{"id":34254,"date":"2025-03-18T21:36:28","date_gmt":"2025-03-19T01:36:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=34254"},"modified":"2025-03-18T21:36:28","modified_gmt":"2025-03-19T01:36:28","slug":"2025-detroit-grand-prix-team-penskes-will-power-on-indycar-and-racing-in-his-40s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/2025-detroit-grand-prix-team-penskes-will-power-on-indycar-and-racing-in-his-40s","title":{"rendered":"2025 Detroit Grand Prix: Team Penske&#8217;s Will Power on IndyCar, and racing in his 40s"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>Detroit<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 As the 2025 IndyCar season gets underway, 44-year-old senior statesman Will Power of Team Penske is celebrating his 20th year in the open-wheel sport. With the Detroit Grand Prix less than three months away, Power says the sport has never been stronger.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cIt\u2019s been great to watch the series evolve and get to the point where it is at right now with incredible depth of teams and drivers,\u201d said the two-time champion and driver of the No. 12 car in an interview at a sponsor event at the Garden Theater. \u201cWith a (broadcast) partner in Fox that is promoting us tremendously \u2014 more than I have ever seen. It\u2019s great to see.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The addition of Fox as the motorsports\u2019 exclusive, 2025 broadcast partner has been a big boost for the sport. The partnership has paid immediate dividends with the season-opening race in St. Petersburg March 2 gaining 45% more viewers than a year ago.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2025\/03\/14\/PDTN\/82413598007-will-power-detroit-gp-preview.jpg?width=660&amp;height=372&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"At the Accelerate Detroit sponsor event Thursday, Will Power, driver of the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske IndyCar, discussed the IndyCar season, including the Detroit Grand Prix on May 30-June1.\" width=\"504\" height=\"284\" \/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"At the Accelerate Detroit sponsor event Thursday, Will Power, driver of the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske IndyCar, discussed the IndyCar season, including the Detroit Grand Prix on May 30-June1.\" data-c-credit=\"Henry Payne, The Detroit News\">\n<p><em>At the Accelerate Detroit sponsor event Thursday, Will Power, driver of the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske IndyCar, discussed the IndyCar season, including the Detroit Grand Prix on May 30-June1.Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Credit Fox\u2019s relentless promotion of the series (the only North American pro motorsports series with an exclusive TV network partner) on programs like Super Bowl LIX, with ads featuring top drivers including 34-year-old,\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/story\/sports\/motor\/2024\/05\/26\/indianapolis-500-winner-josef-newgarden\/73865890007\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/story\/sports\/motor\/2024\/05\/26\/indianapolis-500-winner-josef-newgarden\/73865890007\/\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">reigning Indy 500 champ<\/a>\u00a0Josef Newgarden, 2024 champion Alex Palou of Spain, 27, and Mexico\u2019s charismatic Pato O&#8217;Ward, 25.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Australian-born Power and six-time IndyCar winner Scott Dixon from New Zealand are the oldest full-time racers in the field.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Power enjoys the multi-generational talent in the sport. \u201c(Younger drivers) have always pushed me very hard, and I\u2019m constantly having to elevate my game. I\u2019ve never stopped learning on how to be better. It\u2019s kept me competitive with guys who are 20 years younger than me. I feel like I\u2019m the best I\u2019ve ever been right now.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The Aussie, who won his last championship in 2022 at the tender age of 41, gives credit to improved diet, exercise, and recovery regimens for extending the careers of professional athletes into their forties.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cYou have these people who just specialize in almost reversing aging actually with things you can take and do,\u201d he smiled. But most of all, he credits determination.<\/p>\n<aside id=\"gnt_atomsnc\" class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_anc\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"loadAnc\" aria-label=\"Newsletter signup form\">\n<div class=\"label\" hidden=\"\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"message\">\n<div class=\"title\">Get the\u00a0<span class=\"highlight\">Spartan Sports Report<\/span>\u00a0newsletter in your inbox.<\/div>\n<p class=\"description\">Go Green: Connor Earegood leads our lineup of complete MSU sports coverage.<\/p>\n<div class=\"frequency\">Delivery: Daily<\/div>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"input-container populated\">\n<p><input autocomplete=\"off\" name=\"email\" required=\"\" type=\"email\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"clickable\"><\/div>\n<p><label>Your Email<\/label><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"bar\">\n<div class=\"highlight\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"progress-primary\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"progress-secondary\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cPeople put an age limit on it and expect people to start falling off at a certain age. I think if you set that in your head and stop working at it, then you will plateau. I believe probably the most important thing is the desire to be competive. If you\u2019re just complacent and picking up a paycheck, you won\u2019t be competitive. To me it\u2019s a lot to do with attitude.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">While a win at Memorial Day weekend\u2019s Indy 500 is the sport\u2019s Super Bowl, the June 1 Detroit Grand Prix one week after the 500 is an important date on Team Penske\u2019s calendar.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cBeing a Chevrolet-powered team, it\u2019s a very important event for us because they have been great partners,\u201d said Power who has finished second and sixth in the two Detroit races since it moved downtown from Belle Isle. \u201cTo be running around the downtown in Detroit \u2014 the home of Chevrolet, the home of Roger (Penske) \u2014 it\u2019s a good race to win.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2024\/06\/01\/PDTN\/73940223007-20240601-dmgrandprix-2001.jpg?width=660&amp;height=453&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"Will Power takes turn 3 during NTT Indycar series qualifying at the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix weekend in downtown Detroit,Michigan on June 1, 2024.\" width=\"510\" height=\"350\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"Will Power takes turn 3 during NTT Indycar series qualifying at the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix weekend in downtown Detroit,Michigan on June 1, 2024.\" data-c-credit=\"Daniel Mears, The Detroit News\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The tight, rough street course \u2014 coming just a week after the 240-mph banking of Indianapolis is a testament to the variety of tracks that IndyCar drivers must race to win a championship. The series is widely regarded as one of motorsports most challenging.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201c(Detroit) is a hard one to win,\u201d said Power, who scored the last win on the Belle Isle course in 2022. \u201cIt\u2019s quite a difficult track, it\u2019s hard to stay out of trouble and survive. That\u2019s the sort of race that it is and the sort of track that it is.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">At Thursday night\u2019s Accelerate Detroit sponsor event, he previewed a video of his 2024 qualifying lap to be shown to the evening\u2019s audience. Of the four street courses that IndyCar races on its 17-event schedule, Power allows how Detroit is the toughest.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201c(It\u2019s) very narrow in spots (and) bumpy. I think it\u2019s great for racing because you have a massively long straight so you can get runs on people. It seems to create mayhem which fans love \u2014 though not necessarily drivers, it depends where you are in the field,\u201d he laughed. \u201cNo joke, multiple time during the lap you are less than an inch from the wall.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2025\/03\/14\/PDTN\/82413698007-will-power-detroit-g-pstudent.jpg?width=660&amp;height=372&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"At the Accelerate Detroit preview event for the 2025 Detroit Grand Prix, Team Penske racer Will Power talks with a student from the Boys and Girls Club of SE Michigan.\" width=\"513\" height=\"289\" \/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"At the Accelerate Detroit preview event for the 2025 Detroit Grand Prix, Team Penske racer Will Power talks with a student from the Boys and Girls Club of SE Michigan.\" data-c-credit=\"Henry Payne, The Detroit News\">\n<p><em>At the Accelerate Detroit preview event for the 2025 Detroit Grand Prix, Team Penske racer Will Power talks with a student from the Boys and Girls Club of SE Michigan. Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Like sister open-wheel racing series Formula One, IndyCar last year moved to a hybrid powertrain to be in sync with the electrification plans of its manufacturing partners, Chevy and Honda. Unlike F1, the IndyCar system is not a full battery-electric system. It uses supercapacitors between the engine and gearbox for total drivetrain output of 900 horsepower.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cIt\u2019s added weight, its more power and torque,\u201d said Power. \u201cIt hasn\u2019t affected things too much, it\u2019s quite a simple system. You push a button out of the corner to switch it on, you push a button to switch it off. I wish they would open up the technology a little more where we could play around with some of that stuff, but now. . . you can regenerate more energy which means more reverse torque when you brake.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Power did not finish the season\u2019s opening race in St. Petersburg, but his Team Penske teammates, Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin, finished third and fourth. The next IndyCar race is in Thermal, California, on March 23. Tickets for the Detroit Grand Prix are on sale at www.\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.detroitgp.com\/buy-tickets\/tickets\" data-t-l=\":b|z|k|${u}\">https:\/\/www.detroitgp.com\/buy-tickets\/tickets<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Detroit\u00a0\u2014 As the 2025 IndyCar season gets underway, 44-year-old senior statesman Will Power of Team Penske is celebrating his 20th year in the open-wheel sport. With the Detroit Grand Prix less than three months away, Power says the sport has never been stronger. \u201cIt\u2019s been great to watch the series evolve and get to the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34254"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34254"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34254\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34255,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34254\/revisions\/34255"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34254"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34254"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34254"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}