The call every son dreads came for Will Power just before a race weekend. This is not the kind of news anybody wants to hear, but for two-time IndyCar champion Will Power, it quickly turned from dread to disbelief. And now, as he talks about the incident, it still gives him goosebumps.

Before the Long Beach race, Power shared the wild story of his dad getting caught in a crime spree back in Australia.

“I landed, got my rental car, called Liz or Liz called me (Will’s wife),” he said in a recent media interview. “And she says, ‘he got held up by a gun.’ I’m like, ‘what!?’ …and it’s like, no, in Toowoomba at a cafe. Some dude tried to get him to open the door, get him out of the car — ‘get the f out of the car,’ and he struggled with him a bit.”

In the first week of April, Bob Power was approached by an armed man during what authorities later revealed was part of a multi-day crime spree. The incident unfolded in Toowoomba, where the suspect attempted to force Bob out of his vehicle.

What followed wasn’t submission; it was resistance.

Bob briefly wrestled the attacker before the situation escalated. At one point, the gunman pointed the weapon directly at him. And in the moment that sounds straight out of a movie, Bob responded with a blunt, almost defiant warning: “Don’t you shoot me.”

Power, recounting his father’s version of events, admitted he could hear just how close things got. His dad believed the gunman was unstable and possibly seconds away from pulling the trigger.

Thinking quickly, Bob offered to comply but only after getting his dog out of the car. That part may have made all the difference.

“He was pretty crazy. So (he said) he’ll get out, just let me get the dog out,” the ex-Penske driver added. “The SWAT squad must have been following with a drone because he robbed a few people, and then they all swarmed. Just another day in Bob Power’s life.”

Remarkably, Bob Power walked away completely unharmed. Within moments, officers swarmed the scene and arrested the gunman, ending the ordeal as abruptly as it began.

Going from a literal life-or-death situation to just shrugging it off is pretty wild. It’s the kind of crazy story you just can’t make up. But with his dad finally safe, Will can at least breathe a little easier. He can now put all his focus back on the track at Long Beach.

Can Will Power dominate Long Beach?

Long Beach might as well be Will Power’s turf. The Australian is no stranger to the streets of Long Beach. He is a two-time winner here (2008, 2012). His consistency is just as impressive, boasting seven straight top-10 finishes.

Over the past four years alone, he has been firmly in the mix, coming home fourth, sixth twice, and fifth. Now, he returns in familiar territory but unfamiliar colors, taking over the Andretti seat that Colton Herta drove to victory in 2021 after charging from 14th on the grid and leading more than half the race.

So as of now, the No.26 driver is definitely one to keep an eye on, making him one of the clear favorites.

But 2026 hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing for the 45-year-old either. The move to Andretti Global marked a fresh chapter after nearly two decades with Team Penske. However, the early results have been mixed.

A rough crash during practice at St. Petersburg put him on the back foot early. However, he clearly still has the pace. His standout moment so far is a strong third-place podium finish at the new Arlington street race, but beyond that, he has been hovering outside the front runners and sitting down the order in the standings.

Still, there are signs of life. Power has already shown he can extract pace from the new car. And historically, Long Beach tends to reward experience and race craft, both of which he has in abundance.