Will Power etched his name further into Team Penske's illustrious history on Saturday, claiming pole position during NTT P1 Award qualifying for the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline. This achievement marks the team's 700th pole across all racing series, solidifying Penske's dominance in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.
Power's impressive performance at World Wide Technology Raceway saw him achieve a two-lap average speed of 180.329 mph in his No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, securing his first pole since July 2023 at Iowa Speedway. This also extends his series record to an astounding 71 career poles. Scott McLaughlin, driving the No. 3 DEX Imaging Team Penske Chevrolet, secured second place with a speed of 179.783 mph, locking out the front row for Team Penske.
"I sent it a lot," Power exclaimed. "I knew you would have to. You’d have to drive it flat in (Turns) 3 and 4. I wasn’t quite flat, but I was very, very close." He added, "Cool, man. It’s been a while since I’ve had a pole, so really, really excited. Hopefully we can execute in the race. Man, it would be awesome to get a win here."
Race Details and Team Penske's Aims
The 260-lap race, the season's second oval event, is set to commence at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday and will be broadcast on FOX, the FOX Sports app, and the INDYCAR Radio Network. A victory for Power, McLaughlin, or their teammate Josef Newgarden would provide a significant boost for Team Penske, which, despite its rich history in the INDYCAR SERIES, is yet to secure a win this season. Their best results so far have been third-place finishes by McLaughlin, Newgarden, and Power.
Qualifying Highlights and Conditions
Pato O’Ward, driving the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, qualified third with a speed of 179.190 mph. The arrival of light cloud cover, which lowered the track temperature by nearly 10 degrees from the start of the session, provided improved conditions for most of the drivers towards the end of the 27-car qualifying line. David Malukas qualified fourth, showcasing the strong performance of Team Penske-affiliated drivers.