For the third year in a row Australian Will Power from Tawoomba, Queensland, will be in the hunt for the American IndyCar championship heading into the final round. He aims to join names including Mario Andretti, Jacques Villeneuve and Nigel Mansell as winner of America’s top open wheel series.
Power, driving for Penske Racing, has been there before in 2010 and 2011 but has yet to take home the crown. In both cases he went into the final round competing against Scotsman Dario Franchitti and came off second best. No Australian has ever won the series under its various names, although Kiwi Scott Dixon who was champion in 2003 and 2008 has brought the championship back to the Pacific.
Heading into the final round at Fontana, California, Power holds a 17 point lead over title contender, American Ryan Hunter-Reay for Andretti Austosport. The American has had a stand out season including wins on both ovals and road courses and poses a serious threat to Power, who has struggled on oval courses, which Fontana is.
While Hunter-Reay is first in ovals and second in road courses, Power holds first in road courses but a distant 17th on oval tracks, scoring almost half the points Hunter-Reay has on America’s favourite type of race track.
With 50 points for a win, it’s all up for play. You can catch the final round of the series on Foxtel (Speed) or online on September 15 (US time). Get behind Power to be the first Aussie to take home one of the biggest honours in open wheel racing.
Web: IndyCar
Images: Wikimedia Commons
