Defending NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Will Power in the No.12 Verizon 5G Team Penske Chevrolet says it was a very solid day for his crew as he came from seventh on the grid to finish the Honda Indy 200 at the Mid-Ohio Sportscar course on the podium in third place.
The result sees the Australian in seventh place in the championship, 151 points behind championship leader Alex Palou.
Speaking following the race, Power said:
Yeah very solid day. I honestly had no clue where I finished. But oh, wow, third! There were no mistakes all day. We drove really hard. Got the fuel when we needed it and yeah, had a fast Verizon 5G Chevy. Maybe I was a bit slow on my out laps. So, I’ll take a podium any day in this series. Even though it was hot, I never seem to suffer physically these days. I think it’s because I’ve just so attuned to it because I’ve been racing for so many years it just, I rarely feel pain in the car. I probably feel it, but just tune it out.
Scott McLaughlin in the No.3 Good Ranchers Chevrolet started the race just behind Power in eighth place.
The New Zealander was handed a blocking penalty on lap 8 of the race and had to give up a position to Andretti Autosport’s Kyle Kirkwood.
Speaking following the race where he finished in fifth place he said:
Yeah, pretty solid day. I think we’re capable of a podium today. The Good Ranchers Chevy was really strong, just picked our way through the fight. Got held up there on that last exchange here, annoyingly, but, you know, I think we’re in a good spot. I think we’re only 30 points out of second now in the championship. So, you know, Palou is doing a really good job at the moment. It’s up to us and Chevy and everyone else to work hard and catch up to him. Really proud of the hard work but we just need a little bit more and we’re going to be right there. So yeah, good day.”
Josef Newgarden in the No.2 PPG Chevrolet started the race from 15th and came home in 12th place and is currently in third place in championship, 116 points behind Alex Palou.
Speaking following the action, the Tennessee native commented saying:
It was just a tough day. Not what we wanted on the No. 2 PPG Chevy. Great fight for everybody. Great hustle all weekend trying to figure out what this track and road course package needs to be. Proud of our effort for working through it this weekend, but we just didn’t quite get there. Had a tough Saturday, which led a little bit into a tough race. But for us, it’s just keeping going, and trying to work on it one race at a time. Proud of everyone at Team Chevy and PPG, and we’ll go to the next one and try to be better.”