FORT WORTH, Texas — Defending NTT IndyCar Series champion Will Power will remain at Team Penske after signing a multi-year contract extension with the IndyCar team.
Power and Penske Corporation President Bud Denker both confirmed the extension to SPEED SPORT Friday afternoon at Texas Motor Speedway, the site of Sunday’s PPG 375.
“To have this all done and not be thinking about it and know where you will be for a little bit and into the future is very comforting,” Power told SPEED SPORT. “It’s multiple years. I don’t have to think about anything else but the job at hand. It’s always a comfort to have that contract extension.”
The 42-year-old driver from Toowoomba, Australia, who now lives with his family on Lake Norman in North Carolina is one of the NTT IndyCar Series all-time greats. He is a two-time IndyCar Series champion and is the all-time leader in IndyCar poles with 68. He broke Mario Andretti’s record of 67 poles when he was the fastest qualifier before last season’s final race — the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
Power is fifth in all-time IndyCar wins with 41, including the 2018 Indianapolis 500.
Power has also joined the ranks with Helio Castroneves and Rick Mears as longest tenured IndyCar drivers at Team Penske. Castroneves drove for Team Penske from 2000 to 2020 for a total of 21 seasons. Mears drove for Team Penske from 1978 to 1992 for 15 seasons
Power joined Team Penske on a part-time basis in 2009 and became a full-time driver in 2010.
He is starting his 15th season with Team Penske and, depending on the length of his multi-year contract, will narrow the gap on Castroneves time at Team Penske.
“I’ve been at Team Penske a long time and feel bloody fortunate to be able to drive for (team owner and IndyCar owner) Roger Penske for Roger Penske for that long, be given all of those opportunities to win championships and Indianapolis 500s,” Power said. “The older you get, the more you realize how blessed you are to be in this situation.”
Penske Corporation President Bud Denker told SPEED SPORT it’s great to have all three drivers signed for future IndyCar seasons including Josef Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin.
“We have a great stable of drivers, and it’s great to have them all signed, not only on the IndyCar side, but also on the NASCAR side,” Denker told SPEED SPORT. “Think about how long Verizon has been with us, with Will being the brand for Verizon for all those years and Verizon being with us continuously for all those years, it’s a great, great partnership.
“It’s great to have last year’s champion signed again.”
Power proved with last year’s championship that he remains one of the top drivers in the series.
“No doubt, he’s still got it,” Denker said. “He went after Mario Andretti’s record for poles last year, exceeding that in the final race of the year, to go into the championship race as the leader and close it out, no question, he’s still got it.”
When Power signed his prior contract extension two years ago, he told SPEED SPORT he wanted at least one more contract. With that contract extension now signed, does he want yet another contract extension when this one ends?
“Good question,” Power said. “I haven’t even thought about it. It all depends on how well I do.”
After winning his second NTT IndyCar Series championship last season, the big goal becomes another victory in the Indianapolis 500.
“That is something I’m pretty focused on,” Power said. “It would be a great way to end a career with a couple more Indianapolis 500 wins.”