Will Power has re-signed a multiyear contract extension with Team Penske, NBC Sports’ Marty Snider reported Saturday during the broadcast of NTT IndyCar Series qualifying for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (live on Peacock now, replay at 10 p.m. ET on NBCSN).
Power’s new deal, which runs through at least 2023, leaves Simon Pagenaud as Penske’s lone IndyCar driver without a contract beyond the 2021 season (two-time series champion Josef Newgarden and rookie Scott McLaughlin both are in multiyear deals). Pagenaud was last in this position two years ago but secured a two-year extension by winning the 2019 Indianapolis 500.
Power signed his contract before finishing second last week in the season opener at Barber Motorsports Park. He joined Penske in 2009, moving full time the following season after recovering from a fractured back.
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The news came on a tough day for Power, who spun in qualifying and failed to advance from the first round. He managed to avoid damaging his No. 12 Dallara-Chevrolet but will be starting deep in the 24-car field.
“It’s fantastic; I really love being at the team,” Power told Snider after his qualifying laps. “They’ve been very loyal to me. It’s just awesome to be a part of such a great organization with a great sponsor like Verizon and Chevy.
“So yeah. Just obviously a disappointing day today, but overall, you know how these races go. We’ll be hoping for some sort of yellow or something to get ourselves up there. This is probably my worst qualifying in history.”
The Australian has 36 of his 39 victories with the team, and he is six pole positions short of tying Mario Andretti’s career record (67).
Power, who turned 40 on March 1, told NBC Sports last October that he was “at the absolute peak of my speed” and intended to drive IndyCar for several more seasons.
“I feel like I could be this quick until 45, honestly,” the 2014 IndyCar champion and 2018 Indy 500 winner told NBC Sports. “I don’t even know, maybe you can be this fast until 50. It’s just a number when people talk about it. I think what happens to people as they get older, they lose desire. So as long as you’ve got the desire, you’re going to keep the speed, keep the motivation.”
Power becomes the second big-name driver to be re-signed by Roger Penske’s team over the past 13 months. NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Blaney re-signed with the team in March 2020.
In addition to Pagenaud, 2012 Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski remains unsigned beyond 2021 after signing a one-year extension last season with Team Penske.
Snider reported the news as Power and the other 23 IndyCar drivers were qualifying on the 14-turn, 1.8-mile street course for Sunday’s race at St. Petersburg, Florida.
Getting ready for qualifying ... 👊🏁
— Will Power (@12WillPower) April 24, 2021
Tune in live on @peacocktv at 1:45PM ET, or catch the replay at 10PM ET on NBCSN.
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