while Palou managed to secure an 11th-place finish, solidifying his championship victory. After the race, Power expressed frustration over the incident but acknowledged Palou’s success throughout the season.
“I was just driving down the front stretch there, and I just felt a pop on the lap belt, and like, man, that’s weird,” Power said. “It felt kind of loose in the car and the seat.
“So came out of Turn 2, and I was feeling around, and I felt the end of the belt and I’m like, ‘Man, my belt just came off. We’re gonna have to pit.’ Then it took five laps to fix.
“We learned after because it happened a second time [before] the end of the race. So we learned how to do it quickly.
“I don’t know what went wrong. We’ll have to send it back to the manufacturer. A very strange failure.
“Actually, I do wonder if I hit the wall, if it was going to break and I was going to have a real bad situation. But, yep, never had that before.
“I’ve had engine failures, you have gearbox failures; I had a belt failure, so, yeah, disappointing, but big congrats to Alex — a tough guy to beat,” he added.
“He obviously did a fantastic job and it’s been fun racing those guys this year, and now we dropped back to fourth because of this day.”
The malfunction of Power’s seatbelt is particularly alarming given the high speeds involved in IndyCar racing, where drivers can reach nearly 200 miles per hour.
The potential consequences of such a failure are severe; had he been unable to control his car due to an unbuckled seatbelt during a crash, it could have resulted in dire outcomes.
Reflecting on this sobering reality, Power noted that he would have been “thrown out of the car” had he collided with another vehicle or barrier while unrestrained.
Power’s team is now investigating the incident further, aiming to determine whether it was a faulty seatbelt clasp or another issue that led to this unprecedented failure. The incident marks a rare occurrence in IndyCar history and raises questions about safety protocols and equipment reliability in the sport.
Despite the setback at Nashville, Will Power’s overall performance throughout the season remains commendable. He ended the year tied for the most wins among drivers with three victories and demonstrated resilience after facing personal challenges earlier in the year.
Following a tumultuous 2023 season marked by personal struggles concerning his partner’s health, Power returned to form with consistent performances and impressive results.
Reflecting on his season as a whole, Power expressed satisfaction with his achievements despite not securing the championship title. He highlighted his team’s success and their ability to win half of their races throughout the year and remains determined to return stronger next season.
“Happy with the season, the whole team, so we did well,” he added. “But we want to win that championship, so we’ll come back fighting next year.”
The IndyCar Series has always been characterized by its unpredictability and fierce competition among drivers.
The 2024 IndyCar season has been no exception; while Alex Palou emerged as champion after navigating through various challenges himself—such as battery issues and crashes—other contenders like Colton Herta and Scott McLaughlin faced their own setbacks that prevented them from closing in on the title.
