Racing
Associated Press 6y

Will Power wins pole, seeks 3rd straight Pocono victory

IndyCar

LONG POND, Pa. -- Will Power will begin his bid for a third straight win at Pocono Raceway from the pole.

Power turned a lap of 219.511 mph on Saturday to take the top spot and perhaps bolster his bid for a championship with four races left in the IndyCar season.

Power won his 53rd pole and tied AJ Foyt for second on the career list.

Power and Josef Newgarden made it a 1-2 start for team owner Roger Penske.

"One, two for Team Penske. You can't be mad about that," Newgarden said.

Scott Dixon leads the championship standings as he chases his sixth IndyCar championship. Dixon starts 13th and holds a 46-point lead over 2016 Indianapolis 500 champion Alexander Rossi in the standings.

"For me, it's crunch time," Dixon said.

Rossi starts third in Sunday's 500-mile race.

Newgarden, the defending series champion, trails Dixon by 60 points in the standings and Power is 87 points back in fourth place.

"I need [Dixon] to have a bad run and I need to have a good run," Power said.

ALO, IT'S ME AGAIN

Two-time Formula One champion Fernando Alonso will leave the series at the end of the season, and a move to IndyCar remains on the table. Alonso finished 29th in his only IndyCar race in the 2017 Indianapolis 500. He'll likely test in a car before the end of the season.

"He has shown that he can be very competitive right off the bat, and it would be great for IndyCar if he were to decide to drive here full-time after his F1 career," said Art St. Cyr, president of Honda Performance Developments. "Having Alonso as a driver would be an obvious benefit for any team or manufacturer."

Power, the 2018 Indy 500 champion, said IndyCar would welcome Alonso.

"I think it would be great for the series," Power said. "It would be fantastic if he came. Everyone in the series is happy to see him come because it's good for the series. He has a huge following."

Alonso could have some championship company if he races at Indy in `19. Tony Stewart, the retired three-time NASCAR Cup champion, is considering a return to the Indianapolis 500 next year.

"Maybe Roger [Penske] will run one for him. That would be awesome for Tony Stewart to do it," Power said.

Power said IndyCar has never been better since he entered the series.

"It's full of good guys now," he said. "It's the best I've seen as far as driving talent and depth."

NEW ADDITION

Santino Ferrucci will drive the final two races of the season for Dale Coyne Racing.

WELCOME BACK

Pocono said IndyCar will return next season on a one-year renewal. The date has not been announced, though another August race seems likely.

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