SPEEDWAY, IN. — With shades of 2011 and 2016, the 102nd Indianapolis 500 was a race filled with alternate strategies and single-car incidents, but in the end Australia’s Will Power kept a steady pace and outlasted the field to capture his first Indy 500.
Power who was the 2014 Verizon Indycar Series champion had enjoyed constant success at road courses on the circuit had traditionally struggled on the oval tracks. In his last 9 oval starts including Indianapolis, Power now has 4 wins.
“Just in the last I would say three years, I’ve been quite good. More than that. They all kind of come together. You don’t realize how the years tick off. It just comes with experience. I would race ovals every week now because I’m just so experienced at it.”
The race was plagued with single-car accidents with drivers such as Helio Castroneves, Tony Kanaan, and Danica Patrick all losing control of their cars without any other contact. Indycar’s new aero package can be attributed to how the cars performed differently than the past few years.
Danica Patrick who was in her final race spun and ended her career abruptly. Patrick had finished in the top-10 at Indy in all her starts except for one leading into Sunday finished 30th and was puzzled by her ending.
“I do feel like it was unexpected, but on the other hand, the car was a little bit positive today and turning more than I wanted it to. I was just having to chase it a lot. Turn 2 did seem a little bit more edgy than the other corners, but I can’t say that in that point in time that I was on edge or felt like I was. It just swung around as soon as I recommitted back to the throttle again, I felt a little bit of understeer in the middle of the corner. I wasn’t expecting it by any means, but I think it just goes to show that these cars are tough to drive.”
Ultimately the day still belonged to Power who had been so close in 2015, finishing 2nd to then teammate Juan Pablo Montoya was wondering if he would ever get the chance to contend for the Borg-Warner trophy again.
“I was so disappointed in ‘15” says Power. “So close. It was a difficult feeling. I don’t know what to say.”
Under 8 laps to go the race restarted for the final time with Oriol Servia, Stefan Wilson, and Jack Harvey up front, but all in fuel conservation mode ahead of the hard charging Power. Will passed Servia on the restart while Wilson and Harvey stretched their mileage until 4 to go. With nothing but clean air ahead Will Power pulled away to his first 500 victory on his 11th try.
Will’s victory was not only a milestone for him, but also car owner Roger Penske. Power’s victory was Roger Penske’s 201’s Indycar victory and 17th Indianapolis 500 win overall.