Will Power on pole for today’s Camping World GP (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=
YEhQA8TQVUo[/youtube]
Throughout the IZOD IndyCar Series’ entire six-year history at Watkins Glen International, a Team Penske car has taken the field to the green flag. But a Team Penske car has never been able to beat the field to the checkered flag, either.
Target Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon (2005-2007) had his three-year win streak snapped by Ryan Hunter-Reay of Rahal-Letterman Racing, and last season, Dale Coyne Racing driver Justin Wilson scored an emotional victory for the team at the legendary road course. So while Penske driver and current IndyCar points leader Will Power is on pole for today’s Camping World Grand Prix at the Glen — with teammates Helio Castroneves and Ryan Briscoe starting right with him in second and third, respectively), it’s not a given that things will go ‘Penske perfect.’
“We’re certainly racking [poles] up, but we’ve got to get the race win,” said Power, who won the pole with a lap of 89.3164 seconds in the No. 12 Verizon machine. “It’s such an advantage to get a win with the way the points are structured. We’ll focus on tomorrow and see if we can get it done.”
Power’s pole marked the eighth straight time that a Penske driver had earned the top spot in qualifying, a series record. For Power, it was his fifth pole of 2010.
“It’s fantastic,” Power said, referring to the Penske dominance in qualifying. “It just shows what this team’s all about. It’s a great team, a lot of teamwork.”
But Team Penske — and everybody else — will likely have to go through Wilson, as he is the defending champion at WGI. Now with a new team in Dreyer and Reinbold Racing, the Englishman definitely has an upgrade in equipment and yesterday, he was able to crack the Firestone Fast Six. He wasn’t able to do much in the session, as a lack of grip on his No. 22 Z-Line Designs car kept him from getting past the sixth spot on the grid. But he’s still keen on repeating his winning effort of one year ago, an effort that brought much joy to the Coyne camp.
“I was pushing it as hard as I could but I just didn’t have the grip I wanted,” said Wilson of his qualifying effort. “There was some sand on the track late in the session and I had a moment where the car completely got away from me, so I’m happy to bring it home in one piece. I can’t wait to get into the car tomorrow and defend my win here.”
Other threats include the most obligatory one in the duo of Target Chip Ganassi Racing (Dario Franchitti, 4th; Dixon, 7th), as well as a litany of potential dark horses in Takuma Sato (fifth), Marco Andretti (eighth), Paul Tracy (12th), Tony Kanaan (13th), and Hunter-Reay (16th).
To see the full grid for today’s race, click here.
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Quotes and materials taken from team and league press releases were used in the making of this article.
