Will Power on Pole at Sonoma

SONOMA, California (AFP) –

Australia’s Will Power celebrates after qualifying on the pole for the IndyCar Race at Sonoma, California, on August 25. Power, who has started on the pole and won the last two races on the 2.31-mile, 12-turn course, turned a lap in 1min, 17.2709sec to put himself on pole for his 100th career start in the IndyCar series.

Australia’s Will Power earned pole position for the IndyCar race at Sonoma for the third straight year, with team-mate Ryan Briscoe beside him on the front row.

Series points leader Power, who has started on the pole and won the last two races on the 2.31-mile, 12-turn course, turned a lap in 1min, 17.2709sec to put himself on pole for his 100th career start in the IndyCar series.

“It’s great when you’re in the fast six that you give it everything you got,” Power said of the decisive final phase of qualifying.

“You go as hard as you can for as many laps as you can. It’s great to get the car on pole. It’s important around here. The windows for strategies tomorrow are going to be wide open, because they increased the race by 10 laps.”

Power is on pole for the fourth time this season. He came into the week with a five-point lead atop the standings over Ryan Hunter-Reay, who missed out on fast six qualifying shoot-out and will start from seventh on the grid.

“It is important to start up front here,” said Power, who won here the past two years.

“I just really like this track and I would love to make it three in a row. The whole team has worked hard all year and we’ll just continue to push to win the championship.”

He said changes to the course should make for a lot of overtaking.

“Hopefully not of me,” Power said. “I don’t want to let anyone by us.”

Briscoe completed a fast lap of 1:17.4347. France’s Sebastien Bourdais was third-fastest with Brazilian Helio Castroneves and New Zealand’s Scott Dixon rounding out the top five.