Sunday marked Will Power’s triumph for Team Penske at Iowa Speedway. Power clinched his first IndyCar Series victory at the 0.875-mile oval, despite a last-lap crash involving four cars.
After crossing the finish line, Power witnessed Sting Ray Robb’s car flip following a collision with Alexander Rossi, causing a chain reaction involving Kyle Kirkwood and Ed Carpenter. Fortunately, Robb signaled thumbs-up as he was transported for evaluation in Des Moines.
Power maintained his lead to edge out Alex Palou by 0.3915 seconds, with Scott McLaughlin securing third place after winning Saturday’s race in the doubleheader.
Known for his speed at Iowa, where he has secured seven poles, Power expressed his satisfaction at finally clinching a win on this challenging track, especially after starting fourth and finishing 18th in Saturday’s race.
Reflecting on the weekend, Power highlighted the significance of this victory for Penske drivers, following McLaughlin’s maiden oval win the day before. The recent partial repaving had narrowed passing opportunities, adding to the challenge.
“I’ve been chasing this win for a long time,” Power remarked. “After finishing second a few times before the repave, I didn’t expect to win today. That’s just how life surprises you.” It was Power’s 43rd win in IndyCar, his first on an oval since his victory at Pocono in 2019.
Penske now has nine wins at this track in IndyCar races, and it’s the third victory for the team here this season. Ryan Blaney won the NASCAR Cup Series race in June.
Starting 22nd, Power moved up to second after the first round of pit stops and took the lead on lap 209 with a faster second pit stop, nearly a second quicker than Palou’s.
“I planned to conserve fuel from the start, finding the best balance of speed and lifting,” Power said. “I felt our car was stronger than Alex’s… Our pit stops were flawless, the best in the pit lane. The times prove it, not just my words. I’m fortunate to have them.”
Concerns lingered all weekend about the oval being reduced to a single racing line due to partial repaving in the turns done in May. Little changed in the top 10 until the first pit stops on lap 94, when Palou managed to take the lead.
Palou stayed out until lap 100, but Agustin Canapino’s spin coming out of the pits brought out a yellow flag, giving Palou an advantage over those who had pitted. Power waited to pit until after the caution and emerged second behind Palou.
Palou, leading for 103 laps, criticized the lack of passing, calling the race “boring.”
“It was the most boring race I’ve ever been in,” Palou said. “Yesterday was the same. It’s disappointing we couldn’t provide a better show. I think everyone will agree, that driving today was not exciting.”
Palou remains atop the series standings after the doubleheader with 379 points. Power follows in second with 344 points, while Pato O’Ward holds third place with 327 points.
“Yeah, this guy next to me doesn’t mess up often,” said McLaughlin, who narrowed the gap to Palou to 64 points after the weekend and sits in fifth place overall. “When he does, you have to take advantage.”
