More Power!

For IndyCar driver Will Power, his time is now. The Toowoomba, Australia, native claims that that is actually his real name too. For Power, he took a huge career risk signing a deal with Roger Penske last season to take over the car of Penske’s #1 driver Helio Castroneves. What? That doesn’t sound like a risk does it? Castroneves was dealing with his tax evasion case and wasn’t going to be able to drive his traditional #3 that season, unless he was exonerated.

And Castroneves was, cleared of wrong doing in the case and returned to his car after Power drove it to a sixth-place finish in the season opener at St. Petersburg. Except now, with Castroneves’ return, Power only had two races left on the schedule thanks to sponsorship brought over from the NASCAR team from Verizon.

For Power, it was a bit of a gamble. He had plenty of potential when he came to America to race ChampCars, but lack of success and IndyCar’s oval schedule left him out in the cold. If he didn’t find something and show he belonged in IndyCars, his racing career in America was likely over.

A second at Long Beach and a fifth at Indianapolis showed that Power had the ability to get the job done in Roger Penske’s equipment. The issue was sponsorship for a third car. To Penske’s credit, he funded Power in four more races the rest of the season. Power rewarded him with a win in Edmonton where he led 90 of the race’s 95 laps.

His 2009 season ended prematurely after an injury at Infineon in a practice accident.

For Power, his experience is all road racing. From Formula Fords to British Formula 3 to ChampCar. In terms of road racing acumen, he and Justin Wilson are likely the top pure road racers in IndyCar racing today.

That road racing ability has shown in 2010. Announced that he would be driving a third Penske car full-time this year, sponsored by Verizon, Power didn’t waste time showing that it was the right decision.

In the first race of the season in Brazil, Power would lead just four laps, but it included the most important one, the final lap.

At that point, Power won from the pole in St. Petersburg and had a pair of poles in the next two races at Barber Motorsports Park and Long Beach. He would score top-5 finishes in both of those races. Power would take a 42 point lead over teammate Castroneves into a four-race stretch on oval tracks, Power’s weakness.

He showed speed in the next four races, thanks to Penske Racing’s superior equipment, and he even won the pole at Iowa in the final oval race of the stretch. His fifth-place finish at Iowa would be his best finish though. That points lead after four more races, had fallen to just 11 over defending champion Dario Franchitti.

Lucky for Power, the series would switch back to road courses for four more races. Giving him time to put more points on the board. Back to back wins for Power the last two weeks at Watkins Glen and yesterday in Toronto have solidified his position at the top of the championship standings, giving him a lead that is back to 42 points with two more road races left.

How will Power do? Well, Edmonton is next on the schedule. Yes, that same track he won at last year. Then on to Mid-Ohio where he finished fourth with KV Racing in 2008.

If he can keep the car out of trouble and finish near the top, all he has to do is maintain that points lead through the series’ final four races on ovals to score his first American racing championship.

Can he do it? With a name like Will Power, you think he’d just be able to make himself do it. I’m sure he’s had to deal with that name for quite some time. The good and the bad of it. All I know is if he complained about the car, I’d be like “Your name is freaking Will Power, make it happen.”

With my favorite open wheel racer in Paul Tracy sitting on the side lines for the past two years and showing no signs of finding anything to run full time, Will Power is definitely the guy I watch.

There is no one else I’d rather see win the title more.

Good luck Will.