Will Power’s pole position turns sour after unfortunate ordeal at WWTR

Will Power secured his 71st career IndyCar pole position during Saturday's IndyCar qualifying session at the World Wide Technology Raceway near St. Louis. However, Power was unable to convert it into a win as he sustained significant damage during the race after making contact with the wall while running in second place on Lap 47.

Will Power delivered a 49.9088-second qualifying run, achieving a two-lap average speed of 180.329 mph to secure pole position at the Bommarito Automotive Group 500. This achievement marked his fifth pole at the 1.25-mile WWRT oval and his 71st career IndyCar pole, further cementing his record as the all-time leader in IndyCar pole positions.

Notably, Power’s pole position at the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 propelled Team Penske to a historic milestone, as the 44-year-old’s P1 start marked the team’s 700th pole across all racing series. The two-time IndyCar champion’s performance was his first pole since July 2023 at Iowa Speedway.

Will Power led the field at the start of the 260-lap race. However, he was overtaken in the opening lap itself by AJ Foyt Racing’s David Malukas, who claimed the lead. Power maintained a strong second position through the initial stint, strategically conserving fuel while Malukas set a brisk pace at the front of the field.

Speaking to FOX Sports, Power explained what went down.

“Man, I felt last night when we were running, we were pretty much flat through (turns) 3 and 4 every lap. And I was like ‘Man, this is a lot of load, like when I had a failure at Iowa (Speedway). It felt the same, and that actually happened. … Nothing I could do there. Feel bad for everyone on the Verizon car... nothing was going to stop a tire failure, unfortunately. That’s the way it is. Go to the next one, see if we can get a win. We’re always knocking on the door, but not today.”

The next race, the XPEL Grand Prix at Road America, is scheduled for 22nd June at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.

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Will Power reveals the reason behind the delay in his contract negotiations

NTT Indy Car Series Bommarito Automotive Group 500 - Source: Getty

Will Power has provided a rough timeline for his IndyCar contract renewal with Team Penske as the two-time IndyCar champion acknowledged that team owner Roger Penske is managing multiple priorities, which may delay negotiations. Power suggested that discussions could extend into the offseason following the IndyCar season finale in Nashville on August 31.

Commenting on the uncertainty surrounding his future and Penske’s current challenges, the 2018 Indy 500 winner shared with Indy Star:

"He's (Roger Penske) so busy. I think we won't know until after the season if you think about what he's got to do now. But you can't lose focus. You've got to keep digging. I love this. I love driving, man. I love this sport, and I'm very good at it. I've done it a long time, so I want to keep doing it here."

Will Power's contract extension seems likely if he maintains his strong performance. He is currently Team Penske’s lead driver in the 2025 NTT IndyCar Championship, currently holding fifth place with a total of 175 points, while teammates Scott McLaughlin and Josef Newgarden are in 8th and 11th, with 164 and 126 points respectively.