ELKHART LAKE, Wis.— A week after winning the final NTT IndyCar Series race at Belle Isle near Detroit from 16th position on the grid, Will Power qualifies one position better in 15th place for Sunday’s (June 12) Sonsio Grand Prix at Road America.
The 2016 Road America winner went around the 14-turn, 4.014 mile road course in 1 minute, 45.4227 seconds to end up eighth in the first group of round one of knockout qualifying. By not placing one of the top six fastest times in that qualifying group, Power did not advance to the second round in qualifying and will line up 15th for the 55-lap race on Sunday.
Callum Ilott was the final driver to advance from the first group and was only .0321 seconds faster than Power. Power was set to advance to round two but lost all the time he had gained in the final sector of the track.
“I had a lot of wheelspin out of (turn) 12, but yeah that was the only corner,” Power said to Kevin Lee on pit road as the second group started qualifying. “Yeah, I don’t know. Should’ve better than that. Should’ve been better even on blacks, it’s surprising we weren’t faster.”
Power won in 2016 after starting on pole position, something that bodes well for Sunday’s (June 12) polesitter Alexander Rossi. In every open wheel race at Road America dating back to CART’s debut in 1982, the farthest back any driver has started and won was 13th place. Alex Tagliani won from that position in 2004, a race that ended up being the Canadian’s only win in top level American open wheel racing.
Power’s worst start at Road America before 2022 was eighth in the second race of the 2020 doubleheader. Strategy will have to benefit the 2018 Indianapolis 500 winner to get him through the field.
“We’re going to have to try something, good news is that when you qualify badly you have extra reds,” Power said, referring to Firestone’s softer alternate tire compound. “Hopefully that comes into play. Yeah, not ideal, man. I’ve got…
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