INDYCAR NEWS: Will Power Takes Dominant Win at the 4.014-Mile Road Course, Assumes Championship Lead
In a thrilling display of strategic pit stops and exceptional driving, Will Power secured his first win since Detroit in 2022, dominating the IndyCar field at the 4.014-mile, 14-turn natural terrain road course on Sunday.
Power, a two-time IndyCar Series champion, trailed his Team Penske teammates Josef Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin with 14 laps to go, running the less preferred softer alternate compound tires. However, with McLaughlin pitting on lap 42, and Newgarden following on lap 43, Power saw an opportunity to seize the lead. His race strategist, Ron Ruzewski, made the call to push for a faster in-lap, and Power executed it flawlessly, pitting on lap 44 and jumping both teammates in the running order.
“All three Team Penske cars were great,” Ruzewski said. “The Chevy was just unbelievable today, and our only chance was to overcut these guys, and Will was able to take care of the alternate tires better than anybody else.”
The 43-year-old Aussie emerged from the pits with a healthy 0.5-second advantage over Newgarden, which he would later expand to a 3.2609-second victory margin. The win marked Team Penske’s first podium sweep since the 2017 season finale at Sonoma.
Power reflected on his strategy before the final pit stop, choosing not to challenge his teammates on track. “I sat back,” Power explained. “I kind of couldn’t get Scott without using a lot of push to pass. I sat back, I knew I had a lap of fuel on him. I was making the reds last. My in-lap was super quick.”
The win also marked a significant milestone for Power, as he assumes the championship lead with 236 points, a five-point gap over reigning champion Alex Palou. With three runner-up results in the previous six points-paying races, Power’s victory was a long time coming, but he’s confident that his team has the pace and performance to secure multiple wins this season.
“We’ll keep working for more,” Power said. “Like I said at the beginning of this year, I want multiple wins this year. I think that’s what it will take to win the championship. We have the car for it. We have the engine for it.”
IndyCar Standings Update
With Power’s win, he leaps to the top of the IndyCar standings, ahead of Palou and the rest of the field. The battle for the championship is heating up, and fans can expect an intense fight to the finish.
IndyCar Results
The full results of Sunday’s IndyCar race can be found here. Stay tuned for more IndyCar news, as the 2024 season unfolds.
Published on March 19, 2024, by Motorsport News.
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