Will Power’s name might evoke quick one-liners, but his rivals aren’t laughing. They’re too busy dealing with how Power, for now at least, is the best IndyCar driver in the business.
The 29-year-old Australian won two of the first three races in the Izod IndyCar Series this season and is a favorite again Sunday in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, having won the pole position Saturday — his third consecutive pole. He also won the race two years ago when Indy-style racing was still split into two factions.
Power captured the No. 1 starting spot for Sunday’s race with a lap of 102.206 mph on the 11-turn, 1.97-mile street circuit along the Long Beach shoreline. Ryan Hunter-Reay qualified second at 101.573 mph, while Justin Wilson was third and Castroneves fourth. Los Angeles Times
“We certainly have the car figured out and I’m very happy that the Verizon car is P1 again,” said Power, who carries a 33-point championship lead over teammate Helio Castroneves into the 85-lap race. “We’ve got to get the strategy right this weekend. I know sometimes it’s really hard to read, but we need to keep executing in races.”
Power, who won at Long Beach in 2008, recorded his third consecutive pole start (Dario Franchitti was P1 in Brazil). The series record is four by Castroneves (2004) and Billy Boat (1998), and the next race is May 1 on the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway oval (Power started 18th in 2008).
“I think the key to success is starting up front,” Power said. “I think getting the yellow. You’ve got to get the lucky yellow. You can be out front leading and bam, get caught by a yellow. You could see it last weekend. Strategy can screw you, but it also can go your way.”
Team Penske’s Ryan Briscoe (1:10.0255) and Andretti Autosport’s Tony Kanaan (1:10.1618) will be on Row 3. Kanaan, driving the No. 11 Team 7-Eleven car, posted his fourth consecutive top-10 start (and participated in the Fast Six for the third time).
It was the second time that Team Penske had three cars compete in the Firestone Fast Six since it was instituted in 2007 (also Edmonton in 2009; Power won from the pole). Conversely, Scott Dixon will start eighth and teammate Dario Franchitti will start 12th – the first time that a Target Chip Ganassi Racing car has not qualified for the Firestone Fast Six. Dixon, though, extended his series record to 36 consecutive top-10 starts. IndyCar.com
Dario Franchitti, the defending Long Beach champion, struggled to 12th in qualifying. His teammate Scott Dixon finished eighth, marking the first time since the IRL changed qualifying formats in 2007 that Target Chip Ganassi Racing failed to get a driver in the top 6. Danica Patrick, who doesn’t particularly like road courses to begin with, was near the back of the field, in 20th.
Even the drivers at the top had trouble.
Hunter-Reay earned a career-best starting position, but only after catching a break when his wheels slammed into the wall at the same time after one turn, limiting the damage to the car’s body.
Kanaan went off the course twice because of overdriving and needed a second or two to catch his breath before talking to his engineer after one energy-draining run.
“You can’t afford the slightest hiccup,” Power said. “In year’s past in any series you could afford to get it slightly wrong on one set of tires and make the correction for the next set, but here you can’t afford any plateau in your progress. A wrong turn is definitely a no-no. It doesn’t take much to be on one end or the other end.”
So far, Power is still at the right end. The Associated Press
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IZOD IndyCar Series: Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach - Race Line-Up
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