Will Power Scores Pole at WWT Raceway

Will Power dialing in his No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet in practice at World Wide Technology Raceway in preparation for the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 (Photo: Wayne Riegle | The Podium Finish)

MADISO, Ill. — The all-time leading “qualifying king” of the NTT IndyCar Series added one more to the stat book. 2018 race winner Will Power captured his 71^st pole position with a two-lap average speed of 180.329 mph in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, stealing the fast time from his Team Penske teammate and reigning back-to-back World Wide Technology Raceway pole sitter Scott McLaughlin.

“I sent it a lot,” Power told FOX Sports. “You have to try to be flat in (turns) three and four. I wasn’t quite flat but very very close. It’s been a while since I’ve had a pole so really excited for the Verizon No. 12 car and Chevy did a great job, good power. Hopefully we can execute in the race. Man, be awesome to get a win here.”

“I’d love to be up front,” McLaughlin said. “Team Penske 1-2 is always good. Will (Power), a while since he’s been on pole. He’s super quick around here. Anytime you go up one on one against Will Power in qualifying, it’s always tough.”

Row 2 for tomorrow’s first prime-time race of 2025 will consist of Pato O’Ward with a two-lap average of 179.190 mph in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet and the 2022 runner-up finisher David Malukas with a speed of 179.079 in the No. 4 Clarience Chevrolet for A.J. Foyt Enterprises.

“Second lap was good,” Malukas told FOX Sports. “That first lap I went too deep into one and had a big scrub. Thankfully the car was fine and we managed to get it there.”

Rounding out the top-five is the five-time WWT Raceway winner Josef Newgarden with a two-lap average of 178.910 mph in the No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet.

Josef Newgarden waits to qualify for the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 at World Wide Technology Raceway (Photo: Wayne Riegle | The Podium Finish)

When looking at the history of Team Penske at World Wide Technology Raceway, a front row lockout comes at no surprise. Most of that success has been carried by Newgarden by winning five times at the 1.25-mile egg-shaped oval.

Since 2017, Team Penske has won a staggering 26 (55.3%) of the oval races on the NTT IndyCar Series schedule. The Team Penske trio is looking to add to that success in this weekend’s race at WWT Raceway.

The remaining of the top 10 starting field were Marcus Armstrong, Felix Rosenqvist, Colton Herta, Alex Palou and Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix winner Kyle Kirkwood.

The 260-lap Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline will air at 8 p.m. ET on FOX, IndyCar Radio Network and IndyCar Nation SiriusXM Radio Channel 218.

Qualifying Results: