Page 20 - ARUBA TODAY

A20 SPORTS
Monday 28 May 2018
Will Power wins Indy 500, No. 17 for car owner Roger Penske

By JENNA FRYER “To be able to race on Me-
AP Auto Racing Writer morial Day in the biggest
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Will sporting event in the world,
Power hated racing on have America the way it
ovals. He wasn’t a fan of is, that’s what I’m going to
Indianapolis Motor Speed- take away from this race,”
way and figured he would Penske said. “I’m just so
never win the Indianapolis thrilled, 17 wins. Now I have
500. to worry about 18. I’m not
That kind of attitude going to look back, I’ll look
doesn’t fly when you drive forward. We have to be
for Roger Penske. back next year.”
Power had to change Penske also credited his
his thinking and his per- strong lineup of 2014 se-
formance on oval tracks. ries champion Power, 2016
He learned to respect champion Simon Pagen-
the speedway. And the aud, reigning champion
37-year-old Power is now Josef Newgarden and
a winner of one of the big- three-time Indianapolis 500
gest races in the world. winner Helio Castroneves.
“I’ve slowly changed to “We had four great cars.
be a more positive per- That’s what you have to
son. It’s hard when you’re have here. You have to
very negative,” said Power, have four bullets, whatever
who pulled away in the fi- Will Power, of Australia, celebrates after winning the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis it takes,” Penske said.
nal moments to win the Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 27, 2018. In the winner’s circle, Power
102nd running of the Indy Associated Press could not contain his glee.
500. “You’ve got to have storied winner’s circle in his- all-time list. Formula One’s Monaco He screamed to wife, Liz,
determination. That’s what tory Sunday when he gave Power is also the winningest Grand Prix earlier Sunday. took a sip of the tradi-
I had. You work hard at Penske a 17th victory in “The IndyCar driver in Penske Power celebrated the tional milk, then dumped
something, it comes to you. Great American Race.” history (31). He is the first checkered flag by scream- the rest over his head and
It eventually comes to you. Power actually swept the Australian victor in the 102 ing into his radio: “Show me around his crew. Liz Power
(Indy) was the last box to month of May at Indy after runnings of the race, and respect, (expletive)!” When reached for the empty milk
tick, to be considered as a winning on the road course joined countryman Daniel he got to the winner’s circle, bottle, then pointed out
very successful driver.” two weeks ago and his 34 Ricciardo as winners on the he screamed some more. to her husband that he’d
The different approach wins tied him with Al Unser biggest day of the year in Some two hours after the sprayed milk all over one of
landed Power in the most Jr. for eighth on IndyCar’s motorsports. Ricciardo won race, he was exhausted. “I the Indy 500 princesses. He
just screamed like I’ve nev- apologized, then started
er screamed before. It was screaming again. Splash-
just amazing. The last two ing the princess was the
laps, the last lap, seeing only wrong move Power
the white flag, the check- made all day during an
ered, I mean, you can’t event that saw many top
explain it,” Power said. “It’s drivers make costly mis-
what I needed so badly, takes. James Hinchcliffe, a
what I wanted so badly, championship contender,
and it came true. Anyone failed to make the race
here knows how that would at all. Castroneves, Tony
feel. You want something Kanaan, Sebastien Bourda-
so much, it comes through is and Danica Patrick were
to you through hard work among those who crashed
and determination.” in single-car spins. Defend-
Penske arrived in Indy with ing race winner Takuma
four fast Chevrolets, and Sato was also knocked out
the engine builder was de- when he ran into the back
termined to snap Honda’s of a slower car.
two-race Indy 500 winning Power led 59 laps but his
streak. The Chevys were final pit stop dropped him
the fastest cars in the field to fourth, behind three cars
and Team Penske had four that were trying to win on
equal chances to win. fuel mileage. Kanaan’s
As Power held off pole win- crash with 12 laps remain-
ner Ed Carpenter to win his ing set up a final restart with
first Indy 500, the 81-year- Oriol Servia out front. He
old Penske pumped his didn’t get a great restart
fist in the air and clapped. and was passed by Ste-
Penske was elected to the fan Wilson and Jack Har-
NASCAR Hall of Fame ear- vey. But all three needed
lier this month, and had a enough gas to get to the
shot at closing Sunday with finish line, and it was Power
a victory in the Coca-Cola who was frantically chas-
600 in North Carolina. ing them down.q